Hi,
Please excuse if I make any spelling mistakes or miss out any words.
I had back surgery about 9 years ago for a prolapse disc L4/L5 S1 sadly two surgeries later it failed which still left me in pain with nerve damage.
Finally after putting up with the pain my Pain Consultant referred me to see a specialist who does spinal cord stimulator, I had the surgery 3 years ago it didn’t work for my back but helped my legs.
Has any had a spinal cord stimulator surgery.
I’m sorry if I’m moaning
Karen
Yes, I had one in about 6 yes ago. I had to decide if I wanted it directed at my back or leg. I chose my leg.I don’t think it works that well. I have asked to have it removed. As I find the battery site quite painful at times, as it is literally in a pocket under the skin
Hello Karen , reading your message was almost deja vu !! I have prolapsed discs at L4/L5 /S1 and S2.Had 3 operations for it , some relief from 2 of them . Ended up having SCS operation in August 2017 here in Oxford at Neurosciences at the JR . It's worked wonders for my chronic sciatica but less relief for my spine itself .
I'm having problems with the battery site as the battery had actually turned inside me.
I would be happy to answer any questions if you have any and also share experiences.
Best regards, Ben.
Hi I had a SCS fitted a couple of years ago for lower back pain and sciatica,it has worked well up to now. I had to choose what pain I wanted treated as I also have beck pain due to degenerative disc in the neck,but went for lower pain as that was worse. I do have problems with the battery as it is in positioned just above my trouser line which gets very sore at times. I am glad that I had it done,but it's not for everyone
My nhs specialist surgeon & his multidisvipline team have discussed neurostimulator implant surgery for my Failed Back Surgery Syndrome” pain etc (I have lumbar scoliosis with 40+ degree angle, making the left side L4/5 nerve root entrapment symptoms worse than before the 2019 instrumented fusion…& the surgery has caused persistent pain & disability due to entrapment of my right side cluneal nerves)
We have agreed not to go ahead with neurostimulator implant surgery because I am on heavy duty meds for several autoimmune illnesses + I have Antibody Deficiency disease + am .68 all of which makes me extremely high risk of this surgery infection triggering infection inside. Especially dire would be infection at the top end of the implant ‘cable’ because that would result in inflammation & swelling up there which inevitably causes brain damage…also I’m so slender that the implant pack would inevitably make sitting down etc etc problematic
Instead my surgeon & I are watchfully waiting re more surgery to release the L4/5 nerve root (he says that if he’d been doing my 2019 instrumented fusion, he’d have extended it to the bottom of my spine & up my thoracic spine. Meanwhile my pain consultant is doing diagnostic blocks to the cluneal nerves. If my response is pos, he’ll do denervations aka radiofrequency ablations (I’ve responded very well to these over the decades: had my cervical & lumbar spine facet joints all denervated every 3 years from the late 1990s to 2010)
Glad you posted. This discussion is helping me a lot. I hope things go ok for you 🤞🍀✌️
I had prolapsed disc 22 years ago new disc plus scaffolding, alas cut a nerve ouch. First scs fitted 9 years ago worked fine for 4 months until was giving bear hug, removed and re inserted, never was right too many impedances causing electric shocks. 3rd one fitted with paddles 2 years ago woke up with more pain then ever, worst choice ever. Evening though been turned off for 6 months the battery still shocks and have had a sore painful buttock since first insertion. On waiting list for removal
This is such a great discussion in Forum I really love this forum anyhow I just wanted to say I'm sorry that you had to go all through that with that spinal cord stimulator I had a doctor who wanted me to have one and I absolutely refused I think he was getting Kickbacks actually from Boston Scientific not interested it was not going to fix my issue 8 months later I needed to have an L4 L5 Fusion I was in severe pain but I could only decide if I would treat my leg pain or my back pain was not going to heal me or fix the problem that I was having I wanted to get to the root of the problem and fix it I did the nerve valvation the nerve burning the injections and all of that I've heard nothing but horror stories of these spinal cord stimulators how they malfunction and give you shocks and I cannot believe that you're on a waiting list to have it removed I am so sorry to hear that that is terrible I pray for you to find Healing very quickly and hope that your next in line to have it removed I can't imagine having to wait to have that removed I'm so glad that I made the decision not to have one implanted was not the best choice for me personally I'm sure it works for some but it was not going to work for me and I'm glad to read all of these responses here regarding their experiences with them best of luck to everybody
I had one for 7 years until sadly it failed. It was fantastic. I still had back trouble now and again but it was fantastic for the nerve pain and helped me lead a normal life. They removed it and unfortunately I have too much scar tissue for a replacement. I am now waiting to see if I can have one with paddles instead. Unfortunately Guys and St Thomas’ can’t fit them therefore I had to be referred to Southampton. I’m keeping everything crossed as I’m severely disabled now.
Is there a nhs medical term for the one with paddles, eg ‘paddle neurostimulator’, this link is to a USA video I found)?
neuronwbs.com/spinal-cord-s...
Hope things work out for you @ Southampton 🍀🤞hope you’ll keep us posted 💞
Thank you x I hope your denervations help x I don’t think the NHS call the paddle anything special, you just either have leads or paddles. Paddles are more invasive as they involve a laminectomy and can only be fitted by a neurosurgeon rather than a pain management specialist. Only certain hospitals offer this. My local hospital has fantastic neurosurgeons but sadly don’t offer them 😢. It’s a long journey apparently, around 18 months and I’m not seeing the surgeon in outpatients until 3rd October. Keeping everything crossed 🤞🏻
Thanks: these details help me a lot! 👍can’t help hoping hope they surprise you by valling you in sooner 🤞🍀
Sadly we end up with a lot of damage to our tissues from all the procedures that we go through I've had multiple injections nerve allegations Etc two surgeries I've never had the spinal cord stimulator however the last doctor I saw before my surgery was adamant that I should get one but he was affiliated with a place here in the United States called Boston Scientific and he was pushing that thing from day one I ended up not getting it and so grateful that I did not I believe that there is a lot of tissue damage from all our procedures it makes it very difficult and causes more issues later on down the road we must be cautious on the procedures that we have done I have found injections have worked but you can only have so many a year here in the US I do not know what it's like where you are I love this forum and I'm glad that it's a place that we can share our experiences and learn from each other I wish you all the best and thanks for sharing your experiences with these spinal cord stimulators love and light to everybody
Hi, how does a bladder stimulator work, and what exactly does it do? Hope you don’t mind my asking.
Thank you. That’s interesting. Had no idea it existed and what it actually did. It doesn’t sound as though it is that helpful and is painful in the process. Best wishes to you.
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