Tame The Pain

[hooknlad]

Has anyone ever heard of the "Tame the Pain" program advertised by Jerry Lewis? If not, it's a gizmo that gets implanted into your spinal column and it sends out an electrical impulse to "fake" out the nerves that are giving you trouble. I have had surgery 3 years ago on my lower back and i have had 3 discs removed. Now I live on heavy duty narcotics and it make my life a living hell with no ambition to work on my railroad empire.
I was just wondering if any fellow model railroaders have had this implant or know of this procedure. I know that once installed, it will set off all types of security systems - lol . I work as an electrician and im afraid of any errant signal making the implanted system go haywire. The system implanted on a trial basis for 1 week is alledgedly 30% effective. However, there is a 30% chance of paralysis.

I want to be able to go into this thing with a clear head and im about 80% certain that i want to go through with this procedure.

Thanx for any input.

 

[Clerk]

Hi Michael. ...I have tried a gizmo that has leads connected to my back and the wires going to the main thingy connected to my belt. It sends small electrical pulses to the pain area and let me tell you, IT WORKED WONDERFUL. My physical therapist tried to order one for me but just like some of the railroad internet stores, it never came and follow throughs went into space. So I continue taking pain pills which reduce the pain a little.
This is my experience, It was a demo they loaned me.

 

[Ray Marinaccio]

I had tried the TENS device like Clerk mentioned for my hand and arm pain. It actually made things worse and it was decided that it wasn't the proper treatment for Reflex sympathetic dystrophy and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.
The doctors suggested the spinal cord stimulator but found that the degenerative disk disorder and cervical stinosis in my neck would make the operation to risky.
It's your call but I personally wouldn't take the risk of the operation making things worse. Being paralyzed doesn't sound like a very good option.
I've backed off on the meds to the point that it just takes the edge off so I can live a half normal life, learned to deal with the pain and excepted the fact that I can't do some of the things I used to.
Whatever your desision, I wish you luck.

 

[hooknlad]

Thanks for the advice guys. I have the TENS unit and it works great. I just wanted to query the members of THE GAUGE to weigh the pros and cons of the installation. I have researched the surgeon and he is one of the leading neurosurgeons in the country. Another dilema is, before i had my 3 discs removed, i consulted 8 seperate orthopedic surgeons and they all had agreed the disc removal was necessary. When I consulted a neurosurgeon, he said that the area of my pain was eminating from an area of my back that isn't even close to the point of surgery, and that he would have never operated. So now im even more gun shy. :cry:
Again thanx for the suggestions, I still would like to hear more from the Gauge community before i make any decisions.

 

[yellowlynn]

pain

I don't know if I can help or not, but like they said, the ultimate decision is up to you. Also, age may make a difference. I had spinal stenosis in '98, and 7 doctors agreed, surgery or total paralysis from the waist down within 2 months. That of course was a no brainer. I was 68 at the time. I was told I would live in pain for the rest of my life. Medication helps, but I thank God daily that I am still walking. So, my advice is, from your age, balance the pros against the cons, and pick the one you KNOW you can live with for the rest of your life.

Good luck

Lynn

 

[Sir_Prize]

Back in 2000 it was found I had spindytholis (SP?...even my doc had to check the spelling, but knows the problem). Basically, I had a vertabrate sliding forward. It had come forward to a level 4.9 (they didn't have a 5); paralysis would start at 2.5, so this was a birth defect.
On top of the that the same vertabrate (the lower L4, figure you folks know it with your spine probs.) was disentagrating, and the rear portion was sliding down into the spinal cord (that's making a natural guillotine... Nice! eh?).
So, this is in March. I was at the point that I couldn't stand straight for more than 3 min. Also, at time I would get a lightning strike down my back at anytime. Basically, it was like someone took a High power pole and stuffed it up my back and left the power on. It would hurt such that sometimes involuntary things would become voluntary. Anyways...
Went to Cleveland Clinic Foundation location in Naples, FL. My doc looked at the
x-rays and said "go North... prepare for surgery or paralysis." SO... In November
I was in surgery for the Gaines Procedure. They go in the front, yank out the
vertabrate, seal ya up. Next day go in the back, clean up, and put in metal parts.
One day I stood up for 8 hrs. straight, NO PAIN! The surgery sucked and the rehab
was a bit blah, BUT I'm moving!!! :thumb: :thumb:
Been sending people there since. My doc and his assistant have called me at times
since to see if I'm ok. That is cool! Plus, the CCF works with your $$$ situation. My
bill wasn't the same as someone elses... Shhhh! I wasn't supposed to know that.

 

[hooknlad]

Accupunture - fact or fiction

Hello all, Its been awhile since I have posted anything regarding my chronic back pain. After seeing 3 "pain management centers", i was turned away again and again. Go figger. Their response is that it is pain due to a botched back surgery, go back to your original surgeon. Anyones natural response to this situation would be, " Why the :curse: :curse: :curse: :curse: would i wanna go back to a dr. whom you claim botched my surgery. Oh well , I went back to the original surgeon, he says the pain is due to my body rejecting the medical hardware needed to keep my back solid. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO way is any of this hardware coming out of me. It took 9 months to have my back fuse enough to go back to work. If I had the Hardware removed 12 months minimum with no guarantees of when recovery will be. I have seen several chiropractors and they have been wonderful, however, I have yet to be able to find one to mimic my life and be with me 24/7 when i'd need him the most.
While going to the spa that my wife goes, she surprised me with a 60 minute swedish massage. The most comfortable thing you would want, until it was over. Having a gorgeous swedish ( imported right from switzerland) (inga), wrapping her hands all over, rubbing and caressing. You would think that would help - NOOOOOOOOOOO. I was in worse pain. On the way out the door, i noticed that the spa does Accupuncture. For laffs and giggle i made an appointment.
I went into the accupuncture session as a true non believer, all hokus pokus, mumbo jumbo, smoke and mirrors. The Woman had me lay on my belly insert her fingers into my back where the pain was severe, masked taped it off. Grabbed my earlobe while fingers pressing deep into my back, magic pain subsided a lil. She stuck a pin in my inner ear. She then grabbed my lil toe, squeezed, and the pain went lower. Another pin inserted. To make a long story shorter, I looked like pinhead from the movie Wishmaster. Then she takes ( what appears to be a cigarette) stick it on a pin, jabbs it into my chest - I dont know what in gods creation that stuff was, but it heated the needle and i felt my entire chest loosen up with a new life.
She flipped me over and jabbed some smoking needles into my serious pain spots. The irradiated heat was amazing. The therapy was a week ago, id say that my pain level from a 8-9 is now a 3-4. Zero drugs, no more depression. go figger. Today I am seeing her again. I can't wait. I have started working on the " basement Empire" again with newer bigger ideas.
Anyone with back pain - try Accupuncture - i cannot guarantee its resluts, but at least for me , ( knocking on wood ) one solid week of being drug free is a deeply religious experience.
God bless Buddha and those ancient doctors thousands of years ago...:thumb: Id set up a poll, but dont know how ops: to see if accupuncture has helped others.