Neurostimulator

[shazita]

Hi has anyone had a Neurostimulator fitted if so could you tell me please what the criteria is to make you eligible, as i was told you can only have it if you had a fusion or op and it failed. Yesterday my neuro told me that's not the case and i should be allowed it. But i was told i couldn't have it. Also does it work for you?

[Ru55ell]

Hi, I have a neurostimulator fitted, the criteria I would say depends on your condition and whether there are less invasive things that that can be tried. I have CRPS in my left knee, and have had a Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulator fitted, which is different from other atoms as it only controls the pain in my knee (other types of stim can affect whole

Limbs and 'spill' over into other areas.

The criteria I had to fulfil was this was the last chance as meds, and spinal blocks weren't helping, so I was referred by my original pain team to a more specialised Neuro pain team who after going through psych analysis fitted my stim. It works well for me when it is on target, the longer it is in the better it is.(I am 1 year post op)

Have a word with your pain team and ask if it's something they do for other patients and whether they think it will benefit you. There are a lot of treatments that can be used that aren't as invasive and each pain centre has their 'favourites' that they try and work their way from there. If you need to know anything else let me know and I will share my experiences with you. Good luck!

[shazita in reply to Ru55ell]

Hi thank you so much for answering my ad. i have literally tried everything injections don't work, medication feel like i am only taking them for fun of it, although if i have missed a dose pain does worsen. but what i hate is that the medication they made me put on weight and my body sometimes crave the morphine before its due. Now i know my pain team want to get me off of this at some point but they have to put something else in place. I am going on a CBT pain management course which has good feedback and its to give me the tools to cope with pain better and when i get flare ups and they will if you want help you to come off medication. but then if that happens people especially benefit people assume your better by not taking the medication which is rubbish...... i so much want to be given the chance to try the neuro stimulator. Do you still take medication along with it

[Ru55ell in reply to shazita]

Yes I still take medication, unfortunately my pain 'mirrored' across to my right side after I had my stimulator fitted, and am waiting to have another set of electrodes put in. My aim is to come of all meds completely, and it is possible to do, but the stimulators aren't designed to replace the meds, only to compliment them to allow you to reduce your meds and help control the pain better.

I have heard a lot of people have had good results from CBT, it was something that wasn't offered to me, I think it depends to how long you have suffered from it before they have started treatment, I had been I diagnosed for around 15 years and had to suffer with knock backs from the medical profession as to there being anything wrong.

I would recommend a stimulator to anyone, but for every good experience there are others who have had a bad experience from having a stimulator fitted, from the leads migrating, through to infection and having to have the whole system removed.

The thing I would recommend is to get as much information as possible and then you can make an informed choice. You can't second guess whether the stimulator will work as well for you, but if you know the risks you are better placed.

I was told that there USA big risk to having another set of leads put in to cover my pain spread, but I look at it that there is a chance that this can help and I have to go for that.

Where is your pain located? Is it one area or does it cover a limb or more? There are high frequency stimulator devices where you don't feel any buzzing or tingling and they seem to have a higher success rate, then there's the DRG stimulators for when the pain is in specific areas, and the results I have heard from these is that they are a lot more successful again.

Where abouts are you located? I am in the UK here and different countries have different views on stimulators as they are still relatively new (even though they have been around since the 1960's)

[shazita in reply to Ru55ell]

Hi thanks for getting back to me again, my pain is constantly in my lumbar region, but the pain can travel down my legs and to my hips and all over my back, so although there is one constant pain, i still have pain all over. i am also told i have chronic arthritis. i need to go drs as my hip keeps locking now, i have used crutches since 2008 and have been in hospital at least once a year for my back although last year was 3 times, and that is because i get up out of a chair or walk down the road and my back totally seizes and i cant move. i want to try this year to stay out. had flare up a few weeks ago and it lasted for about 2 weeks.... so really hope this CBT works and i am in east london.....