More Than 80,000 Spinal Cord Stimulator Injury Reports Filed With FDA | NBC Nightly News
Some 60000 spinal cord stimulators are surgically implanted every year. They send a mild electrical current to the spinal cord to relieve chronic pain. An NBC …
I had my spinal cord stimulator (SCS) surgery 10 month ago. My Dr who operated on me, creator of SCS and the one, who created and implanted a chip in a brain for Parkinson disease patients. He works in NYC, Columbia Presbyterian,. Excellent knowledgable Dr who performs only these 2 kind of surgeries. Yet, I wasn't lucky one. I don't do any better then before surgery. My Dr never promised I will be his sucsess story, all depends. Worse your situation before the surgery, less chance to have great results. Before SCS I had 3 big spinal fusions, hardware, Arachnoidities as complication after first surgery, foot drop, and a lot of nerve damage. So severe pain 24/7 before SCS, same after . I don't mean to discourage anyone from going for surgery if your Dr believes you may benefit from it, I just would like to advice talking to your Dr, finding tons of info on this matter, talk to those on forums, who already went thru it. Don't go just because your Dr advised. Do your own homework! Good luck and happy 2020! PS. I will gladly answer your questions.
I have a medtronic , the moment ivwoke out of surgery i had needes stabbing my entire stomach and chest from the nerves being messed with i assume . They had no real answers as to why that pain lasted 2 full months , and today , the wires have migrated. And are laying across my ribcage in pain . I cant move , walk or lay on my stomach or left side .
Research arachnoiditis. Severe back pain can be caused by this. Dr Forest Tennant has a foundation dedicated to research in adhesive arachnoiditis. He has a protocol to try to reduce pain/inflammation. He has YouTube videos and printed materials you can purchase.
well I went from being housebound / bedridden back to the standing on the casino floor 40 hours a week with no pain meds after my implant
I guess when option two is eating a bullet you'll try anything especially when you feel you have little left to lose
the best you can do is break down the numbers and take your chances
and a 13% failure rate using the numbers from the articles
of course they go on to tell you that the FDA reports aren't reliable at the end of the article how nice that they put that at the end rather than at the beginning before making all these claims
that's over a span Of 10 years according to the article as I recall
given that the article also States they were doing sixty thousand of them a year that puts 600,000 implants with 80,000 report that puts the failure rate in about 13%
even if you don't figure in the fact that some of those are infections Etc that are always risks with surgery so that's much much better than say a fusion for example
I am one of those harmed patients. Not only did I have an infection directly after it was placed I started having lots of further neurological symptoms. One of the falls I had ended up breaking the device and it did damage from the inside to my spine. I knew something was wrong and the device company and my doctor ignored me. My doctor wanted to do an injection and when he did the fluoro his jaw dropped. It took months still, after that, to finally get it removed. When they did remove it I was harassed and shamed by reps and my doctor for choosing to not have another SCS implanted in it's place. They couldn't remove it all so I still have pieces of it. I would tell anyone thinking of having it done to seriously think about it. I'm 30 years old and my mobility would be better if I had never chosen to have one. We are so afraid of painkillers that we are maiming people. Mine wasn't done for chronic back pain, but due to the injuries I now have chronic back pain. I wish I could take it back.
I love my stimulator. Matter fact I'm charging it as we speak. Prior to my implant I was near useless and was taking advil like candy to try ease the pain and advil destroyed my stomach. My stimulator implant is awesome, I dont even take advil anymore and I can do so much more. Before when the neuropathy pain came on , I had lay down and would cry , now i turn my stimulator on and within 20 minutes I feel better. Sometimes I run it as high as 7.2 volts. Mine is a Medtronic..
My stimulator saved my life I went from being on fentanyl medically required to keep me alive to being opioid free and only using Cannabis (illegally since my state still can’t figure out MM). If there is any advice I can give its to find a doctor that knows what they’re doing.
