I have had my SCS for five weeks now, and have experienced a 60-75% reduction in pain. Not only was I able to get off Oxycodone, I've been weaning off of the Hydrocodone for the past week. My goal was to be all the way off of it in a couple of weeks. So far, so good.

Until today.

It started yesterday with just a nagging ache in my back. I thought it was just the position I had been sitting in to cross stitch. Last night when I went to bed, I turned my stim UP higher than I have been using it because of my increased pain. When I woke up for the second time around 3 am, I was in excruciating pain. It wasn't unfamiliar pain - it was my old familiar pain, and boy, was it bad. I got in the recliner, and that did nothing to alleviate it at all. I'm contemplating taking my normal dose of hydro, instead of the half-dose I've been taking.

But here is my question. I know that I'm still an SCS newbie. I don't know what is normal, and what isn't. So is it normal to be going along just fine, and then have such horrible pain? To me, it feels like a set back - like I've done something wrong (which I haven't, that I can think of). Does this maybe mean I just need to call my rep for a re-programming? Should I be concerned? Or, are bad days every now and then just the norm?

Ok - that was more than one question, sorry!

Thanks for any insight that y'all can give. I'm trying not to be discouraged, but it's hard. We are supposed to go to our daughter's baby shower on Saturday, which is an eight-hour drive there back, and I was so excited that I was feeling better and was going to be able to go. Now just the thought of walking into the kitchen to get my morning coffee seems daunting.

Blessings to all.

=Becky