SPS anyone have advice?

[admin]

Hey, this is actually my first time posting on this sire. Until now my wife Samantha has handled all the coaspondence. Any way I have a Complete left arm BPI with root avulson on ... i think just one nerve root. The others are servered distall to the CNS. Any way im about 20 months post injury, and still have alot of pain, thank fully it seems to have stabilized some. Anyway my doctor wants to get me off tylox (which at this point im sure im addicted to). He referred me to a pain management doctor. I went to the appointment with very high hopes that there might be a better solution for the management of my pain. Now im very uncertain as to what i should do.
On meeting the doctor he said that there were serveral options for pain management and then there was the "Home Run" (i quote him). Well I would like as little pain as possible so I asked about the "home run" and he tells me about SCS, Spinal cord stimulation. For those of you unfamiliar with this treatment it is a surgical proceedure where a electronic device and probe are implanted in under my skin. The probe enters my spinal column and rests underniethe the subdural membrain on my spinal cord. It then imedits pulses of electricity of varying str to confuse the pain signals on there way to my brain. This should result in a 50% pain reduction that is replaced by a tingling sensation. Now this all sounds good, and im interested but alil scared, (I learned all this by watching a drug rep. video).
So when i go back to talk to the doctor (who is a complete A*$hole BTW) I wanted to ask him if this could in anyway impede the nerve regrowth that I am praying for since my nerve graft surgery.
He tells "no of course not. why would it do that", like im suppose to know... Im askin you. Anyway I told him that I was a bit scared and that i thought i should consult my neuro surgeon before i did anything that might have a negative impact on my nerve surgery. He say, "why would you do that? You dont need to do that". At this point I'm starting to get concerned.
After the appointment I felt like he was tryin to sell me a used car. I couldnt help but wonder if this expensive proceedure might not be more of a "home run" for him then me.
Well thanks for reading this whole long spill, What i would like to know is if any of you have had any experience with this proceedure. I relize that this doctor might just have poor people skills, lots of good doctors do. It just seems to me that its to large a decision to make without a second opinion.

[cbe411]

Hey Adam! I can uinderstnad your pain issues, mine has gotten REALLY lately!!! I am not sure how successful those stimulators are though! The thought of them kinda scares me persoanlly! I would DEFFO get a second opinion and talk to your neuro surgeon ASAP! This is something that you dont want to just jump into with out any previous knowledge.

Anyone else here.... anyone have success with this that can help Adam!? Good luck!

COurt xx

PS> Maybe one day there will be no more a$shole doctors for us to ever have to deal with ever again!!

[stx431]

Hey Adam, I'm sure you looked at the pevious thread called "Spinal cord stimulation device" just a few lines down (last post 7 April 1009 PM). My wife Carrie is thinking about getting her stimulator removed since it isn't effective. Jen has some good thoughts also. Get another opinion.
C-ya, Dick

[lizzyb]

From my years of research, these things appear to be not very effective on avulsed nerves if you have any. Avulsed nerves are considered by all the medical professions to be the type of injury that causes the most severe pain.

Everyone who I have ever been in contact with who has tried this, have reported that they felt it wasn't anywhere near the 'cure' for their type of neuro pain. Admittedly, I personally haven't been in touch with, or read about that many people, but it is worrying when not one of them can give it a positive.

I agree with another poster on here, if I were you, I'd definitely get a second opinion but from a neurosurgeon or a surgeon who is expert in treating adults with a TBPI.

Sorry too to hear you are in pain. Hope you start to feel a bit better soon.

All the best

Lizzy B :0)