I'm a RN needing a 10-level spinal fusion. My retirement is nothing but pain on a daily basis. I have T11-L1 fused from a crushed T12 vertebra and get shocks" from that hardware placement when I turn or reach. Sometimes it spams and causes me to fall. Now, the surgeons are trying to push me into this type device. I'm doing TONS OF RESEARCH on it first. Hellova way to end up after 40 yrs giving to others as a RN/Paramedic.
I have enough trouble walking as it is already and my neurosurgeon keeps pushing this towards me. After watching this video and knowing full well my limitations already I ain't getting that device in my back. That doc can shove that device where the sun don't shine.
I am in the UK and was given this option. Here you go for a two week intensive course as such to make sure you ready mentally, physically for this. I couldn't do my gut instinct said no I don't know why something bothered me about it. Glad I never had it although I am sure it's helped many others just not for me.
I had a Medtronic placed 2 months ago. My representative from the company has been great. He’s been by my side since…just a phone call away. I have to say , although I still feel pain, it is not ANYWHERE as bad as prior to having the device placed. I was stupid one day and let battery die. ( flu..in bed). When I got out of bed, the pain hit like a Mack truck. I couldn’t believe THAT pain was what I had lived with for last 3 years. It knocked ne to my knees. I immediately charged battery, cranked this bad boy up, and within 15 minutes, the pain became tolerable and I found relief. I have established a few things….one major thing is that although my pain “waves” are scrambled so to speak, my body still knows when a crisis hits. So the pain is tolerable and I can function better, but my body becomes tired as IT knows the pain is still there. I still am glad I had it placed. Will I feel the same tomorrow? A month? I don’t know. All I know is for right now, I can still be on my feet, cooking dinner and making soaps ( business) in the afternoon. Before, I would be in bed at 3 or so because I couldn’t stand any longer without screaming, grunting in pain. Just my long explanation of my experience thus far. Made You Tube videos ( Nancy Kelley Medtronic) chronicling my journey immediately after surgery.
Big money for doctors.Free trips/Kickbacks/trials done on rats.Payoffs..What is wrong with pain medication? Big Pharma does not make money on pain medication That is why we cannot get pain medication ok?
I had a Boston Scientific SCS implanted in March 2009 and it worked great for almost 9 years, then the battery quit holding a charge (8-10 years is the norm). It helped alleviate pain in my legs, feet and back, and enabled me to stand and walk a little longer. It also reduced my need for pain medication by approximately 30%. I'm having a new SCS implanted on Sept. 11, 2019, and I'm looking forward to it.
I had a medtronic SCS implanted at the age of 21 to fix my arm neuropathic pain. I was left of with severe neuropathic back pain since then which is worse than my initial pain, had the device removed a little over a year after but the back pain is still persistence since then. This thing RUINED my life
Procedure performed 6 weeks ago. Walked into the procedure without assistance, have not walked without assistance since. Lost all feeling in both legs within 4 hours of trial implant; leads removed next day. I was never informed this was a possibility. Regulation needs to be mandated, along with transparency between doctors and manufacturers.
Yea these things are stupid imho. I've had a cervical device with a paddle lead for 6 yrs and it hasn't helped a bit. Only causes me more pain due to the epidural fibrosis it creates. DON'T DO IT!
I have a friend that had a spinal cord stimulater put in her. It didn't help till one day. 16,000 dollars later they didn't even want to remove it. She had to threaten with news coverage on this. Sad.
i am 21 and i wasn't even given the option of pain meds they told me this all i could do my trial is supposed to be next mnth and now i am very worried if this will work or not
My SCS is being removed in the fall because it keeps turning on by itself, full tilt, bringing me to my knees in pain. Haven't told anyone other than my doctor and the surgeon who implanted it.. is there someone I should tell??
You need to be very careful to avoid an infection during the 2 week trial and after the implant operation and never allow injections of any kind near the implant site. Can they give you your life back? YES! Get an infection during the trial or after implantation and you are in big trouble!!! Worth the 4% infection risK? For me YES!!! Hint- Get a good surgeon.
More emotional shock news from the networks versus facts. If it's a reputable doctor he/she will put you through the grinder so you know what to expect, not to mention the 3-4 hour psych evaluation….
