Some basic information about my spinal stimulator trial and the units I tried. The models I tried are the Nevro HF10 and the Abbott (St. Jude Medical) Pulse DR.
Thank you for sharing your experience with SCS. I too did took up knife making as a hobby after my back injury and using the Nevro Spinal Cord Stimulator trial which I felt the incision area pain for 7 out of 8 days. Only after asking for an extra day did that pain go away and I could feel pain relief for the first time in a very long time. Unfortunately my pain management doctor decided NOT to approve the Nevro because I had a side effect on the same day I finally felt pain relief. He said my side effects “constipation” is unheard of! Strange because I found it as a side effect online. Oh well, this work Comp case was and still is a nightmare here in Hawaii! Over 7 years and counting!Good Luck to you and keep up with the videos! Mahalo!
Wow!! Thanks for your video! I’m sorry you’re not getting relief for your pain, I’m post 1 year spinal fusion, L3-4-5… pain has returned…my Doc asked me to check out Nevro spinal stimulation…?
I'm On Day 2 of My Back Stem trial it's Working I have The St Jude Abbott... But I have a Problem with the frequency going up and down I Can Have it on 20 and Nothing But 40 Strength Feels Good
I don't know your situation but with mine I got the drug instrument internal pump my medtronic. They have a injection trial. It has changed my life was using a walker just to move. Might ask your doctor has a 7 year battery and refill it with morphine every 8-9 months. Plus I have the simulator for break through pain
I didn't. Doctor said it didn't provide enough relief for me to justify having it in my body. I agreed and didn't press the matter although it was incredibly depressing to here.
Oh believe me I know about the pain 😫 I’ve had the Nevro put in on August 14th and I’m still playing with the Lights and the Program. So far I’ve had 1 good day! I don’t get dressed, go to my daughters house, very little housework or just go shopping 🛍 I have to sit down in department stores on top of the clothes and lean on a shelf or try to make it to a bench when in the food store 🏬 I’m losing the hope that I had for this to help my pain 😭 Has anyone had success with the Nevro?
I had a Nevro HR-10 implant in March 2018 and it has helped me immensely. My initial injury was in 1974 as a child. The SCS has helped a lot with the nerve pain I was experiencing but not much with the other kinds of pains I have. For me however, having some of the pain decreased has helped and I can walk more, and live with less distress. On good days I have about 80% reduction in pain. What kind of lead did they use? I had the usual leads for the trial but now I have a paddle lead. I really cannot say enough good things about this.
WOW bro hearing your experience with the trail makes me thank god even more for my doctors, my trail was great and I got 60%-70% hope you get the help you need man I feel your pain
Be informed! Read this: “Implanted Spinal Cord Stimulators for Pain Relief: Illustrating the FDA’s Dangerously Lax Oversight of High-Risk Implantable Medical Devices” Public Citizen, June 2020 Michael A. Carome, M.D. -The report’s overarching observation in the conclusion on page 50: “Taken together, the observations summarized in this report demonstrate that there is NOT a reasonable assurance that implanted spinal-cord stimulators for pain relief…are safe and effective for their FDA-cleared or FDA-approved uses.” Read the full report at a Public Citizen
Thanks for your video. If I might, I’d like to share a bit of my experience. I had a fall several years ago that caused issues with L3-L4-L5-S1. In 2016 I had 2 surgeries in the lumbar region. The first was a very small incision, and the second was 2”-3”. These were 20 days apart. Then physical therapy and such, but I still had pain that interfered with my life. Mid-2017 I was referred to a Pain Management doctor. Pills and injections. Early December he did a trial for the St. Jude’s SCS. I’ve never felt so good, so when he removed it we scheduled to have the permanent implant at the end of the year. Got the implant, and if I ever got 15% pain relief I don’t remember it. I went back to the Spine surgeon, and he determined that I had an S-I Joint disfunction. He operated, and he bored through the ilium and the sacrum, and placed 3 pins. I had about 10 days of total relief then boom....back where I was. This year I went to Duke University Spine Clinic, and the neurosurgeon I saw said that I needed to have the St. Jude’s SCS removed and replaced with the Nevro HF10. My Pain Management guy says that would be the worst thing I could do. Of course he’s tied in with Abbott (who bought St. Jude’s). I have yet to decide. It sounds like you had one doctor who used both brands. That’s interesting, because it seems around this area that one doc is locked to one brand. Anyhow, I’m still having severe pain. I wish you all the best. When you have constant pain, particularly back pain, you just can’t get your mind off it. Take care.
I had a Nevro 10 implanted last Oct. after 38 yrs of unsuccessful treatments and it has taken about 7 mos for me to realize approximately 75% relief. I know your pain is life-altering. Keep trying and know that you’re not alone.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I am considering a spinal cord stimulator. You’re right that unless you have experienced chronic back pain that it is hard to really understand it.
Hey from the old man down south, I know what your going thru I have a Stimulator also mine has been in 15 months, it has helped with the Sciatica pain but not the pain from T10 to L2 it is Hell trying to walk more than 10 feet without excruciating pain? When my Temp was done I had no pain to speak of but when the Permanent was put in I hurt everyday the Dr. said he could not get the wires put in same area. I have been thru 4-5 Reps and they all try something different which doesn’t seem to help so what do we do now. I was a Charter Captain in the Keys and Everglades Guide for 25 years and now I am in a wheelchair about 90% of the time it sucks because of the pain. I try and stay busy making knives and I’m also butcher that makes my own Summer sausage and breakfast sausage plus Italian. Have a great day.
Sounds like you're having more trouble than me, sorry to here about that. I'm currently trying to find a doctor in my area that has done many "Racz" procedures. I'm really have difficulty finding medical care professionals that are competent. If your problem is off the beaten path the doctors in my area are clueless. Blessings on you brother, hope your pain gets better. =)
WJ Blades what is RACZ? You’re right about not being able to find a doctor who does much except for the Pain guys who sell pills which don’t help. We all need to find someone who can help us all!
