New to group

[TrueBlue1212]

Good morning,

I just found this group online while looking for a support group for my husband’s demyelinating syndrome.

I have been through the wringer with chronic back pain due to degenerative disc disease since 1989. I try not to let my pain define me, though.

My new pain specialist recommended having a spinal cord stimulation device implanted. I passed the pre-surgical evaluation and am meeting with the doc next week to discuss the trial.

Has anyone had experience with SCS devices? I read some of the research results. The device doesn’t appear to be super helpful for most people. I am willing to give it a try as long as it doesn’t make my issues worse. I have had two failed back surgeries, multiple injection therapies, years of PT, chiropractic, pharma, prolotherapy, nerve blocks, and radio ablation. My kidneys are stressed from decades of NSAIDs. I have accepted that life with pain is doable, but it would be better with less pain.

[012703060610]

I have a friend with one implanted and it is working well for her. Everything is always a trade off. I am allergic to NSAIDs and Narcotics. The best anyone can come up is to give me benzos. I have a lot of autoimmune issues and the allergy to NSAIDs is brutal. However, I was taking them for a long time and probably damaged myself too. I think you need to know the worst outcome possible, which they will say is death. If and when it needs removed, what is that process like and how would it impact you? It's an interesting thought to see if you did reduce pain with the device and eventually went off to see if the pain changed at all. You'll get to the right place in a decision, but I know how very hard these decisions can be!

[Kemptville]

Hi there

I am about to undergo discectomy on L4 - L 5 prolapsed disc. This will be the third op in 15 months. I also have had epidurals and medial nerve ablation for arthritis in facet joints of lumbar vertebrae. Like you I am willing to try anything to relieve the pain so long as it does not make things worse.

I came to realise is there is no one procedure that will work for everybody . You have to put your trust in whichever specialist you choose to work with and be prepared to try things in the hope that one of the procedures will be the right one for you. I have reached the point where I would try anything just to reduce the pain to a level where I can live a half decent life

I wish you all the best in your latest procedure and hope to hear that is has been successful.

Kemptville

[Sydney75]

From what I have researched for my husband, they will do a temporary trial before surgical placement. It seems there may be better success with radiating leg pain. Newer devices allow your to drive and sleep while it is on. They keep tweaking the technology. I would also research scs latest devices, improvements etc.