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Reply: Permanent Spinal cord stimulator ...Real Concerns....

Thanks for your response Beth ! After reading your response I realized I left out...

8 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Permanent Spinal cord stimulator ...Real Concerns...2-1/2weeks post-op Thanks for your response Beth ! After reading your response I realized I left out...

Permanent Spinal cord stimulator ...Real Concerns....

Hi Everyone ! I am a 39 yr. old male who has dealt with chronic back pain for...

Posted by STIMULATOR73

Hi Everyone ! I am a 39 yr. old male who has dealt with chronic back pain for years...After trying all the "conservative" options out there...from physical therapy...to all types of injections and basically every other option I could find or was suggested to me...all of which failed...I decided to try the surgical approach. After seeing neurosurgeons at the 2 top hospitals in my area...I was told that a multi level lumbar fusion
(L4/5/S1)would stabilize my spine...HOWEVER...it was very unlikely it would help to eliminate/reduce my pain that travels from my lower back into both of my legs. The surgeons both suggested a spinal cord stimulator since I was considered to be relatively young to start with fusions...basically guaranteeing that I would need another fusion later on if I proceeded at my age. After doing my research I decided to give it a shot. After having a relatively successful 5day trial of the stimulator and being reassured by both my PM doc and neurosurgeon that the permanent set up would be even better... I agreed to have
the permanent stimulator implanted.

So I am now 2-1/2 weeks post op and have some concerns...First of all...the paddle type leads were used for the permanent install and not the thin little wire leads... (sorry but I cant remember the name)...problem is that I am a skinny guy...lol...I am 5'-11" & 170pnds...these leads are literally sticking out of my back approx. 1/2"-3/4" !!! Every time I try to sit down its a nightmare to try and not lean on these leads...obviously it hurts like a S.O.B. !! My wife keeps telling me they will get smaller as I heal but I am having great difficulties believing her...Also the generator was placed in the top of my butt cheek and when I try to sit it gets "smushed" upward a bit as the bottom of the generator just catches the chair when I sit...Now for the real problem...this damn thing is not working on the leg pain...I actually think it mains the nerve pain worse ! I have already had the unit reprogrammed and it still is not helping...In order to get any relief I have to turn it up so high the "vibration" takes over everything and makes it hard to function because this is all I feel ! As far as controlling my lower back pain...again...I need to turn it up so high it literally restricts my abilities to function. In addition...I can feel the leads "rubbing" across the back of my ribcage which is very "uncomfortable" to say the very least and they can actually be seen when you look at my back ! I am hoping that I will stop getting "zapped" when I move around and that the generator area will also not be buzzing as bad when the unit is on as I continue to heal up.
If anyone has any insight on this it would be greatly appreciated ! I know that its only been 2-1/2 weeks but there has been very little improvement if any with the items I have described...Also if the is any other skinny people out there that has these same issues I would like to hear any suggestions you may have...

Thanks in advance

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Posted bySTIMULATOR73

8 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Permanent Spinal cord stimulator ...Real Concerns...2-1/2weeks post-op Hi Everyone ! I am a 39 yr. old male who has dealt with chronic back pain for...

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