S1 thru L2, laminectomy and diskectomy and now 3yrs out, my legs and feet are on needles and standing on pins. I hear it depends on what state you live in as well as insurances gods say,,, pretty messed up. I Should have tried for a personal loan and went to Sweden and went for dick replacement therapy, at the time 25 grand and a 99 percent success rate. Oil don't work, been on tramadol, lyrica, and cyclobenzaphrine(flexaril) for 20 years and 1 surgery. This whole issue sux ass.
Come fine you a Nevro Dr that will place that brand in your back. I get my permanent one this Tuesday!! Your not alone I am self proclaimed Ice pack Queen!!
I'm looking at doing this exact trial very soon. I really appreciate your thoughts on this. I have to decide which unit to try. This has been very helpful.
Thank you SOOO much!! I've started my trial (ABBOTT) last week. It was ok the first two days. Now, Its SO annoying and tingling around my leg all the time! I tried to manage the generator, but in vain. It seems NOT able to distribute the relieve as desired. I had to turn it lower, but my back and hip pain is as bad, together with the sensation of tingling/trembling ... I dont know how one can function like this while you're constantly forced to focus on this unwanted sensation. I will have it removed next week. BTW, I could hardly find any valuable reviews anywhere! Yours definitely helps. Thanks!
My mom is suffering from leg and back pain b/c of surgery from a year ago. I am bringing in my mom to learn more about the HF10, hopefully, this can solve this issue for my mom. She is in her early 70s, can barely enjoy walking around. I hope you get better, thank you for sharing and your encouragement.
I don't know if I've ever commented on a video before, but I greatly appreciate your take on the trial! I did the old technology about 4 years ago and didn't find it helpful, but the advancements in technology have given me hope to try again. I hope the best for you!
Well done I’m38 and going in for burst trial after 3 failed hernia surgeries Really hope to get more than 25% relief from my nut cords argh Another newish one I’ve herd is DRG Give that a shot mate
Just had the nevro put in 7 days ago. It's really painful brother. Pain in my leg down a fair bit. I really wish you the very best. A tip for you try pregabalin 200 mg twice a day. Had my pain for 10 years now. Since I was 40
Thank you for this video. I'm 43 and approaching spinal cord stimulator implant trial soon... This video was a great introduction to what I might see. Thanks for being so candid and sharing your experience.
Thanks for the video . Love from Australia ! I have the Abbot (st Jude ) original tonic proclaim system I got 80% coverage and relief for chronic regional pain sydrome in the foot/ankle/lower leg . I got back to work but after being on my butt so long and gaining weight it wasn’t long before I was back to my physically demanding role , building railway tracks . I dropped the weight and the device stopped working . I had two wire revisions , countless reprogramming, and just recently a spinal nerve block in the lumbar region which was very traumatic . I’m off to see the surgeon in the next fortnight to weigh up a trial of the Abbot (st Jude ) burst system . I still have the proclaim implanted so it will be switched off while we trial the burst but your video was a great comfort that no one is ever alone here and there are lots of options now on the table (mind the pun ) thanks for your review !
What a GREAT video. Just SO full of the understanding of what happens to us when we are taken down with this type injury. I am on day 6 of my Nevro Trial. UNLIKE you however, even though I too refused ALL pain meds for over 45 years, after 6 spine & neck fusions as well as a FULL Mastectomy of my left breast (I AM a male-NOT female) and five hernias? Oh and after over 50 surgeries for assorted tumors throughout my entire body they found a huge grapefruit sized tumor in my lumbar last time so here I am and now I HAVE to use heavy doses of Opioids I swore I would die before taking. 5 years of this Opioid HELL and now all I have left is praying THIS might help enough to at least cut back enough to know my own name again... ALL that myself AND my wife ever did simply vanished after all the series of surgeries happened to me in April 2014. NEVER again would I be able to ride all my motorcycles, NEVER again would my wife and I surf together (she surfs better than 74% of the men I know), NEVER again would we even take walks together, Kayak or anything else together...At this point, after almost 5 years of no longer even able to walk out to check the mail, my life in this bed or custom made recline watching the world go by I find myself hoping I don't survive till my 70Th birthday in February... Having been a survivor my entire life, these are NOT the words from my life past. But are the words of a man destroyed by all the lies of surgeons & doctors I THOUGHT I could trust. Now I have to decide to go ahead with this Nevro but after all that has happened I just don't yet know WHAT I am going to say tomorrow at 8:40 AM when they remove this test unit from my Trial? Like you, I take my Gabapentin all day & night along with so much more that ROB me of my memories and assure that I will NEVER again ever have any new memories. War and the USMC could NEVER break me. An AMAZING life I lived that any man alive would be THRILLED to have is over forever and even that could never break me. But the torture of this 24/7 pain that has spiraled into so many other medical problems like the Central Sleep Apnea that now required I also spend almost $5K for an ASV machine to force me to breath at night since Opioid Medications tell the brain to NOT take a breath. It just goes on & on & on. So Heaven help us ALL who suffer with chronic pain. In the end it really does become a battle for your life. In so MANY ways.
Mike Cartwright Sorry it took me all day before checking on your comment. I will be praying for you and your wife. Thanks for sharing. I hope it improves your situation.
