The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: david86440 on August 02, 2011, 01:47:04 AM
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I had an appt today with a new pain management doctor and his advice is the same as the last one that I fired.
He is recommending that I try spinal cord stimulation for chronic pain relief. I have a lot of reservations and hesitations after reading what you can and can't do after having one installed so I was wondering if any one on here has one and wouldn't mind sharing your experience with me.
It would be this unit from St Judes.
http://www.poweroveryourpain.com/discovering/components
Thanks in advance, David
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Can't help with that device, David, but I wanted to say how sorry I was to hear you are having these problems.
Get a second opinion if you feel you need to, and do what is right for you. And good luck on whatever course you choose.
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I'll give you an opinion.
Quit shooting "Heavy ball ammo" in those Mosin Nagants.
For a second opinion, I would say that if both Dr's are telling you the same thing there may be something to it.
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I know nothing about medicine, and I didn't stay in a Holiday Inn Express. So fair warning. I do however research the drug war. The latest target dejure are pain clinics, dubbed "pill mills" by rags like my own local mullet wrapper. Of course ambitious legislators and DAs have followed and pushed draconian penalties on doctors they deem to be out of line.
Now, this may not be relevant in your case, but the point is that a lot of docs have gotten scared off of prescribing aggressive doses of pain relievers, and instead will recommend nonpharmecutical treatments not for medical reasons, but because they are afraid.
Again, take what I say with more than a grain of salt, just understand that it is a fact on the ground and I'd bring it up in a talk with my doctor. :-\
Good luck.
FQ13 who will light a candle for you on Sunday.
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I'll give you an opinion.
Quit shooting "Heavy ball ammo" in those Mosin Nagants.
For a second opinion, I would say that if both Dr's are telling you the same thing there may be something to it.
+1
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Have you tried an external unit? The kind that sticks on with patches. If you have and it worked having one implanted may be worth your while. I would try one of those first.
If not, it's your pain. You know what you can live with.
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I'm with 1911 Junkie on this one. Try a TENS unit if you haven't already. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcutaneous_electrical_nerve_stimulation
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OK I am going to post this and want no BS. (Yes I am setting myself up to be mocked, but hey, I was young, she was hot and none of you wise guys would have said no either. Damn it! :-[) TENS units are available at sex shops for the S@M community at a lot cheaper than you can find at a medical supply shop. I used to date a girl who worked at a fetish shop called Eurotique, and they had a ton of electric toys including violet wands and tens units (and yes the Quaker is posting this with a Sh!t eating grin, so take that Path and Tom). ;D Bottom line though, is that these these devices can work on muscle pain, and that there are alternate sources to find them. Odds are good your local sex shop will be cheaper than a medical supply joint. Again, good luck.
FQ13
Here's the address of Eurotique in FL
They should have Tens units (or at least other things to get your mind off the pain ;D)
http://eurotique.com/
And did I mention that I was young, she was hot and it was 15 years ago, and the only reason I'm posting this is to help out a brother with back pain. (And all of this is wasted breath as you bastards will hang this around my neck won't you?). :-[ ;D
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I appreciate your interest in my health but I asked a specific question and am not looking for backyard cures and sexshop products....although a good massage can work magic ;)
I have already looked into TENS and every other available method of treatment for neuropathy and the consensus of pain specialist is the same..........Neurostimulation.
I have had multiple surgeries, nerve root blocks, RACZ, physical therapy, injections, acupuncture, and a few that I have forgotten.
David
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I'll go with what I said before, if several of them told you the same thing that's probably what you're stuck with. either that or the pain. Only other thing that comes to mind is acupuncture / acupressure .
FQ, I won't give you crap, there used to be a unit called "Body Sculptor" that worked by zapping muscle groups, simulating a work out. Never tried it myself, but heard that it did indeed build mass.
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Nor will I, since you entered a neighborhood wherein I once dwelt! 8)
Enough of that nonsense.
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I have already looked into TENS and every other available method of treatment for neuropathy and the consensus of pain specialist is the same..........Neurostimulation.
TENS = Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
Same difference without the surgery. ;)
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TENS = Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
Same difference without the surgery. ;)
And how well did it work for you?
I assume you have personal experience with it..............if not STFU! Can you tell I'm in a pissy mood today?
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David, during my physical therapy after my bike incident, my therapist tried a TENS unit on my left leg and upper thigh, hoping to both stimulate areas where nerve bundles were severed and also reduce the resulting nerve pain associated with limb loss. In my honest and most humble opinion, after several sessions of therapy, I saw no difference in either pain reduction or mobility (and the therapist also concluded it wasn't working in my case, but he wanted to at least try it, JIC). I can't comment on use for other body areas such as the back, it may work for you.
I do wish you luck, because I understand chronic pain issues.
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David, during my physical therapy after my bike incident, my therapist tried a TENS unit on my left leg and upper thigh, hoping to both stimulate areas where nerve bundles were severed and also reduce the resulting nerve pain associated with limb loss. In my honest and most humble opinion, after several sessions of therapy, I saw no difference in either pain reduction or mobility (and the therapist also concluded it wasn't working in my case, but he wanted to at least try it, JIC). I can't comment on use for other body areas such as the back, it may work for you.
I do wish you luck, because I understand chronic pain issues.
I appreciate the reply Peg. With the neurostimulation unit they run a 5-7 day test as well to see if it is effective before implanting the unit. If it works, then they implant the unit as well as the electrodes. If it doesn't work then they remove the electrodes.
Because they are trying to treat more than one area the TENS unit is not effective. I have tried it and it works somewhat for lower back pain, but it does nothing for my arms and hands.