Has anyone experienced their SCS turning in by itself? After about 6 months, mine stopped being helpful so I put the remote in my dresser, and haven’t used it much over the last few years… from time to time, mine will turn on by itself.. the other day I was in the city, an hours drive from my remote, I sneezed, and it turned on, and stayed on until I got home later that night and turned it off with the remote
I have a Boston Scientific and have had no issues ,it does help during the day when I can be still but I still need meds to sleep and do anything,it’s a tool in the box that should include opioids.
Sad part is the #s are completely off being doctors dont report everything they are told. I know there are many doctors telling their patients that the burning they are feeling are not from their scs & i personally am yes 1 of those patients & i have reported other probs w my scs & have been told straight out that the sever chemical burning, diarrhea, headaches to migraines, vomiting etc are NOT CUZ OF MY SCS AT ALL. Yet there is documented proof it can cause it which i just found. I am on several fb groups & several people even have bladder issue & other issues & even their doctors say its not the scs. We are blown off & told its not the scs & made to suffer in dealing w these effects & how do we cope? Its like taking snowbowl or the works putting it on the inside of ur wrist & let it sit there. How long can u deal w that burn? Yet we are told do cbt, distraction, music, word searchs, tv, rest, psychologist, physical therapy, cortisone injections, nerve blocks etc. Accept this is what ur dealing w & ur NEW NORM IN UR LIFE & MOVE FORWARD…. FUN FUN FUN FUN.
Omg I have this spinal cord stimulator implant and I have been trying to figure out why I was having excessive amounts of heat coming from my implant:-( I now have this rare disease called C.R.P.S/R.S.D because of this nightmare!! Wow I can't believe this!!
I had my spinal cord stimulator (SCS) surgery 10 month ago. My Dr who operated on me, creator of SCS and the one, who created and implanted a chip in a brain for Parkinson disease patients. He works in NYC, Columbia Presbyterian,. Excellent knowledgable Dr who performs only these 2 kind of surgeries.
Yet, I wasn't lucky one. I don't do any better then before surgery. My Dr never promised I will be his sucsess story, all depends. Worse your situation before the surgery, less chance to have great results. Before SCS I had 3 big spinal fusions, hardware, Arachnoidities as complication after first surgery, foot drop, and a lot of nerve damage. So severe pain 24/7 before SCS, same after . I don't mean to discourage anyone from going for surgery if your Dr believes you may benefit from it, I just would like to advice talking to your Dr, finding tons of info on this matter, talk to those on forums, who already went thru it. Don't go just because your Dr advised. Do your own homework! Good luck and happy 2020!
PS. I will gladly answer your questions.
I have a medtronic , the moment ivwoke out of surgery i had needes stabbing my entire stomach and chest from the nerves being messed with i assume . They had no real answers as to why that pain lasted 2 full months , and today , the wires have migrated. And are laying across my ribcage in pain . I cant move , walk or lay on my stomach or left side .
Research arachnoiditis. Severe back pain can be caused by this. Dr Forest Tennant has a foundation dedicated to research in adhesive arachnoiditis. He has a protocol to try to reduce pain/inflammation. He has YouTube videos and printed materials you can purchase.
well I went from being housebound / bedridden back to the standing on the casino floor 40 hours a week with no pain meds after my implant
I guess when option two is eating a bullet you'll try anything especially when you feel you have little left to lose
the best you can do is break down the numbers and take your chances
and a 13% failure rate using the numbers from the articles
of course they go on to tell you that the FDA reports aren't reliable at the end of the article how nice that they put that at the end rather than at the beginning before making all these claims
wow this article sure is making the rounds again
that's over a span Of 10 years according to the article as I recall
given that the article also States they were doing sixty thousand of them a year that puts 600,000 implants with 80,000 report
that puts the failure rate in about 13%
even if you don't figure in the fact that some of those are infections Etc that are always risks with surgery
so that's much much better than say a fusion for example
I am one of those harmed patients. Not only did I have an infection directly after it was placed I started having lots of further neurological symptoms. One of the falls I had ended up breaking the device and it did damage from the inside to my spine. I knew something was wrong and the device company and my doctor ignored me. My doctor wanted to do an injection and when he did the fluoro his jaw dropped. It took months still, after that, to finally get it removed. When they did remove it I was harassed and shamed by reps and my doctor for choosing to not have another SCS implanted in it's place. They couldn't remove it all so I still have pieces of it. I would tell anyone thinking of having it done to seriously think about it. I'm 30 years old and my mobility would be better if I had never chosen to have one. We are so afraid of painkillers that we are maiming people. Mine wasn't done for chronic back pain, but due to the injuries I now have chronic back pain. I wish I could take it back.