@@WJBlades Thank you so much. I actually had pretty remarkable luck with the Nevro but my Pain Doc suddenly became a "Nevro Sales CLOSER" with the Nevro Rep there who also magically appeared at the removal of the Trial Unit. I never saw this side of him ever before and it was upsetting. In fact I had somewhat of an argument about it with him and told him to go ahead and submit for approval but I was STILL going to weigh options first and would do this is January IF I still felt good about it. It upset me that he also had NO knowledge about the Sensa 2 units existence even. And he is the "expert"? I told him I wanted THAT model because of it's much smaller size which of course means far less discomfort etc . He was bewildered and asked the rep if it in fact DID exist. The rep nervously moved toward my Doctor to quickly explain the basic info, suddenly afraid I might bail out on him. Then MY Doctor looked at me when I said I wanted ONLY this new model. He sarcastically says "well I will discuss it with the Nevro Rep and we will let you know our decision" in a dismissive tone. I responded NO problem at all and I will tell you never mind when you tell me NO to the new model...so it went badly I would say:-) All this was also after I asked both of them about all the bad press on Nevro with battery problems and infection rates through the roof! He asked where I got this ridiculous info and I told him online and he bargain getting VERY upset saying that NOBODY online knows ANYTHING. I got on his laptop and took him to the only website I could remember and he just wrote it off as a blog full of morons. At this point I explained I though HE was the one with a problem and it went downhill from there. Next week we meet again for my monthly prescription and I will hand him the list of GOVERNMENT sites with PROOF of the incredible amounts of complaints against Nevro compared to ANY other brand as well as doctors websites online and their URL info too. In the end I am more confused than ever now and more depressed than ever. What a mess:-)
I'll keep praying for you! I have pretty much lost all faith in the medical community accept as prescribers of Gabapentin. I'm not sure what happened to the Hippocratic Oath but, they definitely seem to be all about the dollar bill now. I don't know if you have options of other doctors in your area but if they weren't even willing to acknowledge the other unit I would be concerned. Blessings to you brother. 🙏
@@WJBlades Wanted to let you know my pain doctor wanted a 50% pain reduction or like yours, said to pass on it. In the end I had the newer Nevero Sensa II, smaller unit implanted about a month ago now. I am getting at least 50% relief I THINK? Now this is in regard to the Neuro pain in my legs, NOT so much for my back pain. But the intense electric shock feeling in my legs is almost GONE mose days & nights. I keep playing with changing all the settings at will and have been getting surprising GOOD results so far but OMG! You think the trial was painful? The REAL surgery is KILLER. It honestly hurt me almost as much as the first spine fusions did! But now everything is settling in so hopefully this will do more than expected as time allows me to further experiment.
Wow, I never saw a surgery with pedicle screws placed anteriorly. I was fused L4-S1. I have the pedicle screws and bars posteriorly. Then flipped me over and went through my abdomen (anteriorly) removed the discs and put cadaver bone to fill the space of the disc. Your body naturally covers all of it with your own bone. I hope you are doing better. I continue fighting the pain now for 32 years. I’m going to be testing the Nevro SCS in a few weeks. I was really hoping your video would be saying your doing great. I really don’t want to be spending 8 grand on the trial and getting 25%. The representative made it sound that it’s going to completely change my life. Maybe the good lord can take me before I hit 70 in 8 more years. Hell on earth is an actual thing and so is the devil that made me carry 70 pounds of steel into car trunks and airports a year after my laminectomy. Re-rupturing my disc again. All because “he wasn’t a pack mule!” FML
I've learned to deal with my issues and function. But I got to say nothing has changed since the trial for me. Except I have since had neck surgery and have problems down into my left arm and in the back of my neck. When the Lord is ready to take me I'll be ready to go. I can still function sorta ok. I'm praying that that continues. I'll be praying for you brother may your pain be reduced or taken away altogether. 🙏
dychui My doctor wouldn't let me because he didn't feel that it relieved enough of the pain to justify the risks. After much sorrow and prayer, I decided he was right. I've learned much over that last few years about what aggravates the nerves and what settles them down. My primary problems are: sitting or a standing position without leaning on something. If I avoid those things as much as possible I can remain very functional. The problem is I sit for my job. If I didn't have a family to feed I would seriously consider going out on disability. Carefully thought-out regular workouts are very helpful as well. With Gabipenton, workouts and smart decisions, I generally keep pain level 5 or below. Sometimes life requires you to break the rules of what you should do with your body. If I break those rules I oftentimes end up with level 7 pain and become non-functional for a couple of days. Very few people in my life understand why I have the restrictions I do. When they look at me, I move pretty much like everyone else that they know so they don't realize the level of my nerve injury. People not understanding is almost as bad as the pain itself...
@@WJBlades It's really helpful for people who don't suffer from chronic pain to read posts like these. I am blessed to not have chronic pain, and I'm trying to learn more about what it's like because I have people in my life who do have chronic back pain. Thanks for sharing your experience. I hope you are able to find more long-term relief.
Good to hear your storey hits home a lot with myself suffering chronic back and left thigh nerve pain after a work accident trial Medtronics SCS with no success, now waiting on approval Abbott DRG trial this will be my 7th surgical procedure for my chronic pain I’m hoping it will be my last. Cheers from Australia 🇦🇺
Prayers for you brother. 🙏 I've given up on thinking there is help in the medical community in my area. Hopefully you have better physicians in your area.
WJ Blades, thank you for the post. I am 70 years old and I am now scheduled for my fourth back surgery. On January 8, 2019 I had a T9 to L1 fusion and I can say that the back pain was decreased by 90%. However, the neuropathy pain has increased by 90%. Numbing, burning, tingling, cramping and just lower body pain has been unbearable. The neuropathy pain is 24/7 and it has changed my life like nothing I have ever experienced before. I am now scheduled for a Dorsal Column Stimulator Implant (Abbott) on January 21st, 2020. If anyone has had this procedure done, any comments would be greatly appreciated. I also wish you the best of luck WJ.
I have S-1 L2 L-3 L-4 L-5. I have Titanium rods which are screwed into my vertebrae. On pain meds for over 10 years. Had the HF 10 put in last week. They are slowly turning the power up. In the test it worked very slowly. I felt nothing when they put the test in my back. As they did it the Doc was telling me this may hurt I have a lot of scaring and bone spurs to go through. I felt nothing. After 5 back operations there is no way that would hurt. I hope this stimulator works well for me.
Thanks for the video. I have the same pain as you after failed back surgery. But where I feel it the most is in my feet. They are super sensitive. Plus they have severe burning and tingling. I am on 4 times 600 gabapentin and still have the pain. I tried the old style stimulator 4 years ago and that did not help. But what you said about the nervo unit. I am probably going to try that. Right now my pain Mgmt agent uses the Abbott company device but you claim that doesn’t work as well. Saint Jude was the old name. I just hate to go thru that pain of the trial like you claim.
