Spinal Cord Implant

[rodsp]

Hello. I hope someone could give me a little guidance. I am active duty and will retire in less than a year. My question pertains to just one medical condition I have. I had a Lumbar Lamectmony L5-S1 in 2002 and for 30-45 days was a new man. Scar tissue however decided to grow around a nerve and said otherwise. I now have sever chronic back and leg pain and surgury is not an option. The only two choices I have is live with it on pain meds or have surgury to recieve a Spinal Cord Implant (SCS). Even with the SCS I may still be on pain meds for life but maybe at a reduced dosage or hopefully it works and I come completly off. I have searched the internet but cannot find any references to the VA and SCS, surely I will not be the first one.

My question is when I recieve this SCSm when I retire and file my claim if it does not help at all, what rating would normally be given?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

[rentalguy1]

Welcome to Hadit! Thank you for your service, and I am truly sorry about your back troubles. They are the pits! I have stenosis at L5-S1, and herniations at L4-5, L5-S1, and all of it causes major pain, radiculopathy, and cauda equina. I know exactly where you are coming from.

First, I am not so sure that I would have the second surgery just yet. Personally, I am one to hold off until the pain is so unbearable that there is no other option besides a wheel chair. I have a neurosurgeon that agrees, so all is well for now. I have heard very little about the implant, or it's long-term health effects. You may want to wait a few years until there is more data available to discern, just for safety's sake. There are still too many patients out there who go in for "routine" back surgery and then are never the same afterwards. And I definately wouldn't want the army or the VA experimenting on me. Here is a web forum where you might find more information about the surgery. Probably a silly question, but have you tried physical theraoy, chiropractic, massage (really works for me), heat/ice, tens unit, etc? There are a lot of things out there that offer temporary, minor relief, but we are all different, and our spinal injuries are all different. What works good for one person may not work at all for the next. I hope you are able to get some relief soon.

As to a rating from the VA for your spinal condition, it will depend on many factors. I don't think that the new surgery will help, not hinder your rating after you retire. The residuals of the laminectomy will definately warrant a higher rating. I am assuming that you had the laminectomy for a herniated disc at that level, so I would request to be rated under diagnostic code 5243, Intervertebral Disc Syndrome. Since you are just retiring from the military, and since you really aren't allowed sick days in the military, you will have to be rated under the "orthopedic manifestations" of the spinal disease, rather than under "incapacitating episodes."

That's probably a lot of mumbo-jumbo right now, but it will be crystal clear soon. Read this thread, and you will learn quite a bit about spinal claims. The things you need to be doing right now, prior to discharge is getting a COMPLETE copy of your service medical records (SMR's), to include copies of any x-rays, MRI's, CT's, etc. Learn the VA claims language (you can pick that up from poking around this site), and learn how the VA rates spine claims. Also, don't forget to file for anything else that would be service connected, and consider whether or not the back pain could be causing depression. I know that is a crappy thought, but most chronic pain sufferers have some degree of depression due to the pain. It can be hard for us to admit, and personally took me 15 years to admit it, but it is better to get that monkey off your back up front so the VA can take care of you. Good luck!

[rodsp]

Thanks RentalGuy1. The laminectomy was for a herniated disc. I have tried everything except a massage. I had the Spinal Cord Implant trial, that is where they insert the wire into your spine but the battery is on the outside. It is like a Tens unit except a Tens unit feels like it stimulates the top few skins layers and the SCS gets down to the bone it seems. I didnt have 100% relief but between 50 and 75% relief. Those few days I wore it I also cut down on my meds quite a bit. I am just at the point now I am ready for some releif. I have been missing alot from work, they have been good to me so far, not requesting doctor notes but I know they will eventually get tired of it. I have already been diagnosed with depression, I had to have an evaluation done in order to be able to have the SCS trial, so a pychartistirist diagnosed me, my pcm diagnosed me and my pain manager did.

I am glad I found this site. I have been reading tons ofmessages and can tell already how helpful this site is to so many veterns.

Thanks.

[donews]

Hello, Welcome To Hadit.

Always glad to see another member added.

I am sorry to hear of you back troubles. I have a lot of back and neck problems as well, but none that are in the same field as yours.

I just wanted to say that my son has had two back surgeries for the same type of problems you discussed. They wanted him to undergo some kind of complete spinal replacement back in the early 1990's. He told them absolutely not. His first surgery he spent about two weeks in the hospital recovering. Then he was good to go for years. But back in 2002 he was at the point of the pain being unbearable and his partial paralysis came back, so he opted to have another surgery. This time with the new technology he was home in two days and is doing ok so far to this time. He still has his bad days now and then, but he sure is glad he didnt have that major surgery. He said if his paralysis wasn't relieved with the minor surgery, he could see nothing to loose by having the major one, but until then, he did not want to risk it.

I sure hope yo can find something other than a major surgery to help you. If you must have the surgery, I pray it goes well and gives you some relief.

Good luck!

[rodsp]

I'm sorry I said Spinal Cord Implant (SCS), but what I meant was Spinal Cord Stimulater (SCS). Has anyone had experience with that and the VA rating them or someone you know?