I anderstand a nerve stimulator implant is the last resort I am told #
first surgery will have to be done anf if this fails them an implant.
I suffer also a lot from sciatic nerve pain left leg and toes mostly when I am resting but over the month it has given me trouble even during walking, but I have resorted to sitting on a tennis ball and to my surprice the nerve irritation is much less I also use it im bed.
So give it a try.

I had a SCS in for 6 months. The pain from the two incisions made were well worth the relief i experienced with the SCS. the incisions heal fast. there was one in the center of the back and one on my buttock. I thought having the battery pack in the buttock would annoy me but I got used to it within a few days and then didnt even notice it. . unfortunately I had to get my SCS revised twice because the electrodes, or "leads" disconnected from the battery pack. the third time this happened I had the surgeon remove the SCS. I have many different kinds of pain, and the SCS helped most with the nerve pain and muscular pain. I found great relief with it and wish my body didnt reject the SCS like it did. apparantly this is fairly rare.
There are a variety of hoops to jump thru before getting the SCS implanted. a major one is the psychological evalutation. this is to make sure that your pain is indeed physical and not emotional. I have depression due only to my medical issues. there is the MMPI, a standardized test for psychological evalution, and then you also must talk to a certified therapist. i only wish that my SCS was still in as it provided moderate relief for my pain. once you get the hang of what patterns and intensity of stimulation work for you, the SCS is like a part of you. it really helped me. good luck!

I was wondering about this myself. My pm doctor said if this epidural shot didn't work, (it's not) the next thing would probably be either the spinal cord stimulator or a morphine pump. I'm not sure about either one right now. The pump makes me nervous as I'm only 41.. I could build up a tolerance to it.. what if something worse happens down the road?? I had a TENS unit and LOVED it, but it only helped while it was on. I've been reading about it, and so far, mixed results. It works for some, it doesn't for others.
I saw a surgeon last year, and he said surgery wouldn't help as I'd have to have them over and over as the disc herniation is chronic :(

I have mine, had it for a month and a half so far, LOVE it! Would do the surgery over and over again if I had to! :) Good luck!

I also have had this suggested by 2 seperate pain manament doctors. I'm very skeptical about it though because I am only 29 years old & am a prep/line cook in a VERY busy restaraunt. After speaking with 1 pain doctor I returned to my neurosurgions because a new MRI showed more degenerative changes. When I told him about what this pain doctor said about SCS, he also agreed that it wouldn't be something that would work for someone of my life style. He refeared me to a different pain management doctor in his practice. I saw that pain doctor he screwed my meds all up, told me to stop taking tramadol & my anti_depressent meds. i got deathly sick. I spoke to his nurse practioner & she told me to go back to my regular meds. Then he did a steroid injection, and I SWEAR he damaged the nerve worse, my leg pain has not been this bad since bfore I had my discectomy 18 months ago. I am getting NO relief from anything, I have been in excrutiating pain for more than 3 weeks now. Is it possible this shot has done more damage?? Its been almost a month since the shot. Also does this SCS have wires to it?? Like hanging out of your body??

i'm also thinking about getting this done but I worry about not having insurance down the road and what it would cost if I had to go that route. My problem is neuropahy in my feet..really bad and my pain management guy is pushing this. Anyone ever done this for neuropathy? Another quick question I am a caregiver for my brother and he's had terrible pain in the back for years now..our pharmacy will now NOT fill his prescriptions and I don't know what to do?

If the pain is just in your feet/foot I'm not sure if it will help. They gave me pamphlet on it, & basically they put the leads in the epidural space, a neurostimulater(which sends the electrical impulses to the leads) either in your upper buttocks or abdomen, then there's a programmer which is like a tv remote. The Dr. I'm currently seeing makes you see a pain management psychologist & go through a screening process before they'll even let you try it. And pretty much this is my last choice, if I fail then I suffer with pain. He won't give me any pain meds because of my age. And as for your brother, are they giving you a reason why not?? Have you tried other pharmacies?? We have a family owned pharmacy around here & if I can't get a script filled anywheres else I go to them & they will fill it. Good Luck to you & your brother, I know all too well how frustrating this stuff can be.

Hi, I have had a SCS since December 2009: Unfortunately, I dont think it was the best idea for my situation. It helps with muscle spasms and that's it. I don't have nerve pain, I have bone pain from a crushed vertebrae that was filled with medical cement and that cement accidentally was allowed to leak out into the next disc space and vertebrae. Basically I have a rock in my spine now due to a botched vertebroplasty. I was told that SCS is more helpful with nerve pain after I had it done. I ponder whether I should've gotten a pain pump. When I have spasms I turn it up so I I cant walk due to the vibrations. Before that I fried several TENS units. I got the SCS because I was desperate. I was diagnosed with MS in 2004 and fell and smashed my spine when my son was two weeks old in 2006. I have been chasing relief ever since. I hate that I need a fentanyl patch and oral meds to walk and live daily,but am thankful to have some relief. I can't believe some docs won't give pain relief meds because someone is too young! That is BS! Injury doesn't have any age discrimination. I was 27 when my life was changed forever. I had a budding career, a criminal justice degree and law school aspirations. Now I can't work and am fighting SS for my benefits. It infuriates me how some docs withhold relief and care because someone is young....I've had to switch docs due to this. Good luck whatever you decide. If your pain is nerve pain it might be your answer.