Thanks for the prayerful thought. Not past it and nothing has changed, except I've gotten better at understanding it and making better choices. I pray almost every night for healing but, God still uses it to teach me. I can't really complain I'm still pretty functional. Everything just comes at a cost. Hope you get some relief from whatever made you watch this video. 🙏
I love watching knife making videos and have made one myself. So I ran across one of your videos and watched and then watched a few more I noticed the X-ray in the introduction so I looked and found this video. I am a disabled veteran and I’m having the test implant done on Wednesday 26, February 2020. Thank you for talking about your experience God bless you and your family
@@JoelSpeaks8 If you're talking about my situation, very little has changed for me. The trial didn't help enough to justify having all the technology in my body. I've learned how to get by and stay employed however, my life is very different that what it used to be.
My condition is the same but I've gotten wiser on how to keep the pain to it's minimum most of the time to stay functional. With my gabipenton prescription and regular exercise and stretching, it generally doesn't go over a 5 out of 10. There are exceptions to that, extreme temperature changes can mess me up pretty bad even if I obey the new rules for my life. I'm currently looking into epidural lysis of adhesions.
My prayers are with you! I too suffer with lower back pain. It has truly been life altering but like you I just keep moving on and pray for a cure some day. God bless!
@@WJBlades dorsal root ganglion, it's another area they can target. I had pulse radiofrequency neurotomy done to my DRG , where they apparently stun or burn the nerve...it didn't help me. It left me unable to walk or sit for a few months. I tore my L5/S1 disc but surgery wasn't an option. I trialled the Abbott device first. My first Pain Professor must have accidentally put the cord in my muscles because I could feel the cord and I had constant upper back pain, muscle spasms and chills throughout the trial and spent the 7days walking like a robot. The very last day I woke up with no pain in my leg, but he deemed it unsuccessful. I'm relieved now, because he stuffed up. You are not supposed to feel the cord or have any upper back pain. I wouldn't want him doing my surgery. After much prayer, I changed Pain Professors and decided to try again. He recommended Nevro for my leg pain. This time I had no upper back pain! Which is how it is supposed to be. Nevro helped down the back of the nerve, but I still had pain on the front of my knee, the Prof tried to tell me my knee pain was referred pain, but when we extended the trial so I could try Abbott again, the knee pain disappeared! So I'm leaning towards Abbott because it helped the front and a bit at the back, but the Abbott caused me tinnitus...so I don't know which way to go? Both devices definitely helped reduce my pain and my prof is very happy to request approval to get an implant even though it's not a huge improvement. Realistically it will help me stand pain free to wash the dishes for 10minutes but it's not going to help me work 5 days a week. Which is crushing, because I just want to be better and able to do stuff again. I used to love running & I really miss it. I hit 1000days of pain last week. It sounds like you got far more improvement from your trial. Maybe try find someone else who is willing to do it for you? They get paid a lot to do it, so it's in their interest. Thank you for your review of your scs trial and raising awareness of nerve pain and it's debilitating impact. I pray God heals you and all of us!
@@SurestHope Thanks for the thoughtful comment. I'm still battling to remain functional but, I can make it through work to provide for my family. I can do stuff it just always comes at a cost, I call it the pain toll. I'm trying to find a trustworthy medical professional who is experienced with the RACZ procedure. I believe my nerve problems are due to scar tissue binding up my nerve. If you know anyone near the lower part of upstate New York let me know. =)
I hope you can find something to take away some of the pain. I’m having the trial of the Nevro in three days for shoulder and arm pain. Have you found anything more to help or have you had another chat to your doctor? Because I would definitely be happy with 30-50% reduction. That might just be enough to get you out there more!! Good luck!
It'll be quite awhile before I can get another appointment. I'm scheduled for late june. It's very frustrating! All I currently take daily is Gabipenton. I'm also over a week into daily hemp oil which is not helping at all.
Thank you for sharing your experience with SCS. I too did took up knife making as a hobby after my back injury and using the Nevro Spinal Cord Stimulator trial which I felt the incision area pain for 7 out of 8 days. Only after asking for an extra day did that pain go away and I could feel pain relief for the first time in a very long time. Unfortunately my pain management doctor decided NOT to approve the Nevro because I had a side effect on the same day I finally felt pain relief. He said my side effects “constipation” is unheard of! Strange because I found it as a side effect online. Oh well, this work Comp case was and still is a nightmare here in Hawaii! Over 7 years and counting!Good Luck to you and keep up with the videos! Mahalo!
Thank you for this video. I’m in the process of getting the trial spine stimulater.
In pain since 2006 every day every night its a hell of a life watching the world go by. I am getting the trial next week I have no other option.
I just had Boston Scientific Nerve Stimulator put in for a trial Period. It’s like a miracle.
Boston has ancient software...Do your research
Wow!! Thanks for your video! I’m sorry you’re not getting relief for your pain, I’m post 1 year spinal fusion, L3-4-5… pain has returned…my Doc asked me to check out Nevro spinal stimulation…?
I'm On Day 2 of My Back Stem trial it's Working I have The St Jude Abbott... But I have a Problem with the frequency going up and down I Can Have it on 20 and Nothing But 40 Strength Feels Good
I don't know your situation but with mine I got the drug instrument internal pump my medtronic. They have a injection trial. It has changed my life was using a walker just to move. Might ask your doctor has a 7 year battery and refill it with morphine every 8-9 months. Plus I have the simulator for break through pain
LOL I'd go to a different doctor if I were you. You're supposed to use a simulator 24/7 and the morphine is there for breakout pain.
I'm curious if you ever got a permanent scs and if so what did you go with. I just had the abbott trial, and am trying to get the nevro trial next.
I didn't. Doctor said it didn't provide enough relief for me to justify having it in my body. I agreed and didn't press the matter although it was incredibly depressing to here.
