Weight Gain/ Pain meds, SCS

[TaraD]

Hello: new to these boards here although I've been reading for the past month. On March 5th I had the SCS trial implanted and on March 21st I had the permanent surgery. The recovery is tougher than I anticipated but I am excited to be a normal human again someday.

I am a 35 year old female with degenerative disk disease that has affected S1, L3,L4,L5. 5 years ago I had a laminectomy and that helped for about 6 months.

For nearly 6 years, I've lived on pain meds and eventually depression medication. I now know they go hand in hand. I have gained 35 pounds in the past 3 years and my eating habits haven't changed. And, I've never been an avid exerciser. ;(

Here are the meds I take daily:
10 mg Percocet (I have taken all kinds of opiates over the years but primarily percocet)
Fiorinal
Gabapentin (been taking 4 months)
Valium
Celexa
Seroquel (only been taken 1 month)

My question is have others experienced weight gain from these types of medications? I am hoping that once my chronic pain calms down I can finally lay off all this crap! Until then, am I destined to be overweight and in pain?
I appreciate the wealth of knowledge and insight you all provide!

[Rrae]

Welcome to the Forum!

Yes the recovery is a bit involved, but the restrictions are very similar to the laminectomy you had years back. We have to be extra careful with the no bending, lifting etc. until the leads scar in. I had one migrate because I tried to do too much too soon Once the surgical pain wears down, you'll be able to concentrate better on the stimulation you are receiving. Are you happy with the results so far, or is it still too soon to tell?
Hopefully your quality of life will improve tremendously! And perhaps you can lower the doses of your meds, or even better, not need them. It's rare to get 100% pain relief with the unit and most people still need breakthru meds.
How right you are - depression sets up camp when we are down with chronic pain. Alot of anti-depressants can cause weight gain, and Gabapentin is known for that so yes, meds are a culprit. Plus, being in pain - who the heck can have the motivation to exercise when we hurt There is hope tho! If you get decent pain relief from the SCS, you'll be able to get out and do more, which will make you feel better about yourself, which could give you the upper hand of your depression.
There certainly IS hope for your future

It's great to have you here! Please stick around and let us know how you get along with your unit. Alot of times several 'tweak' sessions are necessary to get the stimulation where you want it, but don't let this frustrate you......it's just part of the process!

Talk soon!
Rae

[Mark56]

I am a gainer, not a complainer, and I have hope with the new closeness to my work, at three miles rather than 22, I might take up riding my mountain bike to work and home. Could be fun trying to host someone for a lunch given the single seat bike....... maybe they could balance on the handle bars.

Used to be very athletic and trim at 225 and 6'2" and a good seven years into this am still very 6'2" while the weight, oh.......... dare I disclose? The pain, the Pain [oh bother, where is Zachary Smith when one needs him?], well to be blunt, I have gained over 65 lbs. on the American scale. No longer a 34 or4 32 waist, I have to hunt in the chubbly spaces..... yup 43, a linear opposite of the weight I knew. Ha!

Not being one to admit defeat, I am moderating more my diet, less of the bad things such as the Marco Polo [half lemonade half Pepsi], less pasts, no sweets, and I am the worst chocoholic on the planet I am certain. Walking is pretty impossible for me due to the condition we are trying to diagnose, maybe CRPS of the legs below knees, or PN, or diabetes....... bone scan on Tuesday for the CRPS word. Looking out to find answers. Maybe an arm wrestle with my Boston Sci rep to see whether I still win rights to re-program myself in an effort to shut off the boiling oil sensation of the lower legs down through the feet- I cannot wear socks or shoes, so have switched to crocs [now that had to be a fun product to name on a lark...... CROCS, knowing American slang, I can see the inventors swilling beer and knocking back a few boiler makers thinking aloud, "they will this we have created a croc of %%%%." They are aptly named for a product which sprang from the People's Republic of Boulder.

Weight gain, oh how I know it with the inactivity of pain for years, and melting it away, well that takes hard work and determination. I am no stranger to either as I move mountain ranges. I cam probably do it better than an albatross long extince of a Colorado political lame duck who thought he could flatten the Rocky Mountains in the quest for mineral wealth....... they even styled a license plate after him, the Rockies turned to a flat line behind a mini earth mover...... yup.

I guess I could always rename my mountain bike a plains bike. Oh, by the way for your sake, should you follow my path- remove the toe clips as if you have peripheral neuropathy and lessened proprioception as I do, those feet will be slow emerging from clips at a stop and a fall, well, let's just call a fall on a mountain bike at a traffic light rather undignified for a cripple like me.

Smile big, count your blessings, the fun is only just begun [Karen Carpenter],
Mark56

[TaraD]

Thank you for the warm welcome! It's funny to me that I ask a question that I knew the answer to but somehow finding solitude in knowing I'm not alone here.

I'm on day 11 post op of the permanent SCS and I'm still hurting pretty bad. I guess I didn't expect a tough recovery, having lived my life in such chronic pain for so many years I thought this would be cake. Boy was I wrong. I feel like I have a humpback going across my lower back, both from the swelling and the device but it's weird and painful. Has anyone experienced this before? Yesterday was my birthday and I was out of my "recovery recliner" longer than I'd been since surgery and I couldn't believe how much it took out of me. I'm trying real hard to be a good patient but I'm an "A" type personality who is addicted to my work so this is proven to be much tougher than anticipated.

I plan on going back to work Tuesday but not sure my body agrees. I manage an Animal Shelter so I LOVE what I do but I am really need this to work. So far, I feel optimistic and the Medtronics rep did a great job programming this to help target my pain.

I would love to know about others recovery experiences and whether anyone experienced this "lower humpback" swelling I have across my lower back.

Thanks!
Tara

[Mark56]

Swelling is natural to a cutting incision opening to allow any surgical work to be done. I doubt you had an incision for the wiring, which is drawn through from incision point to incision point, enabling placement of the wiring without splitting the entire back to lay wire. Less infection opportunity this way although you will definitely feel the effect of the draw through of the wires, as the tool is a stainless steel spike to which the wires are hooked to run the wires subdermally. Discomfort and pain did accompany this for me, and it seemed to last a while longer than the actual incisions. On the other hand it also passes into your history and you rarely ever feel it months later.

I had to give all of it time for my sake, just as though it was open back surgery, as it is. I had to be patient and allow healing to set in, just like with other surgeries, and I have had 29 since the wreck 7 years ago. I hate OR suites by now, and have had my fill.

Prayin you soon feel up to that work you mention resuming right away,
Mark56