I love my stimulator. Matter fact I'm charging it as we speak. Prior to my implant I was near useless and was taking advil like candy to try ease the pain and advil destroyed my stomach. My stimulator implant is awesome, I dont even take advil anymore and I can do so much more. Before when the neuropathy pain came on , I had lay down and would cry , now i turn my stimulator on and within 20 minutes I feel better. Sometimes I run it as high as 7.2 volts. Mine is a Medtronic..
THink about that when you get an Epidural proceedure which FDA will not approve the steroids for intrathecal use….
My stimulator saved my life I went from being on fentanyl medically required to keep me alive to being opioid free and only using Cannabis (illegally since my state still can’t figure out MM). If there is any advice I can give its to find a doctor that knows what they’re doing.
I'm a RN needing a 10-level spinal fusion. My retirement is nothing but pain on a daily basis. I have T11-L1 fused from a crushed T12 vertebra and get shocks" from that hardware placement when I turn or reach. Sometimes it spams and causes me to fall. Now, the surgeons are trying to push me into this type device. I'm doing TONS OF RESEARCH on it first. Hellova way to end up after 40 yrs giving to others as a RN/Paramedic.
I have enough trouble walking as it is already and my neurosurgeon keeps pushing this towards me. After watching this video and knowing full well my limitations already I ain't getting that device in my back. That doc can shove that device where the sun don't shine.
I am in the UK and was given this option. Here you go for a two week intensive course as such to make sure you ready mentally, physically for this. I couldn't do my gut instinct said no I don't know why something bothered me about it. Glad I never had it although I am sure it's helped many others just not for me.
I had a Medtronic placed 2 months ago. My representative from the company has been great. He’s been by my side since…just a phone call away.
I have to say , although I still feel pain, it is not ANYWHERE as bad as prior to having the device placed. I was stupid one day and let battery die. ( flu..in bed).
When I got out of bed, the pain hit like a Mack truck. I couldn’t believe THAT pain was what I had lived with for last 3 years. It knocked ne to my knees. I immediately charged battery, cranked this bad boy up, and within 15 minutes, the pain became tolerable and I found relief. I have established a few things….one major thing is that although my pain “waves” are scrambled so to speak, my body still knows when a crisis hits. So the pain is tolerable and I can function better, but my body becomes tired as IT knows the pain is still there. I still am glad I had it placed. Will I feel the same tomorrow? A month? I don’t know. All I know is for right now, I can still be on my feet, cooking dinner and making soaps ( business) in the afternoon. Before, I would be in bed at 3 or so because I couldn’t stand any longer without screaming, grunting in pain.
Just my long explanation of my experience thus far. Made You Tube videos ( Nancy Kelley Medtronic) chronicling my journey immediately after surgery.
I have one & it worked maybe 6-12 months. I'm having surgery to get mine out. It also was like shocking right before it quit working.
Big money for doctors.Free trips/Kickbacks/trials done on rats.Payoffs..What is wrong with pain medication? Big Pharma does not make money on pain medication That is why we cannot get pain medication ok?
I had a Boston Scientific SCS implanted in March 2009 and it worked great for almost 9 years, then the battery quit holding a charge (8-10 years is the norm). It helped alleviate pain in my legs, feet and back, and enabled me to stand and walk a little longer. It also reduced my need for pain medication by approximately 30%. I'm having a new SCS implanted on Sept. 11, 2019, and I'm looking forward to it.