How was your ABBOTT trial? I had mine last week, but ready to get it removed soon. Not for me!
Oh believe me I know about the pain 😫 I’ve had the Nevro put in on August 14th and I’m still playing with the Lights and the Program. So far I’ve had 1 good day! I don’t get dressed, go to my daughters house, very little housework or just go shopping 🛍 I have to sit down in department stores on top of the clothes and lean on a shelf or try to make it to a bench when in the food store 🏬
I’m losing the hope that I had for this to help my pain 😭 Has anyone had success with the Nevro?
Sorry to hear about that, I'll pray for your relief. 🙏
I had a Nevro HR-10 implant in March 2018 and it has helped me immensely. My initial injury was in 1974 as a child. The SCS has helped a lot with the nerve pain I was experiencing but not much with the other kinds of pains I have. For me however, having some of the pain decreased has helped and I can walk more, and live with less distress. On good days I have about 80% reduction in pain. What kind of lead did they use? I had the usual leads for the trial but now I have a paddle lead. I really cannot say enough good things about this.
Why not contact the rep and re program. There are so many different programs he can put into it to address your tingling.
Was the other unit an Abbott unit?
@@BretCurran yes
Rite I need to know ..so whatever pain this trial brings...I need know if this helps me get the hell out this house
Hard to say everyone is different. It sounds like it'd be worth a try for you. 🙏
I'm going for trial in the morning I'm nervous
Praying it goes well for you. 🙏
@@WJBlades thanks I'm here now
Did you get the final implanted in or no?
@@JoelSpeaks8 I only went through the trial.
@@WJBlades ok well I got instant relief for now I'll see how it goes
WOW bro hearing your experience with the trail makes me thank god even more for my doctors, my trail was great and I got 60%-70% hope you get the help you need man I feel your pain
Be informed! Read this: “Implanted Spinal Cord Stimulators for Pain Relief: Illustrating the FDA’s Dangerously Lax Oversight of High-Risk Implantable Medical Devices” Public Citizen, June 2020 Michael A. Carome, M.D. -The report’s overarching observation in the conclusion on page 50: “Taken together, the observations summarized in this report demonstrate that there is NOT a reasonable assurance that implanted spinal-cord stimulators for pain relief…are safe and effective for their FDA-cleared or FDA-approved uses.” Read the full report at a Public Citizen
Thanks for your video. If I might, I’d like to share a bit of my experience. I had a fall several years ago that caused issues with L3-L4-L5-S1. In 2016 I had 2 surgeries in the lumbar region. The first was a very small incision, and the second was 2”-3”. These were 20 days apart. Then physical therapy and such, but I still had pain that interfered with my life. Mid-2017 I was referred to a Pain Management doctor. Pills and injections. Early December he did a trial for the St. Jude’s SCS. I’ve never felt so good, so when he removed it we scheduled to have the permanent implant at the end of the year. Got the implant, and if I ever got 15% pain relief I don’t remember it. I went back to the Spine surgeon, and he determined that I had an S-I Joint disfunction. He operated, and he bored through the ilium and the sacrum, and placed 3 pins. I had about 10 days of total relief then boom....back where I was.
This year I went to Duke University Spine Clinic, and the neurosurgeon I saw said that I needed to have the St. Jude’s SCS removed and replaced with the Nevro HF10. My Pain Management guy says that would be the worst thing I could do. Of course he’s tied in with Abbott (who bought St. Jude’s). I have yet to decide. It sounds like you had one doctor who used both brands. That’s interesting, because it seems around this area that one doc is locked to one brand. Anyhow, I’m still having severe pain.
I wish you all the best. When you have constant pain, particularly back pain, you just can’t get your mind off it. Take care.
Good luck
Do your research..
I had a Nevro 10 implanted last Oct. after 38 yrs of unsuccessful treatments and it has taken about 7 mos for me to realize approximately 75% relief. I know your pain is life-altering. Keep trying and know that you’re not alone.
They put mine in the wrong spot . Totally misunderstood my pain areas.
Sorry to hear that.
I understand ! Exploring Nevro. Thanks.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I am considering a spinal cord stimulator. You’re right that unless you have experienced chronic back pain that it is hard to really understand it.
Hey from the old man down south, I know what your going thru I have a Stimulator also mine has been in 15 months, it has helped with the Sciatica pain but not the pain from T10 to L2 it is Hell trying to walk more than 10 feet without excruciating pain?
When my Temp was done I had no pain to speak of but when the Permanent was put in I hurt everyday the Dr. said he could not get the wires put in same area. I have been thru 4-5 Reps and they all try something different which doesn’t seem to help so what do we do now.
I was a Charter Captain in the Keys and Everglades Guide for 25 years and now I am in a wheelchair about 90% of the time it sucks because of the pain. I try and stay busy making knives and I’m also butcher that makes my own Summer sausage and breakfast sausage plus Italian. Have a great day.
Sounds like you're having more trouble than me, sorry to here about that. I'm currently trying to find a doctor in my area that has done many "Racz" procedures. I'm really have difficulty finding medical care professionals that are competent. If your problem is off the beaten path the doctors in my area are clueless. Blessings on you brother, hope your pain gets better. =)
WJ Blades what is RACZ? You’re right about not being able to find a doctor who does much except for the Pain guys who sell pills which don’t help. We all need to find someone who can help us all!
S1 thru L2, laminectomy and diskectomy and now 3yrs out, my legs and feet are on needles and standing on pins. I hear it depends on what state you live in as well as insurances gods say,,, pretty messed up. I Should have tried for a personal loan and went to Sweden and went for dick replacement therapy, at the time 25 grand and a 99 percent success rate. Oil don't work, been on tramadol, lyrica, and cyclobenzaphrine(flexaril) for 20 years and 1 surgery. This whole issue sux ass.
Come fine you a Nevro Dr that will place that brand in your back. I get my permanent one this Tuesday!! Your not alone I am self proclaimed Ice pack Queen!!
