I had an Advanced Bionics spinal cord stimulator implanted two weeks ago. The system helps the nerve pain but I am experiencing severe pain around the implant pocket. Has anyone had similar experiences? Please comment.
Thank you.

Hi Harry,
I had the AB SCS implanted also last year but had to have it removed after a short time due to many complications.
I'm happy to hear that that you are getting good results and hope that it continues to help.
I had two inscions for the implant myself and don't really recall having any real severe pain problems at either site at the time.
It would really help if you could be a little more specific about what type of pain your having around the site, such is it stabbing, burning or what?
Have you had it ck'ed to make sure that you haven't devolped an infection, as I know that can be a common problem with the implants.
Anyway please let me know more about the pain if you can and don't heitate to contact your dr with this problem!
Good luck,
Linda

HI HARRY, I HAVE A MED-TRONICS SPINAL CORD STIMULATOR IMPLANT, IT HAS BEEN 4 MONTHS SENSE THE IMPLANT AND I ALSO HAVE PAIN WHERE THE GENERATOR SITE IS AND ALSO WHERE THE LEADS ARE. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET AN ANSWER FROM MY DOCTOR.
IF YOU GET SOME KIND OF ANSWER PLEASE LET ME KNOW. STEELRAIN01@AOL.COM.
GOOD LUCK HARRY.

I also had the medtronics stimulator implanted last summer on a weekend trial for back and leg pain. The procedure took much longer than usual as they could not get the lead for my back in place -later told too much scar tissue there. Because you have to be awake it was quite a bad experience, though looking back now, quite comical at times - like when they thought they had the lead in place for my left leg and I felt the buzzing in my right butt cheek instead ! At one point the medtronics person told me jokingly this was all my fault because things were not lining up where they should have. Not sure but perhaps dermatone type things are as individual as eye color in people ? Maybe not that unique but surely there must be variation. So the weekend trial was a bust as they finally settled on a n area where I had to turn the amplitude up so high to feel it where I needed it that it was very uncomfortable.
Sorry so long - btw my doc says there is a new one out by a boston firm, not sure if its the one your're asking about and right now I can't recall the proper name, but its supposed to have very thin leads. And because the medtronic people were not very good apparently with many others besides me, he fired them.
Don't know as I would try it again for what thats worth.

I had the Medtronitc's one. It was the best and most expensive on the market over a year ago. It gave me all kinds of trouble as months went by. The medtronic salesman blamed me also. That's just to put the blame on me. My advice is don't listen to them. They will tell you it don't work for everyone. I too had to turn it up on high and it just li
kicked my leg forward. It would shock me too when I would change from standing to laying down.

After 11 months I went to my other spinal doctor and during another spinal surgery I ask him to take it out. he did, and that was the end of my problems. I won't tell you what to do. Everyone has to make up their own mind about that.
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BC

Hi Harry ~ By the implant "pocket" are you referring to where they put the "generator?" If so, I had that problem too. The stupid thing tried to even work itself OUT! (yuk) It made pressure sores on each end of the generator, as I was (and still am) quite thin and didn't have enough 'fat' to contain it. Consequently, since the whole unit wasn't doing much good anyway, we had to have it removed which I hate to tell you is a bit worse than having it put in. But I was NEVER sorry.

Talk to your pain doc about this. The generator (if that's what you're talking about) should NOT be causing you ANY pain!!! So please let him/her know ASAP. God bless. Hugs, Lee

my husband had one placed about 15 months ago. The "pocket" hurt for about 6 months but he has no problems at all with it now. It just took a while for the scar tissue to form around it. He has the Medtronics implant. As for the nerve pain, if you have trouble with the levels of stimulation causing an uncomfortable fleeting or makes you feel like you're electrocuting yourself, REMEMBER, there are numerous settings! You can't program it yourself. They only give you a few settings to choose from. Call the Medtronic rep and they will be happy to meet you in your doctors office and try new combinations. We met with them 3 times to try new settings and finally found a combination that reduced his pain level by over 50% without any discomfort to him.

Good luck.

I had a rep like you wouldn't believe. He would never come in the 11 months I had one in. I even called Metronic's and turned him in. They did send a woman after that. It didn't help tho. Mine had a lot of settings and I learned them all. Not everyone likes them. I had so much scare tissue from that too that I was begging to have it out. That was the end of my problems. It has been out now 4 months. I didn't want it anyway for I was needing surgery at the time and my husband didn't want to take me since it was so far from our home. A different surgeon took it out. He did have to report it tho and contact the ones that put it in, for he is a bone specialist. He doesn't like them either. I was told, they do work for some people. The Neuroligist wouldn't do anything to my back and that is why I let him put it in, in the first place. I do want to wish your husband good luck.
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fancylady

I had a Medtronics implanted May of 2005 and love it. After a trial implant of one week that was very successful for SOME of my neuropathic pain I elected to continue with the regular implant. What a blessing! I know it is not for everyone and certainly not for all types of chronic back pain. The success is not only determined by the type of pain, but the skill of the doctor implanting the leads and generator.

My SCS virtually eliminates my pain in the buttocks and the back of my thighs, however it does NOTHING for the pain in the lumbar region. I think I remember some doctor referring to my lumbar pain as "mechanical". Probably not nerve pain, but I just don't know.

As far as I am concerned, my SCS implant was very successful! Sorry for all the problems everyone has had with their SCS implant.

Dutch45,
What great news I always enjoy hearing that they help someone.
Thanks for sharing.
Linda