spinal cord stimulator

[drl143]

Could a spinal cord stimulator be beneficial to someone that may have had a failed back surgery?

[HawktheSlayer]

I have to say that I have an SCS for L4-L5 L5-S1 nerve damage and it has given me my life back. I am sorry for anyone that had a good trial run that and when they got the unit installed it did not help them. MY unit has given me 50-60% pain reduction and helped me alot. If you have extreme pain and they offer the trial I do thing you should give it a try. Also make sure you see how many time your Dr has implanted the unit. I have seen Dr that have bad records of installing the unit and leads, but then there are some that have had great records my Dr is one of them. He has done more than 40 implants with only 4 failtures and all 4 where faulity units not the implant. Remeber that the units are electronic and sometimes they do and will fail, but that is what you have to look at. Is the risk worth taking for me I feel that it was, the only option other that death, I had 3 failed surgeries and the pain was too much, with the meds at that time I was worthless just a zombie, with out the meds it was almost the same I could only lay in bed and that was it I would try not to move at all even getting up to goto the bathroom I felt so much pain that I wanted to die. Again look at the risk over the gain if its too much of a risk for little or no gain dont do it, but if its mid risk for a high gain than it just might be worth the try.


R.
Adam

[Kathy814]

I have a good friend who had a spinal cord stimulator implanted following a failed back surgery. She states it has been extremely successful. I am a candidate for the same procedure in the near future and only hope my results are as good. I have RSD/CRPS.
Good luck.

[fruitcakes238]

I have had a spinal cord stimulator for over a year now.  Worst mistake I have made.  The trial helped but this has been a bust.  I'm still in horrible pain.  

Yet some people they help.  Just not me...

[fpainestam]

As someone who has been wrestling with lower back pain for about a dozen years, I tried the SCS.  A couple of issues: a) it's a fussy thing, with a frequent need for re-charging, and a re-charging system that is inefficient;  and b)  it's vulnerable to having the wires move, which is what happened to me.  Bottom line...My SCS gave significant relief for about six weeks, but then one of the wires moved.  The result was that the SCS was then increasing the pain, not lessening it.  It took almost 15 months to figure out what had happened.  I was given the option of either trying to fix the wire so that it was no longer touching a nerve, or removal of the SCS.  Because of the fussiness, I chose the latter.  Double bottom line:  I would think very carefully before doing this...Good luck...fpainestam

[Tuckamore]

Hello DRL,

You have asked a good question, one I have seen more frequently posted of late. Sandee has provided you with good information and a good link.

So many ppl have different experiences with the Spinal Cord Stimulator. I have good some good results and I have heard some "no relief" results. I always believe if it will not hurt me I have nothing to lose. As you well know when pain becomes so disruptive to our lives we often will try anything (legal) to alleviate the pain.

Whatever your decision may be I wish you the very best. I hope you will keep us posted on how you are doing. We would like to hear from you first hand if you have this procedure as to how well it has worked for you. Please take care, Tuck

[sandee1818]

A significant number of patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery do not obtain pain relief. Such patients with chronic low back or lower extremity pain may be difficult to treat. A frequent component of therapy is the use of spinal cord stimulation to help control pain. With careful patient selection, many patients can achieve reasonable levels of pain relief. This technology must not be indiscriminately applied. Careful patient selection and a period of trial stimulation are vital to the successful use of spinal cord stimulation as treatment for chronic pain.

http://www.virtualmedicalcentre.com/news.asp?artid=11861



http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0304395903004986


http://74.125.45.104/search?q=cache:wirx1NjfSG0J:www.ans-medical.com/media/SCSFBSS3.08.doc+spinal+cord+stimulator+be+beneficial+to+someone+that+may+have+had+a+failed+back+surgery%3F&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us