I'm looking at doing this exact trial very soon. I really appreciate your thoughts on this. I have to decide which unit to try. This has been very helpful.
Thank you SOOO much!! I've started my trial (ABBOTT) last week. It was ok the first two days. Now, Its SO annoying and tingling around my leg all the time! I tried to manage the generator, but in vain. It seems NOT able to distribute the relieve as desired. I had to turn it lower, but my back and hip pain is as bad, together with the sensation of tingling/trembling ...
I dont know how one can function like this while you're constantly forced to focus on this unwanted sensation. I will have it removed next week.
BTW, I could hardly find any valuable reviews anywhere! Yours definitely helps. Thanks!
My mom is suffering from leg and back pain b/c of surgery from a year ago. I am bringing in my mom to learn more about the HF10, hopefully, this can solve this issue for my mom. She is in her early 70s, can barely enjoy walking around. I hope you get better, thank you for sharing and your encouragement.
I don't know if I've ever commented on a video before, but I greatly appreciate your take on the trial! I did the old technology about 4 years ago and didn't find it helpful, but the advancements in technology have given me hope to try again. I hope the best for you!
Neil West Thanks. God bless, I hope relief is in your future. 🙏
I would love to try this out but money matters,this pain has even driven me crazy
Well done
I’m38 and going in for burst trial after 3 failed hernia surgeries
Really hope to get more than 25% relief from my nut cords argh
Another newish one I’ve herd is DRG
Give that a shot mate
When I had my trial it was very painful and I was sooo sore. I got my permanent one in May of last year.
I have been dealing with pain for 15 years now and I totally understand what you mean when it comes to pain cuz I deal with it everyday 24/7.
Just had the nevro put in 7 days ago. It's really painful brother. Pain in my leg down a fair bit. I really wish you the very best. A tip for you try pregabalin 200 mg twice a day. Had my pain for 10 years now. Since I was 40
Thank you for this video. I'm 43 and approaching spinal cord stimulator implant trial soon... This video was a great introduction to what I might see. Thanks for being so candid and sharing your experience.
Thanks, praying for your pain relief. Still fighting for mine. =)
Great video finally someone who has excatly what I have. Except surgery not a option. Going for consultation next week.
Thank you so much for your video my doctor is now saying that this is my only chance at getting some pain relief
Thanks for the video . Love from Australia !
I have the Abbot (st Jude ) original tonic proclaim system I got 80% coverage and relief for chronic regional pain sydrome in the foot/ankle/lower leg . I got back to work but after being on my butt so long and gaining weight it wasn’t long before I was back to my physically demanding role , building railway tracks . I dropped the weight and the device stopped working . I had two wire revisions , countless reprogramming, and just recently a spinal nerve block in the lumbar region which was very traumatic . I’m off to see the surgeon in the next fortnight to weigh up a trial of the Abbot (st Jude ) burst system . I still have the proclaim implanted so it will be switched off while we trial the burst but your video was a great comfort that no one is ever alone here and there are lots of options now on the table (mind the pun ) thanks for your review !
What a GREAT video. Just SO full of the understanding of what happens to us when we are taken down with this type injury. I am on day 6 of my Nevro Trial. UNLIKE you however, even though I too refused ALL pain meds for over 45 years, after 6 spine & neck fusions as well as a FULL Mastectomy of my left breast (I AM a male-NOT female) and five hernias? Oh and after over 50 surgeries for assorted tumors throughout my entire body they found a huge grapefruit sized tumor in my lumbar last time so here I am and now I HAVE to use heavy doses of Opioids I swore I would die before taking. 5 years of this Opioid HELL and now all I have left is praying THIS might help enough to at least cut back enough to know my own name again...
ALL that myself AND my wife ever did simply vanished after all the series of surgeries happened to me in April 2014. NEVER again would I be able to ride all my motorcycles, NEVER again would my wife and I surf together (she surfs better than 74% of the men I know), NEVER again would we even take walks together, Kayak or anything else together...At this point, after almost 5 years of no longer even able to walk out to check the mail, my life in this bed or custom made recline watching the world go by I find myself hoping I don't survive till my 70Th birthday in February...
Having been a survivor my entire life, these are NOT the words from my life past. But are the words of a man destroyed by all the lies of surgeons & doctors I THOUGHT I could trust. Now I have to decide to go ahead with this Nevro but after all that has happened I just don't yet know WHAT I am going to say tomorrow at 8:40 AM when they remove this test unit from my Trial? Like you, I take my Gabapentin all day & night along with so much more that ROB me of my memories and assure that I will NEVER again ever have any new memories. War and the USMC could NEVER break me. An AMAZING life I lived that any man alive would be THRILLED to have is over forever and even that could never break me. But the torture of this 24/7 pain that has spiraled into so many other medical problems like the Central Sleep Apnea that now required I also spend almost $5K for an ASV machine to force me to breath at night since Opioid Medications tell the brain to NOT take a breath. It just goes on & on & on. So Heaven help us ALL who suffer with chronic pain. In the end it really does become a battle for your life. In so MANY ways.
Mike Cartwright Sorry it took me all day before checking on your comment. I will be praying for you and your wife. Thanks for sharing. I hope it improves your situation.
@@WJBlades Thank you so much. I actually had pretty remarkable luck with the Nevro but my Pain Doc suddenly became a "Nevro Sales CLOSER" with the Nevro Rep there who also magically appeared at the removal of the Trial Unit. I never saw this side of him ever before and it was upsetting. In fact I had somewhat of an argument about it with him and told him to go ahead and submit for approval but I was STILL going to weigh options first and would do this is January IF I still felt good about it.