Some People will use this for a big Lawsuits!!!!
I had a medtronic SCS implanted at the age of 21 to fix my arm neuropathic pain. I was left of with severe neuropathic back pain since then which is worse than my initial pain, had the device removed a little over a year after but the back pain is still persistence since then. This thing RUINED my life
In spite of the possible problems it is still better than being hooked on drugs for sure.
FDA is a joke
Procedure performed 6 weeks ago. Walked into the procedure without assistance, have not walked without assistance since. Lost all feeling in both legs within 4 hours of trial implant; leads removed next day.
I was never informed this was a possibility. Regulation needs to be mandated, along with transparency between doctors and manufacturers.
a lot of people who have had it for under a year say it works somewhat for them but im not hearing anything from people who've had it for years.
Yea these things are stupid imho. I've had a cervical device with a paddle lead for 6 yrs and it hasn't helped a bit. Only causes me more pain due to the epidural fibrosis it creates. DON'T DO IT!
I have a friend that had a spinal cord stimulater put in her. It didn't help till one day. 16,000 dollars later they didn't even want to remove it. She had to threaten with news coverage on this. Sad.
i am 21 and i wasn't even given the option of pain meds they told me this all i could do my trial is supposed to be next mnth and now i am very worried if this will work or not
My SCS is being removed in the fall because it keeps turning on by itself, full tilt, bringing me to my knees in pain. Haven't told anyone other than my doctor and the surgeon who implanted it.. is there someone I should tell??
Saw the pain specialist today, and now it seems this is my only option.🙄
Doctors who push these are money hungry young kids with no souls.Stay away. FDA lobby/CDC/Big Pharma all bs.
I have one and have much more pain and leg problems. I thought I was in pain then, please give me my old pain back!
You need to be very careful to avoid an infection during the 2 week trial and after the implant operation and never allow injections of any kind near the implant site. Can they give you your life back? YES! Get an infection during the trial or after implantation and you are in big trouble!!! Worth the 4% infection risK? For me YES!!! Hint- Get a good surgeon.
More emotional shock news from the networks versus facts. If it's a reputable doctor he/she will put you through the grinder so you know what to expect, not to mention the 3-4 hour psych evaluation….
Has anyone experienced their SCS turning in by itself? After about 6 months, mine stopped being helpful so I put the remote in my dresser, and haven’t used it much over the last few years… from time to time, mine will turn on by itself.. the other day I was in the city, an hours drive from my remote, I sneezed, and it turned on, and stayed on until I got home later that night and turned it off with the remote
Just Amazon muscle stimulators for pain
I have a Boston Scientific and have had no issues ,it does help during the day when I can be still but I still need meds to sleep and do anything,it’s a tool in the box that should include opioids.
I don't care if it works or not! If you don't want it, you should be able to get pills to relieve pain!
Sad part is the #s are completely off being doctors dont report everything they are told. I know there are many doctors telling their patients that the burning they are feeling are not from their scs & i personally am yes 1 of those patients & i have reported other probs w my scs & have been told straight out that the sever chemical burning, diarrhea, headaches to migraines, vomiting etc are NOT CUZ OF MY SCS AT ALL. Yet there is documented proof it can cause it which i just found. I am on several fb groups & several people even have bladder issue & other issues & even their doctors say its not the scs. We are blown off & told its not the scs & made to suffer in dealing w these effects & how do we cope? Its like taking snowbowl or the works putting it on the inside of ur wrist & let it sit there. How long can u deal w that burn? Yet we are told do cbt, distraction, music, word searchs, tv, rest, psychologist, physical therapy, cortisone injections, nerve blocks etc. Accept this is what ur dealing w & ur NEW NORM IN UR LIFE & MOVE FORWARD…. FUN FUN FUN FUN.
Omg I have this spinal cord stimulator implant and I have been trying to figure out why I was having excessive amounts of heat coming from my implant:-( I now have this rare disease called C.R.P.S/R.S.D because of this nightmare!! Wow I can't believe this!!