This is so good to know. Another patient in this forum lives in a neaerby city, and she gave me the name of a good neurosurgeon. I'm going to see if I can get a referral to go see him.
So good to know Kilee! I'm so glad this is working so well for you! You can get your life back now!
Wow, so sorry. I hope you are able to get your meds straightened out - and quickly. I know you are trying to help your brother. Is there any way the state can provide a visiting nurse or something? And this is probably a dumb question. Is there anybody else that can help? Did you know that grocery stories deliver? My daughter gets hers delivered for $10.00. I'm working on my income taxes today. My laptop is not working again - can't get an internet connection, so I'm back at the desktop and it hurts to sit in a chair, so I am going to have to take frequent breaks.
Take care. Rest today.
Linda
Kilee,
Does it help with your sciatica pain and back pain?
Yes, AND my leg pain. Just recently began taking less opiods. Aiming for ZERO pain medication !!!
Still making adjustments. Great NEVRO HF10 representative, wonderful communication.
I'm in northern California, USA
Kilee,
I am so so happy for you! What great news! And you are cutting back on opiods already!!! It's so great to hear a success story on here. We here so many bad stories you know? Well, I did not like the doctor that I talked to about the Nevro. He would not answer any questions at all. He was very abrupt and very arrogant. So I decided I don't want to see him again. Another person told me about a different doctor and she really liked him, so I'm going to try to get a referral to see him. And he is in Phoenix which is harder for me to get to, but it would be worth it to go to a doctor that I like and have confidence in. He is a neurosurgeon. I'll try to google him and see if he does the Nevro.
Well, congratulations. You're going to get your life back! Right now I am miserable with the left side of my back. I'm laying on ice. What kicked it off and made it bad again? Going out to eat with my boyfriend. We go every Friday - the truth is - whether I want to go or not. But, we went to Outback Steakhouse, and I had some wonderful fried shrimp and my boyfriend had a huge 22 oz steak. He eats a lot of steak - I don't eat steak. And it was near a shoe store, and I needed some new shoes, but hard to find extra wide, and shoes that I can stand to have on my foot, but we found some, and Cecil bought me a pair. It's a little tight across the top of my foot due to the neuropathy, but more comfortable than most shoes I have.
Take care. Go forth and have fun!
Linda
I live in Chandler, AZ. I lived up in Yosemite Lakes Park, just south of Yosemite National Park back in 1994. It was beautiful. We're moving to Boise, ID this fall when Cecil (my boyfriend) retires. He had 3 adult children and about 7 grandchildren there. My two daughters and two granddaughters live in Colorado. I go to see them about 3 times a year. I was there at Christmas but had to come back 2 days early because I made the mistake of babysitting my 2 year old granddaughter for 4 days. So by Christmas, I was shot. Plus, it was just too cold in her house. I worry about going to Idaho. I have gotten so spoiled with these beautiful winters in AZ. It's in the low 80's right now. We're using the Air Conditioning already! We had a little cold snap in January and the first part of February, but it is beautiful now. I always considered Colorado home, but I have been here 20 years now. I can't take the cold like I used to. And I don't have any winter clothes! I'm going to have to buy a bunch of sweatpants. Cecil already bought me a really good winter jacket.
Enjoy your Nevro. I hope it works for you for the rest of your life!
Linda
For 5 years I have been treated like a hypochondriac and drug seeker and referred to psychiatrist more time than I can count. I was seeking help, compassion, a diagnosis and above all else, the dignity I deserved. I wanted my life back. I lost my joy, my faith, my creativity, my children's growing up and loosing my husband as fast as I type right now. I live each day with pain, suffering and poison due to opiates and failed procedures, broken promises and sadness. I have been humiliated by dr appointments, ER visits and phamisists, by peers and even "friends".
How are you doing now, Teresa57042?
I hope your recovery went well and that you are on the road to recovery. 💕
Kim,
I can relate to what you are saying, I've been looked at by drs in the er as a herion addict for my Dr having me on methadone which is pill form and is realized 25 years ago it helps with cronic pain, I have cried when I was judged by drs and hositle well drs who just think ppl who are on opioids are just junkie, it makes you miserable when you get put into a pain management which pretty much tells you they are giving up on you, having shots injections stimulator and you lose your life. Stay strong I also lost my child's growing up because of pain but we have talked and she is one understanding young adult, she is now 27 and married with 2 beautiful grand children, 3 and 2 I try and put a smile on my face and just go forward, don't get down we are here for you!!!
Keep pushing forward and try to make it work with your husband even if you have to go to a therapist to talk before you lose him.
We are here to listen and we will support and listen to anything you have to say!
