SCS Trial - Unplugged

My trial is over and I'm unplugged now. I'm a little surprised at how much the Stimulator helped. Some of my problems aren't painful but are annoying nonetheless. Muscle twitches are back and are more unnerving then having the stimulator turned up a little too high. The burning and stinging has returned and I'm back to walking on a river bed of rocks (tender foot).

The stimulator did not reach everything. The deep pain in my ankles was never touched. I talked it over with my Doctor and I have decided to move forward with the permanent placement. This is not to say that I'm doing hand stands right now. I wish I didn't have to go this route. I will never be drug free, at least that's how it was explained to me. What the SCS does is buy me time. I'm still relatively young and hoping I have a lot of miles left on me. The SCS will permit me to keep the doses at my current levels or maybe a little lower. If I opted not for the SCS, I will have to go on the extended release stuff. The problem with that solution is, it doesn't touch the burning/stinging and the tender feet.

SCS Trial - Day 2

I survived the first night. Had a little Princess and the Pea thing going on the morning (slept on the external unit). I did leave the stimulator on all night at a very low setting. My left leg was real good (no pain) this morning but my right leg hurts like the dickens (this might be because of the pea).

I shut off the lead for my right leg. I just couldn't deal with the stim in my butt. The left lead seems to have better placement because it only stimulates below the knee. This is my worst leg and I am getting some relief there. According to the video, its possible to adjust the pulse width and rate.

I met with the Rep in the afternoon where I was granted more control over my stimulation. The Rep also moved the stimulation to a different contact for the right lead. It seams I'm wired a little different then most folks and have to be stimulated a little lower than normal. With the afternoon and the evening to play with the stimulator some more, it's definitely much more rewarding when you get to adjust all 3 values and create your own programs so to speak. I have no way of saving my results. So far I have created 2 laying down settings and a walk setting.

SCS Trial

Got my trial Medtronic SCS this morning. So far it's providing a little relief. I'm taking it slow so I can get used to the feeling. I'm able to control the amplitude separately for each leg or together. I watched the video they gave me, so now I'm a little disappointed. I only have control over the amplitude and not the pulse width and rate. So far the stimulation is from my butt to my toes. I don't really like the stim in my butt right now. I will say, this thing is really positional, so if you go for a trial, be prepared for some tweaking as you change positions.

The lead placement this morning smarted a little, but I survived. Now my back feels like someone kicked the crap out of me.