Chronic Pain

Hi Everyone,

I have RSD/CRPS, am allergic to almost all meds and have already had an Intrathecal pump placed and removed. I was never able to get enough medication to help the pain before I became ill!

My physician is pressing me to have a Stimulator as he says I'm "a perfect candidate".

I had a "trial" for this 3 years ago and couldn't stand the "shocks" the thing gives.
I already get severe tingling and shock feeling so don't want any more.

The majority of my pain(probably 70%) comes from muscle spasm; with 25% from numbness/burning, which always occur together, and always when I sit or lye down.

I need to know if the Stimulator will help with the muscle spasm? I don't think it will.

Any thoughts out there, would welcome some input.

Thanks,

Mag1.

Hello,
I am so sorry to hear that you are not getting any relief from pain medications. I am struggling as well with the pain meds that I take. Mine have reached their effectiveness and no longer work as well as they used to. I have had two laminectomies and a spinal fusion for L4-L5, with DDD. I am in constant pain.The meds only take the edge off. About 3 years ago, I did do a stimulator trial but never had the implant because the trial was not successful. It kept going on and off at will. Also, I was not feeling the tingling as I was supposed to, where I was supposed to. I think that the stimulator chord was not placed in my back correctly. Now that my meds are not working and my doctor is not willing to increase the dosage, I may revisit the stimulator. I am not with the same doctor now who put the stimulator in. Something must change for me. As far as your muscle spasms are concerned, I have never heard of a stimulator helping with that. I take ropineral at night (requip) for restless leg syndrome. My muscles in my legs spasm if I don't. I didn't think you mentioned where your spasms were. I also take topamax for nerve pain and migraine prevention. The topamax helps me with my muscles too. I hope that this information helps you in some way. Good luck!!!

Believe it or not, I have a spinal cord stimulator for RSD in my right hand, and it works very well for me.
HOWEVER, i'M Still on morphine and a muscle relaxant med. Together they decrease my pain by about 80-85%.

Now, the surgeon i used was top notch, cream of the crop, elite, <insert praise here>. So, he implanted the lead onto my spinal cord at C7 area during an 8.5 hr surgery, and it worked. This was after I had other surgeries and trials and stuff though.
IF done right, these things work wonderfully for most people IMHO.
I hope that you find something to help you!

I had my SCS installed back in June of 08, and it works great for my nerve pain,NOT my muscle spasms, for that I take Zanaflex. The spinal cord stimulator will work for anything that is nerve related, but it will not work for mechanical pain or muscle issues. That is what my NS and PM Doc's told me, and so far, they have been right.