My new journey into the world of spinal stimulators

I have spinal stenosis which had caused me much chronic pain for many years and has limited my mobility. So after many times try to find a solution which includes – acupuncture, massage, pain shots, physical therapy just to name a few I spoke to my Pain doctor about the next steps that I could take to help me. He told me about HFX Nevro spinal stimulator and I decided to try it. Now when I say try it that is what I did, also the way they do it. They have a seven day trial in which the device is temporary placed in the body and the battery and wires are taped to the out side of your body. So in May of this year 2023 I had the trial done. I was amazed at the results 75 to 80 percent of the pain was GONE, I was able to stand more than 5 min at a time and walk without my cane or walker. So hands down I was ready to go the next step.

Now before I go to the next step I want to warn you that getting the trial was not without issues. It was boarder line painful they need to track the insert to make sure they were effecting each spot on the spine as they put the wires through. Also I am a big person with big breast and belly and laying on the belly is very uncomfortable at the best of times for me. But I do not regret doing it.

So on the 6th of September I was schedule to get my spinal stimulator done. I arrived at a hospital I never have been in only to find there was no one to escort me to the operating room and had to wait 45 min for some one to show up. I was concerned this would cause a big delay in me getting my surgery. But it didn’t when we got to day surgery the took me right back and started and IV took blood and so many different people came to meet me and talk. Nice thing about the surgery is you are asleep so you don’t know if it’s painful..

I would like to play a side note here. I have alpha-gal which means I have been bitten by a lone star tick and now can no longer have mammal products. You would be so surprised where mammal products are they are in medicine, food and so much more. This hospital was aware of this issue and Pharmacists had already reseached and had a list of yes or no items that could be used. I was impressed because so many people are unaware especially in the medical community.

When I woke up from surgery I was then released to go home. I have a sore throat from the breathing tube this is normal for me, a few years ago during oral surgery I loss my voice for 6 months because of it. They might have angered a nerve when they were inserting the lines and I ended up with AWFUL pain down my right side. Yesterday I contacted the HFX Nevro rep and we turned down the devices which has helped and now we are waiting for the nerve to become less angry (my word for it). So now it is a week plus one day from surgery I actually drove myself somewhere yesterday and I am feeling better however there is this thing called pocket pain, which is the area around the battery that they insert under the skin. I am very tender there it will take a little time but as I was told and believe ICE is your friend.