Cynthia (cindy)
Hi Cindy:
Haven't heard from you awhile and wondering if are now OK. I just want to say that what you been through, I as well. I had a pain doctor which was an a**hole, pardon the term who was going to take me off all my pain meds and put me on neurontin and a trycilic drug which is generally used for depression like nortryptaline or amtryptaline or such in that class. This doctor was absolutely adament about it. He said point blank that he will not treat if I don't agree. I asked him questions and refused to come back to the examining room to explain anything to me as the nurse went back 3 times to answer more questions. The nurse said that his PA will take it from here. I was so p*ssed off and had to make another appointment with his PA who was just as miserable as he is. It goes hand in hand, doesn't it? She was even worse than him. She questioned me so much why I was on constant pain meds and tried to explain to her that my pain doctor put me on them. Then she finds out I had 2 pain meds and I tried to tell her that I only take one of them which replaced the other. Now she accuses me of being an addict and said you know you are breaking the law and you can be arrested. WHAT!! First I didn't know what to say anymore. She momentarily left the room and upon coming back she tells me that the doctor does want you as a patient. I was livid. Never in my life that I have been treated that way by any medical staff. It shook me up some and upon me walking out of the office, I turned around facing the other patients waiting for their appointments and told them that if you are seeing Dr. so and so and his PA(no real names here), you are in for a major disappointment as I have never experienced beligerant doctor and his staff how he treated me with disrespect. With the front office staff gaping, and the faces on the other patients which I don't know if any walked out, I was more satisfied then. I was going to report them to my insurance but for some reason time went by and I didn't. Now, I have had lousy doctors before but like this one. You never know what you are going to get. Basically, it was the same type of thing you went through and I thought I would share this with you. Meanwhile, do stay strong, do your research, try not to get down, take care of your children, yes even smile like this. 
and even if you feel this, 
there will be some better days. I know it is hard as I have to do this as well. In time, your husband will understand and certainly when you go to your doctor, have him come in with you so the doctor can talk to both of you. Therapy would be great for you and your husband to get tools to work these problems out. I know it is hard but you have to be your own advocate like I say to everybody else here. I listen and read what people say here and try to make feel a little bit better. I am here doing my best to support you and others as well. Take care, be well and let the sun shine in.
mel
dEAR sANRA,
i REALIZE IT IS A YEAR LATER, and I don't know what your situation is now. I can pretty much tell you why your permanent implant is not working as well as the temporary one because this is what happened to me. In the temporary placement during the trial, they figure out what is the best place to put the scs leads. My surgeon decided to put the permanent one in a different place because there was some scarring in the area where it was supposed to go, and he doesn't like to deal with scars, and 2 he was pretty sure it would work in a different spot. I found this out about a year later what really happened when another doctor explained it to me. He said the surgeon I went to had a habit of doing that. You said the leads had moved. Well that's what's causing the problem. Good luck.
steffemz
May I ask - 7 months later - how are you doing? Ant problems with the battery?
Hi Khi:
Yes, I have a SCS and I find it didn't do me justice of what I though it would. It does take care of my legs but my lower back, no way. They didn't promise that but at the time my legs were hurting and sore all over. I had to go through the trial and since it was working on my legs, I opted to get the permanent implant. Over a year or so ago, my lower back was starting to hurt bad and every single day, I wake up stiff as a board barely getting out of bed. The stiffness is caused by spinal stenosis and other mean stuff going on in my body. I also have fibro and chronic tiredness. Some days when I get on my feet, I am not steady and tend to wobble around grabbing onto things to keep my balance so I wont fall. Just last night when in the kitchen giving my cats food, I was not steady on my feet and somewhat felt that if I dont bend down, I could fall down. When down slowly my feet started to give way like I was going to the floor. I didn't though and got up and sat on the couch for an hour. Afterwood, I was able to feed my cats. I believe it is the peripheral neuropathy that is doing. It's not getting any better. As far as your husband having this pain, a general SCS may not work on thel lower back. It did not work on mine. There is a newer one call the Nevro and it works differently than the general SCS. You feel no buzzing and operates at a high frequency and others posts that I have read, most really like it and then some don't. He has to talk to his pain doctor as they are the ones that put in the trial. When I had the permanent one, it had to be done by a neurosurgeon. The implant is not bad and your put out in la la land anyway. Beware, if you do go to a neurosurgeon, he or she may want to do a fusion instead as that is what they do. Of course your husband will take the necessary CAT scans and MRI's to determinine what the damage is. This is when you get second and even third opinions, look at the reviews and you heard right, if the surgeon did not place the paddles into the right area, then there can be adverse consequences. I am not trying to scare both of you but this has happened. If he doesn't have success with major ops, and this implant is really not major unless something goes wrong, do worry about the operation itself as it is really not an operation but a procedure which take a total of 3 hours for checking in, having the nurse ask questions going over your history and meds and the prep time to go for the procedure. Of course you will have recovery time and the representative will go over all the instructions on how to use the remote, program the unit and it is all done as an outpatient in an outpatient surgery center unless the doctor want to do it in a hospital. By the way, the cost is quite steep so either have good medical insurances or get a discount by paying it our of your own pocket. In a way that would be better because you choose the best doctor to do it. The overall of theprocedure for both trial and permanent cost $200,000. I am on medicare advantage and at the time, I only paid $175 co-pay. If I had tohave it done today, everything would be paid for and I have to chalk up 20%. That is not for the doctors for what is charged as insurance companies will not pay that amount. More than likely they will settle for 40 or 50% of that. I don't how how old your husband is and if his is on social security, I hope you have not only medicare but supplement insurance as well. Then you more than likely wouldn't have to pay for anything. I am almost 77 years old and of course I would never think of a major surgery as fusion neck middle back or lower back. The risks are too high. Having it done on my neck, it is considered major and I was ICU for a day with a line put in my neck and closely monitored. That is the critical part. Rehab is hard, painful and you have to listen to the doctors at all costs. I had to wear a neck brace screwed into my skull. I wouldn't dare go out of the house unless I had to go to the doctors. I did once go shopping for some stuff, not alone and kids would look at me as a freak. I was bombarded with questions and adults even laughed or backed away. I couldn't wait to go home. It is no picnic when you cannot turn, twist, bend or anything until the brace is removed which was about 6 weeks. So now you see what is entailed. If on the other hand that it became a life or death situation or permanently paralyzed, then I would reconsider. What would I have to lose. Just think of what I mentioned and in no way am I diagnosing your husband as I am not a doctor but I can say things in general as everybody does. All I can do is to give you both support, give you hugs if needed. So, have a happy day. You can talk to me anytime. I live on this forum as I like to help people as well as helping me.
