Re: Spinal Cord Stimulator

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On 1/29/08, Jackie wrote:
> Hi,
> I am another failed recipient of a spinal cord stimulator.
> My failed 5 months after it was implanted. It never worked
> right alway's reseting it self. The rep could get it to
> work but with in a few weeks it would quit again. Then it
> quit completely. Not even the rep could get it to start
> up. So they told me it was most likely the battery or
> unit. They went in to check to see why it wasn't working.
> Of course it wasn't the battery or they say? They said
> after stopping the operation that the leads are broken. I
> have been referred to another neuro-surgeon for another
> surgery to remove the leads. I sit hear now with broken
> leads in my neck. It is alarming that this has happened.
> When the unit was working it was the best thing that ever
> happened since my injury and pain began. They hope to
> implant a different type that is more secure and will not
> move. They believe that the leads broke because of all the
> hardware (screws, rods and plates) I have. I am willing to
> do anything and everything to get back to a normal life.
> This is the only thing that has made my life worth living
> so I am will to give it another try.

I'm the person that posted about the neurostimulator that
worked on bladder dysfunction. Its called a sacral nerve
stimulator or interstim unit.Whatever you do, do not turn
that unit back on! Both the doctor and the Medtronic rep
told me to turn it back on and see if I was still having
pain and that may've been when the nerve damage took place!
Of course, all they cared about was covering their own buns,
if you know what I mean. Nevermind that it caused permanent
damage that I will have to live with for the rest of my life!
You may want to think very carefully about giving it another
try,especially if the pain was worse once the wires
broke.The broken wires are called lead fractures. I'm not
sure if you've seen the articles about the Medtronic
defibrilltors that had the lead fractures but 5 people died
due to lead fractures on those! All you have to do is google
Medtronics defibrillator lead fracture and I'm sure there
art plenty of law firms that will pop up and you can take a
look at what happened to those poor folks. Hang in there!