Posted by Shawna McGuire on 10/22/11

More | Report Post

I had a spinal cord stimulator placed in 2008 for severe
nerve damage and pain in the right side of my back. I had
it placed at Cleveland Pain Clinic. During the surg. when
they were placing the stimulator my legs starting moving
uncontrollably, and I was screaming with severe pain in my
left shin. After in recovery I couldn't even think about
my back pain from surgery b/c the pain was so severe in my
leg. In short the Dr. did nothing and released me even
though I was in sever pain in a place I didn't have pain
before sx. My husband took me to hotel and the pain could
not be controlled. I take Fentanyl Losengers 400 mcg and
that didn't touch it. Called dr on call and said to take
another Vicodin(prescribed for pain after surgery). Next
morning begged Dr to see me since we live near Rochester
NY. Saw me with NP and my husband kept asking if a nerve
could have been pinched, Dr over and over said "surgery
went perfect!!!". I said hysterically crying "surgery did
NOT go perfect" I came out of surgery worse then when I
went in. Dr was saying unbelievable things like maybe it
was from my pain med that I have been taking for 4 yrs.
Finally he said what medications do u take. I said you
just did surgery yest and don't know what I take. Anyways
I told him and one of them was an antidepressant I have
taken since I was 15yrs old. As soon as I said that he
said "where you approved for this surgery?" since you have
to have a pyscological evaluation and be approved. I
almost fell off the table. He was implying I was crazy bc
of my antidepressant. It was so obvious his NP said "he
doesn't think you are crazy". It was so horrible. So
anyways he sent me for an XRAY to see if I BROKE MY LEG!!
We went home and I sufford for wks. The pain died down
though I still have nerve pain in my shin, but I was able
to use the stim for about 2 months. One day I noticed
something didn't feel right. Dr from Cleveland would not
send me xrays so my dr in Rochester could exam to see if
wires had moved so we didn't have to go back to Cleveland.
I did have an xray from a wk after surg however so my Dr in
Rochester took another xray and saw the wires had moved. I
did not want to go back to Dr in Cleveland but no one else
would touch me bc Dr in Cleveland placed it. After wires
moved I also realized the battery wasn't the same. I was
charging it alot more. Went back to Cleveland, told Boston
Scientific Rep and Dr before surg that the battery was not
right and asked if they could check or replace. No one
checked or replaced. After 2nd surg had big bulge in my
back which was not there after 1st surg. Went home and
tried to use stim but it was not the same. The stimulation
was not in the right place and was charging stim way too
much. Again Dr would not send xrays to Rochester DR but my
Dr in Rochester compared xrays from 1st sx and took new
ones and saw that wires were not even in the right place.
Did not want to go back to Dr in Cleveland. Boston
Scientific rep found me Dr in Rochester who could see me.
Went to him and he said that wires were not placed right
and would re do sx again for the 3rd time. Oh ya, when
they do the sx they do the whole sx and so i was opened in
same 2 incisions everytime. Again I told Boston Scientific
rep that battery was not right, pls check battery and if
need be replace it, I new it was not charging right. Dr
did 3rd sx, that went ok but after 3rd sx I was charging
battery way to much. Reps were seeing me and just were
saying it is bc you have 2 wires which I had had since 1st
sx, but they never checked the battery. Finally after 3rd
post op visit, the reps decided to check battery which was
just having to hook my remote up to their computer. At
this pt I was charging battery every 6 hrs, it would stay
charged for maybe 4 hrs and then I would have to charge
again which takes 4 hrs and sometimes the charger would die
so I would have to charge that b4 my stim would get any
charge. A wk later Boston Scientific rep called me and
said the battery was dying and almost dead. I was so
pissed. I told them b4 every sx that it was not right. I
asked why they didn't check or replace b4 the other sx's
and she said"cost" the battery is $25,000.00 I couldn't
believe it. Money is more important then me. This meant a
4th sx!!!! to replace battery. I did not want it but had
no choice. This sx was supposed to only have to change
battery and not touch other incision and wires. Finally
had 4th sx. came out of sx. and rep worked on me for 1 hr
trying to get stimulation in right spot. I all of a sudden
had NO stimulation in the right spot, it wasn't even in the
right side of my back. What the hell! My dr came in and I
said, she has been trying for an hr to get stimulation in
the right spot which that was ok b4 sx, and the dr
said "THE WIRES MOVED". This is where I am at now. I
can't use the stimulator bc the wires moved....

Boston Scientific spinal cord stimulator, 10/22/11, by Shawna McGuire.

Products Liability Chatboard

LATEST POSTS | BY TOPICS | SUBMIT A POST