mel
Hi khi:
I just finished a rather lengthly letter and when I sent it, it took awhile to finish. Generally, when done, I am able to see if it were sent. If the moderator snatched it for review, then I would know about it too. I have a feeling itwasn't sent and that is not what I want to hear. I spend so much time here, I feel that I am married to this forum. I know there is always a glitch here and there and that is to be expected on any computer. The problem here is theis no save button so I just have to deal with it. If you did not receive my letter, please let me and I will do it again but my thought on how I did it would probably vary. That's OK, I got the time, patience and a lot of patients that I talk to. My backlog getting so big that it would be hard for me to answer them all. But there are others who will comment and you would never be alone. Take care, OK. Make sure you husband feels good and let him read what I said or when I repeat it.
mel
Hi Mel,
Boy, sure sorry you were treated that way. I went through something similar. Once I was in so much pain I could not move for 2 days. I called an ambulance. My daughter came to the hospital . I gave her the history of meds I had tried, she thought I was taking all of them right then and told the doctor who called me an addict and it was horrible!
My computer is not typing right Talk to you later
Linda.
Hi friend i have about 5 weeks with the permamnent stimulator and it really does control pain greatly at least a 75 % before the inplant.i truely recomand it rest fur 5 weeks really good u will have great days then if you over do it you will have very sore bad days resting a whole lot is the trick ,abd if you have a sweetheart have her give your body movement even in bed it eill help your thigh myscles and sidw back as well.i truely recommened it i had back fussion and a epidurdl started both leg sciatica againd besides orher heslth issues.but im feeling more ans more alive!!! U will do great NELLY
Hi Kilee, I've been on this site so long my tablet battery is going dead but I want to get this question in quickly. My pain Dr threw the Nevro brochure at me during my last appointment and suggested I " give it a try", so I'm anxious to gather information. I can't stand the vibrations of TEMS units so I'm glad this new device came along here in the USA. The Dr said they've been using it for about two months now and that his partner has done over 25 implants of this stimulator, with patients calling it miraculous. That doesn't seem to be the consensus on this site though. I am having difficulty keeping up with which device each person commenting has and am getting confused too, (pain meds as we all know!) I've had 8 laser spine surgeries that were unsuccessful followed by a 4 level fusion in 2013, getting worse since then as my muscles continue to contract. My fabulous physical therapist is tops in her field of dry needling followed by a laser pad treatment which has slowly been peeling away the layers of problems and after 2 years my hip has been mobilized enough to trim my own toenails. This progress is causing more pain though, as dormant muscle systems are working with each other again. Please fill me in on your experience with the Nevro. ....~kathy
Hello Mel,
Well went to Drs on Thursday, my battery needs to be moved to my stomach, total failed on this stimulator, I'm gonna have to get a cat scan on my fusion site because of the pain level is so high and plus I have sclerosis in there, might have to go back in there unfortunately, plus this stimulator is not for me, so I have to get another one really?!? I don't know how many more I can take, plus more shots in my neck cause I'm losing feeling in my arms again, my brother is home, and now my other brother who's bday was today he turned 54 has been in and out of the hospital for the past 3 weeks lost35 pounds had so many things done but no results, I just don't get it, we all have arthritis I know my knees ankles and every joint in my body, I am going to see my grand babies and daughter and son in law, for almost 3 weeks in new Mexico, my granddaughter turned 2 today, and my grandson will be 3 April 13th, so it's gonna be awesome, hopefully I will not hurt so much. Just wanted to say hello and see how you are feeling haven't touch base with anyone since my brother, so I just wanted to see how everyone is feeling and anything new, oh and my dr said I wouldn't be good for the dorsal root gangelion stimulator, I just can't believe failed fusion check failed stimulator check, what else can I fail at? I did a great job with my daughter so I'm proud I didn't fail at that lol take care and let's all start chatting again miss my group!!
Cynthia (Cindy)