since the implant was install , i have not walk and pain is terrible. nevro is bad, or you

Cordon2262

los angeles

I have chronic low back, hip and leg pain. I had a 1 week trial with the SCS and was very pleased. I had a permanent implant done and that surgery was very painful. A week later the unit was turned on and I could not feel anything with 1 of the leads. I was told I just had to heal a bit more. A month later and the surgical pain is almost gone and I do not get the same relief I did during the trial. I have new pain in my left hip and can't get the unit to provide relief without having tingling in my leg. I was told by my surgeons office to call the Medtronics reps because "there's all kinds of things they can do to change the settings and provide relief ". I can't get either of the 2 reps to respond to my needs. My leg will become rigid in the middle of the night and I have to get out of bed to walk it off. I'm not getting improved sleep like I did during the trial. It's relieving maybe 20% of my pain on a good day. Can't recline in a chair now without pain where the leads were installed. Truly regretting having the implant now.

GinnyS

Newark Delaware

I waited a year for the MRI safe Medtronic Neurostimulator to come out as I have multiple injuries from three decade of military service. I knew MRI where a necessity for proper treatment in the future. Well the trial stimulator work well, with wire lead…they did not inform me that they were putting a paddle (this did not work) first the knob for the right leg affected the lefts, the surgeon and Medtronic rep left before i was out of recovery….so I or my wife (VA Caregiver) had no idea how to work until the follow up visit weeks later. Which it didn't. To charge it the heat it generated was so painful and the the location they place the control was almost unbearable to set down. So maintaining the battery was the only i was doing and it was excruciating at times. So, it became longer and longer between charges as i did do me any good for pain. Then the battery died or the device did either way no longer MRI SAFE!!! SO ..I schedule to have it taken out, and they did but left the paddle in, which i found out a year later made it MRI incompatible….NEVER, mention by surgeon, then to find out just yesterday that same surgeon and hospital NEVER CONTACT Medtronic about removing it. MALPRACTICE!!!!!!! You'd think they would do there do diligence and contact the manufacture of the device on how to properly remove it ??? Would seem like come sense. Well I guess not in the medical community I you know of anyone that has had similar problem with a hospital and won a case against them I'd love to know. I and My and caregiver would have NEVER had it taken out. The thing from Medtronic and the original placement and then the removal there are several problems.

MP1968

Missouri

Ok, I've had this stimulator since Sept. of 2015, so I have quite a bit of experience with the unit. First off it was 2015. Wireless control was around but I trusted my doctor when he said this was the best around. Big mistake. I was unaware of the HUDGE finical incentives available to doctors that install Medtronics devices. Fast forward to now almost three years later. My battery does weird things like go from a state of low charge to a state of medium high charge. Then it will crater within a few hours. It will completely discharge and give a warning requiring a recharge. I recharge and it will only take 2hours to top off but then the battery will discharge completely a few hours and then go back to 3/4 full. Sometimes it takes weeks to discharge other times it only takes a few days. It does not releave all of the pain. At best it releaves 75%. I have 3 programs that I have to shuffle between in order to achieve some relief. This is a major drawback to the Medtronic devicies. They are NOT WIRELESS! Having to hold the antenna over the battery pack while also holding the controller means you have to stop and remove any coat or jacket, stand still or sit and navigate through the menu in order to make the necessary adjustments to every lead and for the amplitude. I could go on and on about the short comings of these devices but the bottom line is they need to come into the the 21 Century. Having said that their placement of the device should be limited to the cranium as was the case starting in the 1950's. Studies show superior control without the danger of leases moving and failing. If you are reading this then seek out alternative wireless manufactures and steer clear of Medtronics.

CalvinW

Wichita, Kansas

This was the worst thing I could have done. It did help originally with knee pain but hurt my back so bad that I can't even turn it on any more. I can't even wear underware as the implant is at the waist, so everything cuts into the battery. Even sitting hurts. I'm trying to find someone to rip it out as this is just not worth it. Sitting for a minimum of 3 hrs to recharge the battery is ridiculous, and that not even when the battery is at a low charge. Waste of money, time, energy and does not help with the pain enough to justify all that you suffer to have this inserted. DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sixsense6

SD

I have had the Medtronic Neurostimulator device installed for about 18 months and I am ready to rip it out myself. It is ineffective, almost impossible to recharge without sitting absolutely still for hours and denies me a much needed MRI. It may block the original pain somewhat, but does not take into consideration the fact that things can get worse with my back and leg pain. When it was installed, I was told that it was "the pain surgery of the future," and that it "would relieve my pain" to the point that I "could go back to work within in a couple of weeks." I have had to retire because of the continued and worsening pain. I have been back to the doctor who inserted it several times, and he basically told me he "did his job," and now it was Medtronic's problem. I have been to other neurosurgeons and they refuse to operate on me. Perhaps the most frustrating part is the recharging of the thing. If I don't remain absolutely still, the device will stop charging. If I shift in my chair or get up to go to the bathroom, the device will stop charging. It was a terrible choice for me and leaves me in constant pain in my back and legs which is getting more severe every day. Totally dissatisfied.

jamesmitchell2

Portland, Oregon

The nerve pain stimulator has in my opinion caused me to have tons of seizures, make my legs so numb, tingling that I can not walk, drive, I piss on myself a little, it takes 5 hours 2 to 3 times a day because it burns me from the inside and tells me to stop, so I charge it more hours a day than i should, they told me charge it 1 time a week which was true for about 7 weeks, it never stays stimulating the right areas, always having to reprogram it that cost thousands, and all of these things started after I had this implant installed in November 2014 and it is December 2015.

mrmazz

USA

*I have had the Medtronic Neurostimulator for 1 year now. It is a pretty good device but there are several draw-backs to it. One must be fully aware of what they are getting into prior to having one implanted. This is the reason that you are supposed to undergo a 2 week trial of an external stimulator before the permanent one is placed. They are used for many areas, not just the spine. The can be used for the wrist all the way to the ankle. There are also a couple different MFG'S of the stimulator, not just Medtronic. I believe the other is ANS. ( not absolute) Medtronic is what I have though.* *My stim was placed in March 2009 by my neurosurgeon. At the time, I was a bit heavier and he did not compensate for me losing weight when the internal battery was placed in my buttock. So as the 40+ lbs came off, the battery shifted to the crack of my buttock and made it impossible for me to charge the battery with the external charger. Also. the unit worked well with the pain in my legs and hips but did not cover the fused area of my spine. This is a MAJOR problem. So I had changed Pain Mgmt Dr.s and requested to have to battery moved and a revision of the stimulator to enable coverage of the fused areas. (let me back up) There are multiple sizes of actual units that can be placed to connect the wires to the battery. I had the largest unit. My new pain doc and rep from Medtronics decided they would try something different with me. So, the original unit was disconnected and new leads (wires) were placed at the bottom of my unit then connected to the battery. Unfortunately a nerve @T11 was cut during the surgery :'''(( Needless to say I still have no coverage over the fused area.* *OK, Long story short, It is my opinion that the Neurostimulator is INEFFECTIVE for fused areas. After 2 implants I still have no coverage for the main location needed. I recommend it for general pain areas such as Carpal Tunnel, and RA etc.. *    

bevmarshall02

Dodge, TX