It upset me that he also had NO knowledge about the Sensa 2 units existence even. And he is the "expert"? I told him I wanted THAT model because of it's much smaller size which of course means far less discomfort etc . He was bewildered and asked the rep if it in fact DID exist. The rep nervously moved toward my Doctor to quickly explain the basic info, suddenly afraid I might bail out on him. Then MY Doctor looked at me when I said I wanted ONLY this new model. He sarcastically says "well I will discuss it with the Nevro Rep and we will let you know our decision" in a dismissive tone. I responded NO problem at all and I will tell you never mind when you tell me NO to the new model...so it went badly I would say:-)
All this was also after I asked both of them about all the bad press on Nevro with battery problems and infection rates through the roof! He asked where I got this ridiculous info and I told him online and he bargain getting VERY upset saying that NOBODY online knows ANYTHING. I got on his laptop and took him to the only website I could remember and he just wrote it off as a blog full of morons. At this point I explained I though HE was the one with a problem and it went downhill from there. Next week we meet again for my monthly prescription and I will hand him the list of GOVERNMENT sites with PROOF of the incredible amounts of complaints against Nevro compared to ANY other brand as well as doctors websites online and their URL info too.
In the end I am more confused than ever now and more depressed than ever. What a mess:-)
I'll keep praying for you! I have pretty much lost all faith in the medical community accept as prescribers of Gabapentin. I'm not sure what happened to the Hippocratic Oath but, they definitely seem to be all about the dollar bill now. I don't know if you have options of other doctors in your area but if they weren't even willing to acknowledge the other unit I would be concerned. Blessings to you brother. 🙏
@@WJBlades Wanted to let you know my pain doctor wanted a 50% pain reduction or like yours, said to pass on it. In the end I had the newer Nevero Sensa II, smaller unit implanted about a month ago now. I am getting at least 50% relief I THINK? Now this is in regard to the Neuro pain in my legs, NOT so much for my back pain. But the intense electric shock feeling in my legs is almost GONE mose days & nights. I keep playing with changing all the settings at will and have been getting surprising GOOD results so far but OMG! You think the trial was painful? The REAL surgery is KILLER. It honestly hurt me almost as much as the first spine fusions did! But now everything is settling in so hopefully this will do more than expected as time allows me to further experiment.
Thank you for the video it is good to hear that someone else understands chronic pain
Wow, I never saw a surgery with pedicle screws placed anteriorly. I was fused L4-S1. I have the pedicle screws and bars posteriorly. Then flipped me over and went through my abdomen (anteriorly) removed the discs and put cadaver bone to fill the space of the disc. Your body naturally covers all of it with your own bone. I hope you are doing better. I continue fighting the pain now for 32 years. I’m going to be testing the Nevro SCS in a few weeks. I was really hoping your video would be saying your doing great. I really don’t want to be spending 8 grand on the trial and getting 25%. The representative made it sound that it’s going to completely change my life. Maybe the good lord can take me before I hit 70 in 8 more years. Hell on earth is an actual thing and so is the devil that made me carry 70 pounds of steel into car trunks and airports a year after my laminectomy. Re-rupturing my disc again. All because “he wasn’t a pack mule!” FML
I've learned to deal with my issues and function. But I got to say nothing has changed since the trial for me. Except I have since had neck surgery and have problems down into my left arm and in the back of my neck. When the Lord is ready to take me I'll be ready to go. I can still function sorta ok. I'm praying that that continues. I'll be praying for you brother may your pain be reduced or taken away altogether. 🙏
Thank you for your positive message and your informative video. Did you ever end up pursuing Nevro further ?
dychui My doctor wouldn't let me because he didn't feel that it relieved enough of the pain to justify the risks. After much sorrow and prayer, I decided he was right. I've learned much over that last few years about what aggravates the nerves and what settles them down. My primary problems are: sitting or a standing position without leaning on something. If I avoid those things as much as possible I can remain very functional. The problem is I sit for my job. If I didn't have a family to feed I would seriously consider going out on disability. Carefully thought-out regular workouts are very helpful as well. With Gabipenton, workouts and smart decisions, I generally keep pain level 5 or below. Sometimes life requires you to break the rules of what you should do with your body. If I break those rules I oftentimes end up with level 7 pain and become non-functional for a couple of days. Very few people in my life understand why I have the restrictions I do. When they look at me, I move pretty much like everyone else that they know so they don't realize the level of my nerve injury. People not understanding is almost as bad as the pain itself...
@@WJBlades It's really helpful for people who don't suffer from chronic pain to read posts like these. I am blessed to not have chronic pain, and I'm trying to learn more about what it's like because I have people in my life who do have chronic back pain. Thanks for sharing your experience. I hope you are able to find more long-term relief.
dychui nice job trying to understand those around you suffering! We need more people like you
I build knives and have the Boston Scientific Digital unit It works great now the pain brother
Good to hear your storey hits home a lot with myself suffering chronic back and left thigh nerve pain after a work accident trial Medtronics SCS with no success, now waiting on approval Abbott DRG trial this will be my 7th surgical procedure for my chronic pain I’m hoping it will be my last.
Cheers from Australia 🇦🇺
Prayers for you brother. 🙏 I've given up on thinking there is help in the medical community in my area. Hopefully you have better physicians in your area.
Thanks for the video and for caring about others. I’m about to have the unit implanted… I hope. Blessings.
I hope it works out for you.
Prayers brother!!!🙏
WJ Blades, thank you for the post. I am 70 years old and I am now scheduled for my fourth back surgery. On January 8, 2019 I had a T9 to L1 fusion and I can say that the back pain was decreased by 90%. However, the neuropathy pain has increased by 90%. Numbing, burning, tingling, cramping and just lower body pain has been unbearable. The neuropathy pain is 24/7 and it has changed my life like nothing I have ever experienced before. I am now scheduled for a Dorsal Column Stimulator Implant (Abbott) on January 21st, 2020. If anyone has had this procedure done, any comments would be greatly appreciated. I also wish you the best of luck WJ.
How are you doing with The DRG Abbott stimulator.. I really hope it is working for you
I have S-1 L2 L-3 L-4 L-5. I have Titanium rods which are screwed into my vertebrae. On pain meds for over 10 years. Had the HF 10 put in last week. They are slowly turning the power up. In the test it worked very slowly. I felt nothing when they put the test in my back. As they did it the Doc was telling me this may hurt I have a lot of scaring and bone spurs to go through. I felt nothing. After 5 back operations there is no way that would hurt. I hope this stimulator works well for me.
