| Hi Jeanette, Do you get any relief at all with the SCS? If not then I would says it's not worth the pain and suffering. Is there a setting on it that you can tolerate that gives you any pain relief? Are you getting any relief from any of the drug combinations that you have tried? What other options have been offered to you by your doctor for pain relief? Has there been anything that you've used in the past that have been beneficial that you could combine maybe that would give you better pain relief? I know that the SCS works for some people and doesn't work for others. Sometimes it works initially for some and then in only a couple of months it stops working and for some it offers long term pain relief and is a pure blessing to those. They won't even try it with me because my pain is so widespread that they couldn't put it anywhere to decrease enough pain to even make a difference. Each person so different that what works for one can actually make it worse for another. On that you're the best judge of what you can tolerate. If it's already driving you bananas with the vibrations maybe if there is a different setting to try that might help. I don't know enough about them to really give lots of advice but I would recommend asking your doctor now before the trial ends about maybe a different setting if that's an option. On my TENS unit I have several different settings and I can change those settings to either a continuous vibration or pulsating and the strength and where the continous vibrations bother me and make the pain worse the pulsating random vibration actually feel like a massage if I turn the strength up high enough and get the unit attached in time. Since the TENS unit is removeable I have to attach it when I need it which is different from the implanted SCS device. If I don't get it on in time though it's futile. The advantage of it being removeable is I don't have surgery and if it doesn't work I didn't go through the pain of surgery and I never have to go through the repeat surgeries in a couple of years for the replacement battery or charge pack. If you're getting any relief from it at all maybe you can try using it at different intervals for when the pain starts getting worse and is relieved. I know when I use my TENS unit, if I get it attached right when I feel the first creepy crawly effects of the pain starting which is different from the continuous burning pain I feel that the TENS unit will relieve the horrible doubling over pain before it starts. I am still in pain but not to the point that I am screaming. I hear you about the drugs they can sure be a royal pain in the you know where. But the right combination can be the ticket too. If you're lucky enough to have a doctor that is willing to work with you on the right combination or refer you to a specialist that may be an option for you. Sometimes you can make one trip to the specialist and then your local doc will do follow ups so you don't have to keep traveling long distances to a specialist really often. A pain pump too has its drawbacks but the advantage is it offers a continuous dose of the pain meds that you don't have to administer just have the pump refilled when its time. It can be a real advantage to have that and not have to worry about remembering to take pain meds and you get the pain relief at regular intervals even while you sleep so the pain doesn't have the surges and stuff like that. It's a lot of decisions to make in a really short time and you have lots of people telling you what they want but really it's got to be what's best for you dear. You can't be suffering all the time. So whatever means you have to use to get relief is mwhatis going to be best for you. If you go for a long time without adequate pain relief it works on your whole self and can send you into a bad depression. If you're under lots of stress too it can make your pain really bad and even pain meds won't take that down because the stress will make the pain meds useless. So find out all you can about the SCS settings and also maybe a specialist for other alternatives. Maybe even possibly a RSD treatment trial for research might be a way to find a treatment that is not yet available to the general population. It's a lot to have on your plate at one time. Then you have to be suffering with the pain on top of it all! I am so sorry that you feel so poorly sweetie. I wish there was more I could offer you than just words of encouragement and my prayers. If I could, I would take your pain from you. You don't deserve it that's for sure! I hope things start looking up for you soon! Let me know how things are working out for you. It's an interesting subject that I don't know a lot about. Take care hon, I'll say some extra prayers for you! Love, Summer  | 
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