OT: Spinal cord stimulator experiences anyone?

So does anyone have personal experience with spinal cord stimulator for pain management or know someone with experience?
I am looking at having this done to see if it can help me.
I am in the hurdle jumping process at the moment....so nothing set in concrete yet.
Thanks.

Sorry - same co. was doing implants, etc. years ago, but apparently not now, or at least nothing on that site (https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Pisces+spinal ... =h_&ia=web) mentions it.

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Fri Oct 29, 2021 4:59 pm

So does anyone have personal experience with spinal cord stimulator for pain management or know someone with experience?
I am looking at having this done to see if it can help me.
I am in the hurdle jumping process at the moment....so nothing set in concrete yet.
Thanks.

My husbands spinal surgeon said he removed more of them than he implanted. He was not a fan. When we looked into it for my husband, I found about a 50 /50 mix of people it helped vrs people who it didn't. My husband ultimately decided against it.

Have you tried a TENS unit? I have only a passing acquaintance with one during rotator cuff rehabilitation.
https://tensunits.com/

I have to have a trial for 5 days to see if it helps before we consider doing a permanent implant.
Has to give a minimum of 50% reduction in pain during the trial before one can get the permanent implant.

I am really more interested in direct personal experiences that people have had or someone close to them have had.
"Reviews from verified buyers" kind of thing.
I have read tons of information on the internet but just wanted some personal experience comments from people who have direct experience with it.

On my rare good days I think...."maybe I don't want to do it"
but then on days like today where I can't even walk to the bathroom fast enough to not pee myself....I think "maybe I should"
It's the painful walking that is my main issue.
I can get the temporary implant trial and if it doesn't help with the walking ....it's easily removed in the doctor's office and I proceed no further.

There's a 28 page thread on this topic over at Apnea Board: http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread ... ant-begins

There is a forum member on the restless leg foundation's community board named debbluebird who has an extensive thread going right now about her spinal stimulator experience. I think she's also a member here but not sure if she's around often enough to see this. Sure hoping your foray into this treatment proves helpful for your pain. http://bb.rls.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=10927

Is a spinal cord stimulator not the same thing as a TENS unit? My sister-in-law had what they said was a TENS unit implanted and it worked wonders for her.

Big pharma hates anything that reduces the demand for narcotics.
You go, girl!

scf wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 30, 2021 11:20 am

Is a spinal cord stimulator not the same thing as a TENS unit? My sister-in-law had what they said was a TENS unit implanted and it worked wonders for her.

It's often described as an implanted TENS unit since it works like a TENS device. Sends out little electrical impulses to disrupt the signals going to the brain. Blocks the brain from getting the signals of pain. Doesn't do anything for original cause of the pain but fools the brain into not knowing that you hurt.
Similar to what opiates do...they just make you not care that you hurt.
Except with the brain not getting the pain signals to start with can mean less need for pain meds to make you not care that you hurt.
In my case the pain meds aren't very effective in making me not care that I hurt and more meds just makes me sick.

So not technically a TENS unit... but works like a TENS unit and often doctors describe it that way because most people understand how a TENS device works. I have tried an external TENS device though....didn't really help but then it can't block those deep nerves inside the spinal column that are my main pain transmitters. External TENS devices just can't target deep enough to get the big boy nerves.

So I guess more like a TENS unit on steroids and with the ability to really target specific nerves which the external devices just can't reach.

Thank you Respirator99 and Kteague for the links.
Interesting reading for sure.

Medtronic is the brand of choice in my situation....actually I don't get a choice.

I have already had the shrink evaluation that is required and I passed. That was a weird deal. It involved an hour with the shrink and then another hour on a computer answering 350 questions. Near as I can tell looking for anything that might point to major psychiatric disorders or depression...stuff like that.

Lots of hurdles...one doc does the trial thing and a neuro surgeon does the permanent implant assuming the trial produces positive results.

Got the MRI of the lumbar and thoracic spine done to make sure a clear avenue to insert the leads as well as further documentation as to what is actually wrong with my spine.

Hopefully no more hurdles.

I've thought about trying one of those, if you do keep us posted on how it works. If you use a ten's unit you don't put your patches in such a way that it crosses the spinal cord, that is a no,no.

I'm sure you know by now that Medtronics makes/made the Pisces...?

Julie wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 30, 2021 3:10 pm

I'm sure you know by now that Medtronics makes/made the Pisces...?

Your above link is broken. All I got was google hits for Pisces tattoos.

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 30, 2021 4:17 pm

Julie wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 30, 2021 3:10 pm

I'm sure you know by now that Medtronics makes/made the Pisces...?

Your above link is broken. All I got was google hits for Pisces tattoos.

interesting. it worked for me. showed at least five hits for "Pisces spinal" before it devolved to the tattoos.