Misty Hoffman thank you SO much for sharing your story :) I'm very sorry for what has happened to you. Before I read your story I thought there was nobody else out there that had similarities to me & what I go through on a daily basis. Question...because the medical cement went down in your disc space can you file a medical malpractice suit?? I'm thinking not tho because you probably signed saying you knew the risks. Yea I'm pretty aggravated with the whole age issue. I'm currently looking into age discrimination & pain doctors. Happen to know anything about that, am I waisting my time?? I guess I just think that they shouldn't be able to do that, but really IDK. This is actually the 2nd pain doctor I've seen & I'm hesitant on switching because I know if the Dr knows that then automatically they label you, which in this case with this doctor he had me labeled from the beginning. Have you ever heard of a steriod injection making a damaged nerve worse?? I swear the one he gave me a month ago made things worse, my pain has been SO bad since then. Thank You for the extra info on the SCS, I don't think its for me. Yea I have nerve pain & that's what causes my leg pain, but I also have a slippage in my vertebrae & that is what causes my back pain. The first surgeon I ever saw wanted to do spinal fusion & I was like hell NO. And that's basically my troubles one pain is from one thing & the other pain from another & there's not 1 thing that can fix both. If you don't mind me asking...have you thought about having another child/children?? I've asked every doctor I've saw & they kinda dance around answering me, but I've never spoke to an OB about it. I REALLY want to have another child, really bad!!! I gave placement of my daughter to her father when she was 3 in hopes to make our relationship better for her, & it was pretty much a trick so he could have control of her. He kept her from me, alienated me (had his new girlfriend tell my daughter she was her mom), didn't include me in any mile stones that happened in her life, went as far as taking her to her first hair cut without me!! It's ok though because I have her now & that's all that matters to us!!! But anywhoo, I would love to have another baby LOL!!! Again thanks for sharing your story with me, just finally knowing that I'm not alone helps, I hope it helps you too:) Take care & I hope we can keep in touch

Definitely! Are you on Facebook? I am on that or my email way more than on here. I just get notification easier. We can keep in touch via email or Facebook. Let me know. I signed that I knew thr risks before vertebroplasty,but also didn't find out about the botched job until I moved and another doctor in Redding told me it was a problem. Even so call specialists in San Francisco didn't find it. Told me pain was psychosomatic and to deal with my depression. Asshats! I wish I could have another baby,but with pain meds I take Im scared, plus my MS and the weight on my back. I have a boy and would love a sibling for him, esp a girl,but it doesn't seem to be in the cards. I don't know what I'd do or docs would do if it accidentally happened. I also have polycystic ovary syndrome, so my son is a miracle anyway. I get sad,but then wonder if I could even take care of two kids. I also had dreams of law school....and a great paying job. Ive had SS for 6 yrs and now that Ive lost weight they say I can work and Im appealing to keep it. I cant work! I will lose my home. My husband works but we need that additional income. I have felt discriminated against by many due to my age,doctors, etc. So called family and friends who dont get it. Im not sure of any legal precedent and it would be hard to prove,but I wish I could do something. I dont blame you for not wanting fusion. Honestly I dont know the answer....for now I guess Im stuck with meds. Eventually I will have my SCS removed. Hang in there, hopefully technology will catch up. Let me know if you want to Facebook or email.

Glad you got your daughter back! Sorry I don't know about the nerve part. :(

I have had the SCS installed on 9/27/12, have had 3 reprogramming sessions since. I know I am coming in after the fact but.... I figured I'd put my .02 in. It has helped with my chronic back pain. DDD of the thoracic spine. T3-4, 4-5, 6-7, 7-8 with compressed nerve roots on all levels... My neurosurgeon told me that he could fix it but I would be in a wheel chair too many levels to fuse.... Not and option!!!! Pain pump was second option. However the high rate of infection... Not and option (hidradenitis suppurativa) (cytomeglavirus) immune issue.... Last option was the SCS. I have done a lot of research on it.. It is required to go through a trial version first to see if it helps.. Mine did..... So we did the install........ My unit is made by St. Jude Medical. Eon battery/controller and Penta Lead. Installed at t5 and pushed up the column to around t4. It has been helpful with reducing the pain by about 40% at times. IT IS NOT A FIX!!!! But it does help. I am very lucky. My neurology clinic is in the top 10 in the USA, my doctor is the #1 in the state and a professor at LSU. I was diagnosed today with cervicalgia and neuralgia/neuritis unspecified. I would highly recommend at least the trial to see if it helps... I have heard mixed responses on the SCS but I had 4 customers that had them installed and it helped them, so I gave it a try... I wish they would have checked my C-spine before the install due to pain and numbness in my right arm and shoulder. I am 5 weeks post op and it is doing good.... I do wish you luck with your decision and also reducing your pain.