I've recently had a spinal cord stimulator implanted and whilst the spinal site is healing really well and I am getting pain relief, the battery unit implanted on my left side on my lower ribs is driving me mad!.
It is extremely painful, sticks out quite considerably and precludes any sleep on my left side. Has anyone had a similar experience and does it eventually settle down?
Oh, I also have a feeling that it has rotated slightly and now sits like a diamond rather than a square if that makes sense.
Best wishes to all on here and keep smiling, Ben.
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StaticNomad
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The battery is on the bottom of the actual ribs and not below the actual ribs. During the week's trial between the 2 operations the battery was actually located on my back rather than on the ribs and on my flank.
Must admit it was a surprise to wake up with the battery where it is located.
Did they give any explanation as to why it was put where it is?
My friend Curlygirl54 had an SCS last January with battery on her left buttock. Since losing a lot of weight now protrudes causes pain when lying down.
Hello. No, no explanation and in fact during the appointments prior to the operation, the abdomen was mentioned as a distinct possibility.
I do have the option to contact the HCP who is my designated nursing practitioner but I was just curious as to what others have experienced and whether their battery had actually settled down.
I'm off work until the New Year but have had to do a wee bit more than anticipated as sadly my mum passed away end of October and had a lot of organising for her funeral which was on last Tuesday.
Hello, yes mine was placed just next to my iliac crest on my left side and stuck out at a 45 degree angle!! I went back to my pain doctor amd they arranged for me to to see a plastics guy who planned to put extra fat around the site, sadly my body rejected the implant first but it may work for you 😄
I have just read through some of your previous posts and you have certainly been through the mill!
I am going to take it completely easy this week, see if it settles down any more and then my nurse practitioner is back in the Neuroscience Dept next week.
My SCS battery pack was placed in same position as yours but on my right hand side, with the leads threaded toward the stimulator, to the back and up through my rib cage. Although turned off, I had mine in place for about 5-6yrs and yes, the wound site does settle down. All the other problems rely on each individual and their anatomy. I could still feel the outline on the box with my fingers and eventually I developed a habit of fiddling with the box and putting my fingers under the edges to move it around a little, ( I feel you shudder ) but as I carry a bit of fat in that part of my waistline, it didn’t stick out and probably wasn’t as obvious as in someone who is thinner. Its just a downside of having to have a battery pack, whether in your chest wall for cardiac implants or, as in the friend of the previous commentator, near her iliac crest ( hip ). Putting the battery on such a bony area seams unusual, especially as the body has a natural ‘space’ below the rib cage. But you must have been in a lot of pain because the NHS do not put these in to just any body these days. So as long as it is helping and giving you some relief, then believe me, these issues will become minor in comparison. I’m quite jealous and wish mine had worked!
Are the batteries still changed every 3 years? Because if so, any major issues that haven’t settled over time could be possibly be resolved then.
Sleeping on that side, which initially feels like you are lying on a metal cigarette box, does get better. Whether it’s because I got used to it or the unit settled ‘in’ I’m not sure. I used an old flat bean bag to soften the impact when trying to lie on that side, so maybe you could replicate something similar. Don’t forget to massage the scar area with Bio oil for at least 6 months and arnica cream for a few weeks and maybe try taking some arnica orally for a few weeks too to aid the internal trauma and bruising from the op itself. They put a bit of slack in the wiring to allow for slight movement in the battery pack but if it rotates any more, maybe from your diamond shape into a more horizontal rectangle, then do contact your nurse for reassurance. But really, any queries like this or worries you have, however insignificant they may appear, then please talk to your nurse. That is what they are there for, and especially because this is a recent procedure. We are all individuals, so she will know more about you than us, why you had your procedure and it’s particular placement and probably hints and tips for coping at this early stage.
When it is adjusted corrected and all the alien feelings from having an implant fade away, you should start feeling the benefit. I really hope everything settles down soon.
I don't believe it Elpherlol, I have just written a long reply to your great post and pressed send and it deleted the entire message! Thank you again for your reply and I shall try and reproduce my reply either tomorrow evening or on Monday.
Glad to here your SCS is working. I am on month#4 and have turned mine off as it is not working. My 7 year battery is in my right buttock and from day one it feels like it is trying to push through my skin. It is painful and makes sleep difficult so I know what you mean. My surgeon said it could take 3-4 months for everything to stabilize, but it hasn't so far. Hope you have better results than I have.
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