Medtronic AdaptiveStim Spinal Cord Stimulator

[Mark56]

Two adaptive stims in one neighborhood?!? Wow! I was hoping someone was going to be able to give ON POINT responsiveness to your inquiry and BAM Lynn comes in and bats one out of the park!

I sure cannot fathom the stuttering you have been enduring in your stim. Of course, mine being another type of unit, I have not known anything such as you describe. Just pay attention to the warranty on your unit in case that stuttering does not S T O P; because, if you get real close to the push you are going to be running out of luck if the company is not put on notice.

Why do I harp on a warranty? Oh, I thought no one would ever ask..... it has something to do with the fact of my remote control having died early on in the life of my unit JUST beyond a year after the implant. I got ahold of the company who manufactured my unit and learned "hmmmmm, seems your remote unit is OUT OF WARRANTY Mr. Mark........" Sobering words to hear when you learn the itsy bitsy remote item markets at $1500 a shot. No one had mentioned an "extended warranty" program, so I bought the extended warranty the second time around. Regarding my stim unit itself and its charger, both are working top notch for me. I am pleased as punch.

Now as to the two of you with adaptive technology in your innards, I hope for both of you the stims work Precisely as advertised, that Andy's will settle in if that is what is necessary, and the whole situation will become a good result for the both of you, Andy and Lynn. Adaptive technology, and to think years ago, adaptive technology was this little bit of mercury in a vacuum tube with an embedded wire, all strung on a wheel and armature and they called that little bit of adaptive technology a thermostat. What will they think of next?

Prayin for ya,
Mark56

[DFW_Andy]

Thanks to both of you for your response.
Lynn - wow, 1200?!? And having to charge everyday?? Bless your heart! These things take hours to charge! And thanks for letting me know you also experienced the stuttering. I'm cautiously optimistic that it'll go away in time. 'Course I TOTALLY forgot about this thing the other day and bent right down to do something on the floor! MAN was I upset with myself. But - I feel no difference in the stimulation so HOPE I didn't cause any migration of the probes.

Mark - yes, the technology in these things is amazing. I so remember the part of my dad's business that was the Avionics repair center (he owned both Avionics (radio equipment in a plane) and Instrument (how those guys fly in cloudy weather!) and seeing the inside of those radios...and the TUBES everywhere!

I now have the Six Million Dollar Man "running" .MP3 as my ring-tone on my phone! LOL! Couldn't resist.

I often think of Daniel 12:4:
(NASB)
But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.”

[Rrae]

Originally Posted by lynn1667

I have the Medronic Adapative Stim. I had the surgery in January 2012 and a revision done in April. Medronic just had this type of stimulator approved in December. They "released" the battery after the 1st and still haven't released it from April's surgery. I did like it and I think its amazing that the stimulator knows when you sitting, standing or laying down. You will like it just because you don't get that jolt like you do now when you change positions. I'm just having other problems. They can't seem to program it where I need it. I think its because of all of the surgeries I had and the scar tissue is in the way. I have the pulse set at the highest it will go--1200--and it drains my battery every day. What a pain to have to charge it every day. Well hopefully you will feel better and like the adapative part of the stimulator. Good luck and welcome to the world of SCS's

Hi Lynn!
It's great to see you back!!

I'm sorry you're having these problems. Charging every day would be a hassle. I sure hope they can get past the scar tissue somehow and get you fixed up right.

Rae

[tkayewade]

Sorry Andy, didn't see your question till just now. It's just where it's on for a certain amount Of time and off for some. Right now I'm 10 minutes on/2 minutes off. Saves the baterry lol. I'm a high frequency person I usually charger every day or two. Anyhow, we are still tweaking and I am still not 100% satisfied, but I know it can take up to six months. Hope all is well with you!

[tkayewade]

Oh, and Lynn, I go pretty strong, too and I charge every two to three at the most and you should have seen us tearing the house apart the other night trying to find when I lost it!! It looked like a tornado came through the house. It was in my husbands backpack of all the weird places lol. But we found it,and that is what counts.

Oh, and I still try not to bend as 1) my foot is broken at the moment 2) it will be 8 weeks Tuesday and 2 months September 10Th since surgery and 3) I still can't lift. Yes, fun times. I wish I could have recorded it; I prolly would have gotten a tv show out of it lol

[lynn1667]

Originally Posted by Rrae

Hi Lynn!
It's great to see you back!!

I'm sorry you're having these problems. Charging every day would be a hassle. I sure hope they can get past the scar tissue somehow and get you fixed up right.

