TERAPEUTIC ELECTRICAL STIMULATION (TES, NMES AND BIOFEED BACK)

[Jocelisse's Parents]

I need some advice about the TES unit and I want to share with you about all the devices Jocey is using now.

First:
We receive yesterday the TES unit after has been trying to get it from the insurance (SSI) we didn't have the approval.

We paid for it $953.00 because Mayatek make us "price" for be waiting since the Gracilis Transfer.

Jocey will use it over the muscle transferred and over the triceps. Those are the muscle we are working on her now. We have a 15 years commitment with Jocey. She will use it until she turn 20 years old. I told her this will be her night time partner until she go to the university. She said WHAT? My mom is getting crazy? But we explained her how the unit work and what will do on her arm also we tested it over her skin and she said YES I will do the commitment too.

I read all the information Francine have on her website about TES. Thanks, Francine

We receive two sets of foam electrodes with the unit and they are old or bad quality. I can't stick it to Jocey skin. I wet them and it didn't work. I will call Mayatek Monday.

Here are some of my questions to all the parents who had experience with TES:

1. Which electrodes are better foam or carbon?
2. Could I use other brand than the ones sold by Mayatek?
3. The electrodes are compatible with the ones used for the nmes unit?
4. Do your unit came with a clip on the back to hold it to the pajama?
5. How I will do because Jocey wake up by her self to go to the restroom?
6. Could parents with kids using TES take the tascnetwork workshop?

Second:
Since Jocey was 6 months has been using the NMES-Focus from Empi. This is the strongest one. She use it for 30 minutes twice a day. This is the only unit make some contractions on her triceps.

Third:
She also use NT-2000 NMES from BMR-Neurotech. This another NMES but this one work with a micro chip. This micro chip make the tickle more soft and comfortable than the Focus. It is like the TES it shut down if the kid is in contact with water. That is a good safety feature. It have a programmer separate from the unit the kid can't change the settings and the intensity.

As happen with the Focus or the TES who have a non child proof lock. The programmer is a separate device and have to be kept by the therapist. In my case I keep it because we bought it and if we move from the state I do not know if the new therapist have a programmer but if one of the Brachial Plexus Drs. give the approval the BMR give it to you for free (the programmer only) Because also the insurance do not want to pay for it. BMR said I have to return the rented unit and BMR sold us another unit for $900.00. The case and the device is the same like the TES unit from Mayatek. BMR-Neurotech is the manufacturer of both devices.

I have a complaint about the BMR-Neurotech. I receive the NT-2000 yesterday and I sent it back yesterday too because I receive a dirty and long used unit. I sent a letter to the BMR company because we are paying for this $900.00 and we want a brand new device as the representative told us. They said all the units you buy from any brand of electrical stimulators are refreshed units not brand new. This is the fourth electrical device we bough for our daughter and is the first time we receive a used unit for an expensive amount.

Fourth:

She need a biofeed back unit Thanks to the manufacturer this one is less than the others is $500 and is made by a Canadian Company. We will buy it soon for her. As soon as we will be recovered for the previous investment.


Conclusion this week we expend $1,900.00 on Jocey's new electrical units. If you do not have the whole amount those companies make payment arrangement to who need them.

Thanks for read and I will aprecciate all the feedbacks provided by you. Ivelisse

[francine]

hi Ivelisse!

I'm going to try and help with your questions...


1. Which electrodes are better foam or carbon?
Carbon has a small amount of latex in it so if Jocey is allergic to latex, she could not use them. Foam are completely hypoallergenic. I think that the carbon electrodes last longer because they seem more sturdy. When the gel gets too ratty or comes off, I peel it off completely and use TAC GEL on it - this is elecltrode glue. And with TAC GEL you can get a carbon electrode to last a very long time (six months or even more). We had bad luck with foam electrodes because the wires kept on coming undone - the carbon connector seems to be much tighter - but I learned from Leslie Mckibben that you can just use a pliers to tighten that end and it will work better. You cannot tape a foam electrode but you can tape a carbon electrode (if you have to tape).

2. Could I use other brand than the ones sold by Mayatek? I don't see why not but I don't know much about this either. Maybe a company will give you a sample of a few electrodes and you can try them out on your skin yourself? Maybe you should ask an electrode company if there are any specific 'electrical' differences.

3. The electrodes are compatible with the ones used for the nmes unit? At the TES class I saw that they were using the same electrodes for both units - they had an NMES unit there.

4. Do your unit came with a clip on the back to hold it to the pajama? No. The TES machines don't (I saw 40 of them at the class) But I keep ours in a fanny pack - very much like what Jocey bought Maia. Do you have one of those for Jocey? or I can make you one?

5. How I will do because Jocey wake up by her self to go to the restroom? If the fanny pack is around her waist - this will have no bearing on toileting. If she has electrodes on her hands she will just have to be careful when she washes/wipes up.

6. Could parents with kids using TES take the tascnetwork workshop? There are 3 different kinds of workshops that TES has. There is the TES course and you have to be a PT or OT to take the course. This course delves into the placements and why and unless you are a therapist and understand all the ins and outs of the muscles, then it just won't make any sense. I sat in on the TES class that I coordinated just because I had to be there for the two days - so even though I got to see all the different placements that doesn't mean that I could assess what the right placement would be. It's best to have a therapist make those kinds of assessments because you don't want to be activating the wrong muscles. The other two course are for parents (everything else is included in the course except for placements). The 20-4-80 is supposed to be a really good class I hear.

About getting a used machine - this is just unacceptable! For that price you better be getting a brand new machine and if they give you a hard time - call Tascnetwork and talk to Wing or directly to Dr. Pape.

Say hit to Jocey from me and Maia!
-francine

[francine]

typo..

say hit to jocey should be say HI to jocey!! lol