Also Tom..........I've been the acupuncture route as well.
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And how well did it work for you?
I assume you have personal experience with it..............if not STFU! Can you tell I'm in a pissy mood today?
Go ahead, be pissy. You never said you already tried the TENS unit.
I do know a thing or two about medicine but I'll STFU now. ;D
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Go ahead, be pissy. You never said you already tried the TENS unit.
I do know a thing or two about medicine but I'll STFU now. ;D
I apologize for my comment, but I am looking for information about a specific product and not medical advice.
As far as I'm concerned this post should not have any replies because evidently no one has tried the implant.
AND YES, I'M PISSY! ;)
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I put chronic pain management into much the same category as Tinnitus, (which I have badly), in that there really is no cure, even though there always seems to be someone or something claiming there is. It really gets aggravating, and I can sympathize with your problem. My attitude is if these methods and contraptions actually worked, people would not be in constant pain, or have Tinnitus.
I'm at that age where I often get very bad lower back pain. All I can do is take a pain reliever if it gets too bad. I'm afraid of these "Pain Management Centers" that seem to be popping up more and more. It just seems like another way to separate people from their money, and or bilk health insurance. The problem with most of these "methods" is for every person that claims to get relief, 500 don't. It irritates me that so many prey on desperate people living in pain, when in reality they just can't offer very much in the way of relief. Bill T.
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And here I refer you back to my earlier post Bill. Oxy, vicodin, and percocet work well ,and can be managed if a doc prescribes a diet program to go with them. But the government is criminalizing this so they steer folks towards surgically implanted devices instead. Now these may work fine, hell, they may be ten times better, but it would be nice if they weren't offered at gunpoint with the DEA acting as your doctor. :-\
FQ13
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And here I refer you back to my earlier post Bill. Oxy, vicodin, and percocet work well ,and can be managed if a doc prescribes a diet program to go with them.
FQ13
It's pretty hard not to get addicted to that stuff. I've had insomnia for over 30 years, and have a prescription for Ambien, which works well. But I only risk taking it on the nights before I have to work, for fear of becoming dependant on it. It's hard to manage that stuff. That always seems to be the problem. You find something that works for pain, or sleep, and 9 times out of 10 there is a risk of addiction if you use it long term. Bill T.
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It's pretty hard not to get addicted to that stuff. I've had insomnia for over 30 years, and have a prescription for Ambien, which works well. But I only risk taking it on the nights before I have to work, for fear of becoming dependant on it. It's hard to manage that stuff. That always seems to be the problem. You find something that works for pain, or sleep, and 9 times out of 10 there is a risk of addiction if you use it long term. Bill T.
True Bill, but the case in point is CHRONIC pain. If you take it every day, addiction isn't an issue if the dose stays controlled so you can function fine. Its like saying a diabetic is addicted to insulin. Yeah, you take it daily, no you can't stop, but if the dose is controlled it beats the crap out of the alternative,
FQ13
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And here I refer you back to my earlier post Bill. Oxy, vicodin, and percocet work well ,and can be managed if a doc prescribes a diet program to go with them. But the government is criminalizing this so they steer folks towards surgically implanted devices instead. Now these may work fine, hell, they may be ten times better, but it would be nice if they weren't offered at gunpoint with the DEA acting as your doctor. :-\
FQ13
You are being such a bonehead FQ, you don't even know my medical condition and you are putting out this sh!t. Don't you think I have been down the med route and am currently on those meds that you state are hard to get......The doctors I have do not hesitate to offer pills if they work for you and you are not an abuser. Have you ever tried working in sensitive situations where you need a clear thought process, but you are zoned out on Norco, Soma, and Gabapentin?
Did you ever think that perhaps they offer alternatives to heavy drugs so you can lead a productive life, not under the influence of drugs?
And yes I am still PISSY today.
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Have you ever tried working in sensitive situations where you need a clear thought process.
That is the exact reason why I quit Rozerem. My doctor prescribed it to me as a daily sleep aid that is supposed to be non addictive. The problem is the stuff made me feel like I was in a coma. I never was so lethargic, so I stopped it. You just can't win with some of these medications. I want to be able to fall asleep at night, not every waking moment. Bill T.
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You are entitled to be as pissy as you want David, and no one here blames you for it, as you are a solid citizen on this board and are going through some tough times. We all wish you well. BUT...I would be a jerk if I didn't point out that in my neck of the woods some good doctors are being run out of the profession, having their licenses yanked, and facing felony charges just because theyhave run afoul of a DA or DEA agent who thinks he's qualified to practice medicine. My point was simply that your doc may or may not be giving you unbiased advice out of fear that "option C" could land his ass in jail. No offense intended, I just wanted to state the facts as I see them, figuring its better to have too much information than too little.
FQ13
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You are entitled to be as pissy as you want David, and no one here blames you for it, as you are a solid citizen on this board and are going through some tough times. We all wish you well. BUT...I would be a jerk if I didn't point out that in my neck of the woods some good doctors are being run out of the profession, having their licenses yanked, and facing felony charges just because theyhave run afoul of a DA or DEA agent who thinks he's qualified to practice medicine. My point was simply that your doc may or may not be giving you unbiased advice out of fear that "option C" could land his ass in jail. No offense intended, I just wanted to state the facts as I see them, figuring its better to have too much information than too little.
FQ13
I hear you FQ, it's just that what you're saying has no relevance in my case. I have all the drugs I could possibly ever want.
I am in year 4 of a 5 year clinical trial for multi-level cervical artificial disks at UC Davis Medical Center. My pain management dr is from ST Judes.
I'm not dealing with fly by night pain centers that you are referring to.