Rae

Thanks Rrae ---I haven't been on for awhile. I have not been feeling the greatest and when I come home from work--its off to bed by 7. I don't know whats going on with me?? A couple of weeks ago I was in such severe pain under the breast bone on the right side that I thought I was having a heart attack. But I waited 2 days before going to the emergency room--stupid I know but I'm tired of running to the doctors all the time. I know stupid excuse!! Anyway my doctor thinks that I have an ucler--but I have to wait and see the gastro doctor first. Hurry up and wait--LOL
Hope is all well with everyone here. I'm going to try and sign on more often. Take care and hope everyone's weekend was great. The last before we go into the fall--which means damp cold weather --ugh!!!

[DFW_Andy]

I know I started a different thread about my stim-stutter but since this forum is unique to the AdaptiveStem I thought I'd post out here instead...

My Stim seems to be stuttering worse than ever and I have to admit I'm starting to get a little uneasy...and my beloved was in tears last night as she was already "going there" with me having to have another surgery to have the pulse-generator replaced. I assured her it's still too early to tell but in my heart I am really starting to wonder.


Would appreciate some targeted prayers about this...that the PG is fine and the stuttering will indeed ease up in the coming days.

[DFW_Andy]

I did see your last message in the other thread (Buzzer is stuttering) and I can assure you, I will be pushing back VERY hard tomorrow morning...I'm going to 1. Insist the Rep contact "upstream" and 2. Find out where I can call when I have a "tech support" issue.

Also, just an FYI more than anything, the AdaptiveStim is the first PG that is no longer affected by the external environment. It dissipates (sp?) any low-energy that hits it - it will not react to magnetic fields, metal around it (including the staples that were there), even the hand-held security wands or airport security systems in general. Now, the probes? That's different...Rep said in about 2 years they will finally get that puzzle resolved and patients with the new technology will finally be able to have full-body MRI's again. Right now this device does allow for head-only MRI's (he said it's the first to be certified for that, don't know if it's true or not).

All this sounds so nice and wiz-bang but if this P-generator is really is defective I'm not going to be a very happy camper! Now, I certainly understand no company can make a perfect product every time...can't tell you how many times I've unboxed brand-new computer equipment and found something faulty right out of the box - it happens. But when it involves another surgery they need to take EXTRA care to ensure everything is working.

[Jackiey]

Hi Andy

This needs to be addressed asap I feel. It doesnt sound right at all. You need to get answers and get them now!!! The last thing you want is another operation and to go through all that not long after having one already.

I do hope you get the answers and its just a technical 'glitch' and nothing too serious that renders surgery


Take care

Jackie

[Mark56]

Hi Andy!

Praying regarding your PG and the stuttering, AND the ESCALATION the company needs to seriously take regarding your implant. You put the finger right on the center of the target with the illustration since this technology is live implant into living beings the product itself should be out of the box perfect from the get go. There is no easy switch out of video cards or monitors on your bodily application, so there should be NO ROOM FOR DEVIATION ON SPECS OR APPLICATION, if the company requires a disclaimer signoff among your surgery papers [pull them out and rifle through them looking to see whether they required you cut them loose on the dotted line], then before the implant began, a serious indication was given how they would stand behind it.

This entire scenario is beginning to resound with a clanging of bells in my head as I contemplate personally the means by which each of us is "asked" to sign off on the forms. My experience now that I contemplate it seriously?? First one is gowned in the Reveal All 2012 hospital attire, one size fits all sizes and genders; followed by the "here is an IV with saline" so there is a rockin ready way to easily administer meds and anesthesia; followed by a shot of antibiotics then a "little something to help you feel more at ease;" followed by a last "please sign here, here and here" before one is whisked to the OR. Why did I go through all of this? Because I presently remember absolutely nothing other than taking pen in hand and scribbling...... not the kiss goodbye with my wife, not being wheeled to the OR, not arriving in the OR, not the awakening in the recovery room, and not the travel thence to my beautiful private hospital room [it was very nice, and so were the attentive nurses].

First thing I remember is awakening "sort of" to the motion of spooning soup into my mouth as I sloshed it all over my brace because I was so "out of it." I do not remember one whit of what I signed. Does this ring true with anyone else?

How about that? I cannot remember things. I realize this is part and parcel to the phenomenon of general anesthesia...... but going back a couple years into my past then to attempt recalling whether I signed anything for Boston Scientifc, I have absolutely no clue...... and this is from one who has been a litigator and litigation manager senior partner. ARGGHHHHH! There goes that pirate in me again....

Huh, so what if???????????????

Even so Andy, I pray for you and your sweet wife regarding this issue, and I am so hopeful your issues will all abate, the stuttering stop, the Pulse Generator do its thing properly, and your Rep make an about face and "go over their own head saying 'folks we have a need to fix a problem for Andy here' " as such are my prayers for you, brother.

Prayin,
Mark56zzz:s mileypray: