Shoreline Or Anyone? - Pain Management Message Board

beckyf · 01-24-2005, 07:18 AM

I am new to the board and posted yesterday but didn't get any responses. I hope I didn't come of as pitying myself because that wasn't my intent. I already had my own pity party and a few people came.

I really wanted to know if anyone had any experience with the spinal nerve stimulator. I am a nurse so I had access to medical books that talk about it but I am scared to death to have it done. I had one mistake that was suppose to be a simple surgery and don't want to have another.

My husband is totally against me having anymore surgery at all and I thought if someone on this board had an experience with it I could show him. He feels real guilty because during my first surgery I would only sign the permit for a arthroscopy and during the surgery the doctor came out to him and said since I am in there I might as well fix the RTC tear. My husband knew I told the doctor I wasn't to be cut open but he said he was already in there and my husband thought with the scope so he signed the permit.

I have tried accupuncture, physical therapy, neurotin, Bextra, Relafen, Vioox,Lortabs, Ibuprofen, flexeril, valuim, nerve blocks, cortizone injections, etc without much relief. I have been to many doctors and everyone of them tell me my shoulder is destroyed, my deltoid wasn't reattached so it is dead, and that the only thing I can do is find pain relief by any means available.

The spinal stimulator scares me because when we've tried the tens unit or PT did electric stimulation it caused me to have spasms so bad it dislocated the shoulder joint.

Please anyone with any experience please reply!!

feelbad · 01-24-2005, 07:36 AM

Sorry you did not get the responses you were looking for.Sometimes it can take a while befoer that right person comes along to properly adress your particular question.I know my NS recomended the stimulator to me right after my surgery befoer i had had a chance to really try anything else first so I declined.but maybe someday that will be an option for me.I was just wondering about the reaction that you had to the tens.i would think that if you had THAT kind of reaction to outside stimulation of the nerves there that the thought of placing a stimulator in there would really worry me alot with regard to the same thing occuring but on an even larger scale.I think that would be my biggest concern at this point.what did your doc say regarding that reaction being a possibility with the neuro stim?i am sure someone will come along here with much more info for you than I was able to provide.Good luck in whatever you decide.Sorry I wasn't of more help to you.Marcia

beckyf · 01-24-2005, 08:04 AM

Feelbad-Thanks for your reply. I too am worried because of my reactions to the Tens unit and Electric Stimulation. My PM doctor who wants to do the spinal nerve stimulator doesn't think that will be a problem because it won't be placed directly over the muscles that were damaged. He said we will try a trial first and if it happens we will take it out. I really am willing to give anything a try but just extremely nervous. When my shoulder dislocates it hurts so bad I can't breath and scare everyone. It hasn't happened for 3 weeks now so I am just dealing with the chronic pain now. Anyway, thanks for your reply.

twisten · 01-24-2005, 10:19 AM

I read your first post Becky but I didn't respond because your problem isn't one I'm dealing with. I find those posts are better left to someone who is or has experienced what you are going through. Also, I've been on here for over 2 years and I find the boards are generally quieter on the weekends. Not as many people around I guess. I would like to welcome you to the boards though. This is a great site, and there are lots of peeps in here who are friendly and like to help others. I hope you stick around and post more.

twisten · 01-24-2005, 10:26 AM

I read your first post Becky but I didn't respond because your problem isn't one I'm dealing with. I find those posts are better left to someone who is or has experienced what you are going through. Also, I've been on here for over 2 years and I find the boards are generally quieter on the weekends. Not as many people around I guess. I would like to welcome you to the boards though. This is a great site, and there are lots of peeps in here who are friendly and like to help others. I hope you stick around and post more.