Guest guest Posted October 18, 2011 Report Share Posted October 18, 2011 I have a Stimulator implant Harry and they work great. I had my first one in 98' and 2 more sence. The batteries run out and you need a replacement. The one I have now will give me 8 more years of battery life. It is a outpatiant operation for the new implants. With the combination of pain management with drugs and the stimulator I still have a degree of cronic pain . The stimulator gives me 40% relief and that is alot. LORD;I AM IN A PRISON...FOR SOMETHING I NEVER DONE...IT'S BEEN ONE HILL AFTER ANOTHER...I'VE CLIMBED THEM ALL...ONE BY ONE >________________________________ > >To: stillsdisease >Sent: Monday, October 17, 2011 9:04 AM >Subject: RE: Back Surgery > > >Hello Gail, >A few things to consider regarding surgery. Many patients consider spine surgery a failure if they do not achieve a satisfactory level of pain relief. The absolute percentage of relief of pain unfortunately is hard for a spine surgeon to predict as a result of surgery. Prolonged compression of a nerve particularly small diameter nerve fibers (temperature and pain) can result in chronic scarring such that even after a structurally successful lumbar decompression and fusion there is continued pain. One needs to also consider the possibility that in the absence of surgery the larger nerve fibers carrying balance input and voluntary motor activity do not get permanently injured. The result is progressive numbness, ataxia, and paralysis. A patient with chronic pain following lumbar spine surgery may be a candidate for an implantable spinal cord stimulator for relief of pain. Preservation of sensory and motor function is the primary concern particularly in a patient with not unreasonable pre-operative risk factors. >Harry S. > > >To: Stillsdisease >From: glmrphy@... >Date: Sat, 15 Oct 2011 13:29:24 -0700 >Subject: Re: Back Surgery > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Thanks for posting this, ... I am still undecided about my back, have been thru so much to try and fix my multiple problems and sometimes the pain gets so bad I am ready to tell the doc to sterilize the scalpel, lol... I have vertebral slippage (spondylolisthesis), spine curvature, nerve protrusions and spurs. All located at L-4/L-5 and L-5/S-1... Physical therapy worked until they started traction, which messed it up worse. 32 visits to chiropractor and him finally saying , I've done all I can. Two neurosurgeons (had to get that 2nd opinion!) both agree that if the epidural steroid injections dont help my only option is surgery. They are talking about going in, correctng the curve in my spine and fixing the vertebral slippage, blah, blah... two rods and I can't remember how many screws to hold it all together. > > > >So, it was on to the pain clinic for the injections which help some, only temporarily. Only other thing they have suggested is spinal manipulation where I would need to be sedated. That scares me, too. Doc said, please, whatever you do, you are only allowed to walk and swim, that's it, or your spine will slip right off itself. Lovely. > > > >So, I take it a day at a time. Want to weigh my options and talk to others (like you) who have good or bad outcomes. For now, I use a cane when it's bad (I can't stand for longer than 5 minutes without holding onto something) and take pain meds (they barely touch it) and hope for the best. However, my husband had C-spine surgery years ago and has done well with the outcome. Guess it all depends... > > > >Sorry you are going thru this, and I know your situation is different b/c it was so sudden, hang in there! > >Gail > > > >________________________________ > > > >To: " Stillsdisease " <Stillsdisease > > >Sent: Saturday, October 15, 2011 3:14 PM > >Subject: Back Segury > > > > > > > > Here; > >I would like to talk to you about my experance with back segury. If one can avoid it please AVOID IT. I had a slipped and cracked L5-S1 vertabra and had bone taken from my hip and fussed 3 vertaba togeather. I also had to have three 6 " rods and 6 screws to hold the rods and vertabra in place. I had to have this operation due to a Harley accident. I hit a car broadside going 50 miles per hour, he did not see me. He pulled out in front of me. My operation was not a question of should I have it done it was have to case or my spinal cord would have been severed. My operation was done as a emergancy . I now have " Failed Back Syndrome " a very cronic condition that will never go away. One can look up this condition on WebMD and you will read what a back operation can leave you with. Now I know some people have miner operations and feel good after but a major invacive operation can leave you in more pain than not having surgery . > > > > > > > >> > >>________________________________ > >> > >> > >> > >> > >>Hi all, > >>I'm trying not to be depressed but I got my MRI results this week from my cervical spine and the damage is quite extensive with disk buldging at a few places and the with disc pieces up to 7 mm in size breaking off and pressing into my central spinal canal in several places. > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 19, 2011 Report Share Posted October 19, 2011 Hello , I am glad to hear the spinal cord stimulator gives you some relief. My Mother just had one implanted for pain related to severe spinal stenosis. She has had good relief with the ability to reduce her need for pain medication. One problem has been recharging the implanted battery. My mother is a little hard of hearing and can not distinguish the disappearance of the beeping alert that signifies the correct position for charging. I have to sit her up and pack in her with towels to maintain the correct alignment for charging. When it is charged the unit works well. Does your stimulator have multiple programs? If so they can re-program it to cover different anatomic areas for pain control. Any suggestions on charging the implanted unit would be appreciated. Harry To: Stillsdisease From: proangler56@... Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:54:15 -0700 Subject: Stimulator Implant I have a Stimulator implant Harry and they work great. I had my first one in 98' and 2 more sence. The batteries run out and you need a replacement. The one I have now will give me 8 more years of battery life. It is a outpatiant operation for the new implants. With the combination of pain management with drugs and the stimulator I still have a degree of cronic pain . The stimulator gives me 40% relief and that is alot. LORD;I AM IN A PRISON...FOR SOMETHING I NEVER DONE...IT'S BEEN ONE HILL AFTER ANOTHER...I'VE CLIMBED THEM ALL...ONE BY ONE >________________________________ > >To: stillsdisease >Sent: Monday, October 17, 2011 9:04 AM >Subject: RE: Back Surgery > > >Hello Gail, >A few things to consider regarding surgery. Many patients consider spine surgery a failure if they do not achieve a satisfactory level of pain relief. The absolute percentage of relief of pain unfortunately is hard for a spine surgeon to predict as a result of surgery. Prolonged compression of a nerve particularly small diameter nerve fibers (temperature and pain) can result in chronic scarring such that even after a structurally successful lumbar decompression and fusion there is continued pain. One needs to also consider the possibility that in the absence of surgery the larger nerve fibers carrying balance input and voluntary motor activity do not get permanently injured. The result is progressive numbness, ataxia, and paralysis. A patient with chronic pain following lumbar spine surgery may be a candidate for an implantable spinal cord stimulator for relief of pain. Preservation of sensory and motor function is the primary concern particularly in a patient with not unreasonable pre-operative risk factors. >Harry S. > > >To: Stillsdisease >From: glmrphy@... >Date: Sat, 15 Oct 2011 13:29:24 -0700 >Subject: Re: Back Surgery > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Thanks for posting this, ... I am still undecided about my back, have been thru so much to try and fix my multiple problems and sometimes the pain gets so bad I am ready to tell the doc to sterilize the scalpel, lol... I have vertebral slippage (spondylolisthesis), spine curvature, nerve protrusions and spurs. All located at L-4/L-5 and L-5/S-1... Physical therapy worked until they started traction, which messed it up worse. 32 visits to chiropractor and him finally saying , I've done all I can. Two neurosurgeons (had to get that 2nd opinion!) both agree that if the epidural steroid injections dont help my only option is surgery. They are talking about going in, correctng the curve in my spine and fixing the vertebral slippage, blah, blah... two rods and I can't remember how many screws to hold it all together. > > > >So, it was on to the pain clinic for the injections which help some, only temporarily. Only other thing they have suggested is spinal manipulation where I would need to be sedated. That scares me, too. Doc said, please, whatever you do, you are only allowed to walk and swim, that's it, or your spine will slip right off itself. Lovely. > > > >So, I take it a day at a time. Want to weigh my options and talk to others (like you) who have good or bad outcomes. For now, I use a cane when it's bad (I can't stand for longer than 5 minutes without holding onto something) and take pain meds (they barely touch it) and hope for the best. However, my husband had C-spine surgery years ago and has done well with the outcome. Guess it all depends... > > > >Sorry you are going thru this, and I know your situation is different b/c it was so sudden, hang in there! > >Gail > > > >________________________________ > > > >To: " Stillsdisease " <Stillsdisease > > >Sent: Saturday, October 15, 2011 3:14 PM > >Subject: Back Segury > > > > > > > > Here; > >I would like to talk to you about my experance with back segury. If one can avoid it please AVOID IT. I had a slipped and cracked L5-S1 vertabra and had bone taken from my hip and fussed 3 vertaba togeather. I also had to have three 6 " rods and 6 screws to hold the rods and vertabra in place. I had to have this operation due to a Harley accident. I hit a car broadside going 50 miles per hour, he did not see me. He pulled out in front of me. My operation was not a question of should I have it done it was have to case or my spinal cord would have been severed. My operation was done as a emergancy . I now have " Failed Back Syndrome " a very cronic condition that will never go away. One can look up this condition on WebMD and you will read what a back operation can leave you with. Now I know some people have miner operations and feel good after but a major invacive operation can leave you in more pain than not having surgery . > > > > > > > >> > >>________________________________ > >> > >> > >> > >> > >>Hi all, > >>I'm trying not to be depressed but I got my MRI results this week from my cervical spine and the damage is quite extensive with disk buldging at a few places and the with disc pieces up to 7 mm in size breaking off and pressing into my central spinal canal in several places. > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 19, 2011 Report Share Posted October 19, 2011 Hello , I am glad to hear the spinal cord stimulator gives you some relief. My Mother just had one implanted for pain related to severe spinal stenosis. She has had good relief with the ability to reduce her need for pain medication. One problem has been recharging the implanted battery. My mother is a little hard of hearing and can not distinguish the disappearance of the beeping alert that signifies the correct position for charging. I have to sit her up and pack in her with towels to maintain the correct alignment for charging. When it is charged the unit works well. Does your stimulator have multiple programs? If so they can re-program it to cover different anatomic areas for pain control. Any suggestions on charging the implanted unit would be appreciated. Harry To: Stillsdisease From: proangler56@... Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:54:15 -0700 Subject: Stimulator Implant I have a Stimulator implant Harry and they work great. I had my first one in 98' and 2 more sence. The batteries run out and you need a replacement. The one I have now will give me 8 more years of battery life. It is a outpatiant operation for the new implants. With the combination of pain management with drugs and the stimulator I still have a degree of cronic pain . The stimulator gives me 40% relief and that is alot. LORD;I AM IN A PRISON...FOR SOMETHING I NEVER DONE...IT'S BEEN ONE HILL AFTER ANOTHER...I'VE CLIMBED THEM ALL...ONE BY ONE >________________________________ > >To: stillsdisease >Sent: Monday, October 17, 2011 9:04 AM >Subject: RE: Back Surgery > > >Hello Gail, >A few things to consider regarding surgery. Many patients consider spine surgery a failure if they do not achieve a satisfactory level of pain relief. The absolute percentage of relief of pain unfortunately is hard for a spine surgeon to predict as a result of surgery. Prolonged compression of a nerve particularly small diameter nerve fibers (temperature and pain) can result in chronic scarring such that even after a structurally successful lumbar decompression and fusion there is continued pain. One needs to also consider the possibility that in the absence of surgery the larger nerve fibers carrying balance input and voluntary motor activity do not get permanently injured. The result is progressive numbness, ataxia, and paralysis. A patient with chronic pain following lumbar spine surgery may be a candidate for an implantable spinal cord stimulator for relief of pain. Preservation of sensory and motor function is the primary concern particularly in a patient with not unreasonable pre-operative risk factors. >Harry S. > > >To: Stillsdisease >From: glmrphy@... >Date: Sat, 15 Oct 2011 13:29:24 -0700 >Subject: Re: Back Surgery > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Thanks for posting this, ... I am still undecided about my back, have been thru so much to try and fix my multiple problems and sometimes the pain gets so bad I am ready to tell the doc to sterilize the scalpel, lol... I have vertebral slippage (spondylolisthesis), spine curvature, nerve protrusions and spurs. All located at L-4/L-5 and L-5/S-1... Physical therapy worked until they started traction, which messed it up worse. 32 visits to chiropractor and him finally saying , I've done all I can. Two neurosurgeons (had to get that 2nd opinion!) both agree that if the epidural steroid injections dont help my only option is surgery. They are talking about going in, correctng the curve in my spine and fixing the vertebral slippage, blah, blah... two rods and I can't remember how many screws to hold it all together. > > > >So, it was on to the pain clinic for the injections which help some, only temporarily. Only other thing they have suggested is spinal manipulation where I would need to be sedated. That scares me, too. Doc said, please, whatever you do, you are only allowed to walk and swim, that's it, or your spine will slip right off itself. Lovely. > > > >So, I take it a day at a time. Want to weigh my options and talk to others (like you) who have good or bad outcomes. For now, I use a cane when it's bad (I can't stand for longer than 5 minutes without holding onto something) and take pain meds (they barely touch it) and hope for the best. However, my husband had C-spine surgery years ago and has done well with the outcome. Guess it all depends... > > > >Sorry you are going thru this, and I know your situation is different b/c it was so sudden, hang in there! > >Gail > > > >________________________________ > > > >To: " Stillsdisease " <Stillsdisease > > >Sent: Saturday, October 15, 2011 3:14 PM > >Subject: Back Segury > > > > > > > > Here; > >I would like to talk to you about my experance with back segury. If one can avoid it please AVOID IT. I had a slipped and cracked L5-S1 vertabra and had bone taken from my hip and fussed 3 vertaba togeather. I also had to have three 6 " rods and 6 screws to hold the rods and vertabra in place. I had to have this operation due to a Harley accident. I hit a car broadside going 50 miles per hour, he did not see me. He pulled out in front of me. My operation was not a question of should I have it done it was have to case or my spinal cord would have been severed. My operation was done as a emergancy . I now have " Failed Back Syndrome " a very cronic condition that will never go away. One can look up this condition on WebMD and you will read what a back operation can leave you with. Now I know some people have miner operations and feel good after but a major invacive operation can leave you in more pain than not having surgery . > > > > > > > >> > >>________________________________ > >> > >> > >> > >> > >>Hi all, > >>I'm trying not to be depressed but I got my MRI results this week from my cervical spine and the damage is quite extensive with disk buldging at a few places and the with disc pieces up to 7 mm in size breaking off and pressing into my central spinal canal in several places. > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.