I hope so too. May God bless you with relief. 🙏
Thanks for the video. I have the same pain as you after failed back surgery. But where I feel it the most is in my feet. They are super sensitive. Plus they have severe burning and tingling. I am on 4 times 600 gabapentin and still have the pain. I tried the old style stimulator 4 years ago and that did not help. But what you said about the nervo unit. I am probably going to try that. Right now my pain Mgmt agent uses the Abbott company device but you claim that doesn’t work as well. Saint Jude was the old name. I just hate to go thru that pain of the trial like you claim.
Hope you get relief, I'm still praying for healing every day. I pray that you get more relief than I did.
So appreciate your honesty. I know this video was a few years ago, but I pray you are past the chronicle pain & doing well.
God bless you!
Thanks for the prayerful thought. Not past it and nothing has changed, except I've gotten better at understanding it and making better choices. I pray almost every night for healing but, God still uses it to teach me. I can't really complain I'm still pretty functional. Everything just comes at a cost. Hope you get some relief from whatever made you watch this video. 🙏
I love watching knife making videos and have made one myself. So I ran across one of your videos and watched and then watched a few more I noticed the X-ray in the introduction so I looked and found this video. I am a disabled veteran and I’m having the test implant done on Wednesday 26, February 2020. Thank you for talking about your experience God bless you and your family
Thanks. =)
How did it go I'm doing trial right now
@@JoelSpeaks8 If you're talking about my situation, very little has changed for me. The trial didn't help enough to justify having all the technology in my body. I've learned how to get by and stay employed however, my life is very different that what it used to be.
Nezzie Walker it didn’t work for me I had to have it removed the next day. It caused more pain than I had before and was unable to walk
@@clarencepayton1943 okay well I'm not having any pain in my leg for now
Thank for your information,I am about to go through with the trial process, th
Hope it helps. 🙏
Great presentation, thank you! How are you now and did you find anything else to help? God bless you!
My condition is the same but I've gotten wiser on how to keep the pain to it's minimum most of the time to stay functional. With my gabipenton prescription and regular exercise and stretching, it generally doesn't go over a 5 out of 10. There are exceptions to that, extreme temperature changes can mess me up pretty bad even if I obey the new rules for my life. I'm currently looking into epidural lysis of adhesions.
Wondering if they used the same leads for trial of both units ?
Yes, they did.
My prayers are with you! I too suffer with lower back pain. It has truly been life altering but like you I just keep moving on and pray for a cure some day. God bless!
Thanks, God bless. 🙏
@@WJBlades you still feel pain???
Always. 😞
Thank for honest and fair video. So many, this works that works etc.Good luck
God Bless
Thanks.
Thank you
I have the Abbott, are you saying neither one worked for you?
I wouldn't say they didn't work... just not enough relief to justify permanent implantation.
@@WJBlades mine did but I am only 24 days post op and still in pain
Why not DRG
Daniel Purdy Please forgive me but, I have no idea what "DRG" is?
@@WJBlades dorsal root ganglion, it's another area they can target. I had pulse radiofrequency neurotomy done to my DRG , where they apparently stun or burn the nerve...it didn't help me. It left me unable to walk or sit for a few months.
I tore my L5/S1 disc but surgery wasn't an option. I trialled the Abbott device first. My first Pain Professor must have accidentally put the cord in my muscles because I could feel the cord and I had constant upper back pain, muscle spasms and chills throughout the trial and spent the 7days walking like a robot. The very last day I woke up with no pain in my leg, but he deemed it unsuccessful. I'm relieved now, because he stuffed up. You are not supposed to feel the cord or have any upper back pain. I wouldn't want him doing my surgery.
After much prayer, I changed Pain Professors and decided to try again. He recommended Nevro for my leg pain. This time I had no upper back pain! Which is how it is supposed to be. Nevro helped down the back of the nerve, but I still had pain on the front of my knee, the Prof tried to tell me my knee pain was referred pain, but when we extended the trial so I could try Abbott again, the knee pain disappeared! So I'm leaning towards Abbott because it helped the front and a bit at the back, but the Abbott caused me tinnitus...so I don't know which way to go?
Both devices definitely helped reduce my pain and my prof is very happy to request approval to get an implant even though it's not a huge improvement. Realistically it will help me stand pain free to wash the dishes for 10minutes but it's not going to help me work 5 days a week. Which is crushing, because I just want to be better and able to do stuff again. I used to love running & I really miss it. I hit 1000days of pain last week.
It sounds like you got far more improvement from your trial. Maybe try find someone else who is willing to do it for you? They get paid a lot to do it, so it's in their interest. Thank you for your review of your scs trial and raising awareness of nerve pain and it's debilitating impact. I pray God heals you and all of us!
@@SurestHope Thanks for the thoughtful comment. I'm still battling to remain functional but, I can make it through work to provide for my family. I can do stuff it just always comes at a cost, I call it the pain toll. I'm trying to find a trustworthy medical professional who is experienced with the RACZ procedure. I believe my nerve problems are due to scar tissue binding up my nerve. If you know anyone near the lower part of upstate New York let me know. =)
I hope you can find something to take away some of the pain. I’m having the trial of the Nevro in three days for shoulder and arm pain.
Have you found anything more to help or have you had another chat to your doctor? Because I would definitely be happy with 30-50% reduction. That might just be enough to get you out there more!! Good luck!
It'll be quite awhile before I can get another appointment. I'm scheduled for late june. It's very frustrating! All I currently take daily is Gabipenton. I'm also over a week into daily hemp oil which is not helping at all.
@@WJBlades are you getting the implant
@@JoelSpeaks8 Negative. It didn't help enough to justify having all the technology in my body.
@@WJBlades oh ok its helpful to me so far
@@WJBlades have you tried lyrica