[Callahan]

Hi all, as it gets closer to my implant date, I am having a lot of anxiety about post op pain control. I build up a tolerance to meds quick. I am having percutaneous leads placed not paddle leads. Would you mind please sharing your experiences after implant? When did you start feeling better after surgery? Thanks in advance for letting me know your journey.

[Mark56]

I have paddle leads, not percutaneous, so the surgery was a bit more involved on my situation. There was not tremendous post-op pain, but a good bit of discomfort for not less than two weeks after the event.

You can see the writings referred to in the Sticky post I made at the top of the SCS page which include links to my writings [they are pretty detailed and quite LONG]. Sorry for the book length nature of the sharing]


M56

[Callahan]

Originally Posted by Mark56

I have paddle leads, not percutaneous, so the surgery was a bit more involved on my situation. There was not tremendous post-op pain, but a good bit of discomfort for not less than two weeks after the event.

You can see the writings referred to in the Sticky post I made at the top of the SCS page which include links to my writings [they are pretty detailed and quite LONG]. Sorry for the book length nature of the sharing]


M56

Thanks for info!

[Wingy]

Originally Posted by Callahan

Thanks for info!

Hi there,

I had the percutaneous leads and a Nevro Senza unit fitted, found it a bit sore at the incision sites for a couple of days and a bit irritating and itchy till a couple of days after the staples were taken out.

I don't remember having much in the way of pain apart from the first the first 24 hours, but I was in hospital for most of that so could have all the pain relief I wanted.

Hope this helps, Wingy

[Mark56]

Yup, good comment indeed.
M56

[PamelaJune]

Hi Callahan, I'm like Wingy, I have percutaneous leads, my first procedure December last year he struggled to put 2 leads in and they kept me in hospital for 4 days, I had very little pain tbh. I had a revision of the lead this year in September and it was repositioned and the 2nd lead finally threaded. I was incredulous at how much it hurt. BUT, the pain was worse because they had to do a fair amount of cutting and tugging due to the first lead not having been in the right place. Don't panic, the pain goes fairly quickly and honestly, within 10 days it was a distant memory. Practice BLaST and truly you will be ok, take your pain meds as and when you need them, and if in hospital, be sure to press the buzzer and get your pain relief that you have been written up for, don't let the nurses control what you need to have, you know your body and what pain you are in.
I'm making it sound worse than what it is, you will be ok, yes it hurts, any procedure hurts. But it will pass and you will be better for it. To put into context, labour pains or bowel obstructions hurt far worse.

Originally Posted by Callahan

Hi all, as it gets closer to my implant date, I am having a lot of anxiety about post op pain control. I build up a tolerance to meds quick. I am having percutaneous leads placed not paddle leads. Would you mind please sharing your experiences after implant? When did you start feeling better after surgery? Thanks in advance for letting me know your journey.

[Rrae]

I remember having the anxiety also, but when I hooked up with all these wonderful people here, it really helped. Just know you aren't alone in this and strive for the good possibility of pain relief.

I too have perc leads. The main thing to stress with percutaneous leads is that there is a much higher possibility of lead migration as opposed to paddles.
But as long as you mind the post op rules, such as what Pamela mentioned - "BLAST" (no Bending,Lifting,Stretching,Twisting) then your leads will stand a much better chance of staying secured.

As Wingy says, the post op pain was mainly the incision pain, which only lasts a few days. Ice is good relief.
As far as getting good coverage of stimulation, it's vital that you communicate very well to Dr & Rep in the operating room while the leads are being placed.
Even if your stimulation seems to be 'off' a bit, a few tweak sessions are common before getting it right on.

In the top section of this forum you'll find some good information regarding FAQ's and pre-op suggestions, etc. You're sure to have many questions and there are many helpful peeps here

Caring,
Rae

[pooh_ac]

Originally Posted by Callahan

Hi all, as it gets closer to my implant date, I am having a lot of anxiety about post op pain control. I build up a tolerance to meds quick. I am having percutaneous leads placed not paddle leads. Would you mind please sharing your experiences after implant? When did you start feeling better after surgery? Thanks in advance for letting me know your journey.

I am on my 3rd SCS unit and my second set of percutaneous leads.. Long long stories. Surgical pain is MUCH different then most of our chronic pain, My worst "ouches" have always been the surgical incisions. I no longer ALLOW staples to be used on my body,, they tend to poke when you move and I feel I have enough pain without being stabbed by my tissue closure devices My doc fusses but does acknowledge that it is MY body he is working on, he basically knows that nurses as pts are not terribly fun to deal with but if you humor them life is better for all. My current unit battery end of life is coming up next August so I will be once again become his problem child that needs humoring

[Mark56]

They finally just started gluing me together. No pops, seeps, weeps, pulls, or tears. Makes me wonder whether one day we will find Glue is what actually holds us together......

Yup
M56

[Wingy]

Originally Posted by PamelaJune

Hi Callahan, I'm like Wingy, I have percutaneous leads, my first procedure December last year he struggled to put 2 leads in and they kept me in hospital for 4 days, I had very little pain tbh. I had a revision of the lead this year in September and it was repositioned and the 2nd lead finally threaded. I was incredulous at how much it hurt. BUT, the pain was worse because they had to do a fair amount of cutting and tugging due to the first lead not having been in the right place.

By coincidence they could only get one lead into me due to bone and scarring being in the way from previous operations, however, that one lead has tilted a little to the right and no longer covers my left side.

Still no worries, they have said they may have a go at popping another lead in on the left and plugging it into the spare port on my Nevro to give me some coverage on that side, think they may have to do a bit of cutting and grinding to get it in though.

I had staples last time in three places; at the unit, on my back and a couple on my side, I assume this incision was to facilitate them getting the lead from my back to the unit on the front, anyway, having the staples taken out of my back and at the unit were no problem but the couple on my side stung a bit... made me whimper

I see Starbucks have started installing mobile phone near field chargers in some of their outlets, wonder if I lay across the table I can top up my Nevro

Wingy