Nan
As a psychiatrist, Nan had a lot of experience helping people through tough times. When she became a patient, however, she gained even more insight into coping with challenges.
Nan’s difficulty involved chronic pain that developed after she fell and dislocated her right elbow. A surgical procedure seemed to help, but then Nan began to experience severe neuropathy in her arm and hand. A few years later, a second injury—this time to her left hand—meant she did not have full, pain-free use of either arm.
Chronic pain affected nearly every aspect of Nan’s life. She even worried about being able to care for her psychiatry patients, since simple tasks like using a computer and writing prescriptions were hard for her. Nan wondered if she would ever find an effective treatment that did not involve long-term use of pain medications.
Nan’s search for help finally led her to Michael Schaefer, MD, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at University Hospitals, in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Schaefer recommended StimRouter, and the results were dramatic: a reduction in pain of about 75%!
Today, Nan has returned to engaging fully with her family, her favorite activities, and her patients. In fact, her pain journey has given Nan greater empathy for people going through difficult times.
Nan has also shared her story with University Hospitals. Read the full article here.
Meredith
On September 1, 2018, Meredith’s life took an unexpected and unpleasant turn. The kindergarten teacher awoke that morning with excruciating back pain that, in time, was diagnosed as complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).
Like many people coping with CRPS, Meredith found the pain affecting every aspect of her life. She could no longer perform normal activities normally: walking, sleeping, fully engaging with her students, and more.
Meredith explored all of her options for relief, from surgical approaches to medication therapy. Then, her pain management physician, Jay Kumar, MD, D.ABA, Chief Medical Officer at Spine & Pain Specialists of the Carolinas, suggested that she try StimRouter.
After four years of living with pain, Meredith was open to almost any promising solution. Happily, StimRouter turned out to be right for her. Just eight weeks after receiving the device, she went on a wonderful—and pain-free!—vacation to Cancun, Mexico. She has regained control of her life and returned to many of the activities she enjoys, including traveling to Jamaica, Hawaii, Belgium and other destinations around the world.
Meredith shares her story in hopes of helping others who struggle with chronic pain. She spoke with WRAL and Durham Magazine about her experiences:
Michael
Michael began suffering with chronic hip pain about 15 years ago, but struggled to get a proper diagnosis until he met Meredith Warner, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon at Warner Orthopedics & Wellness, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
During those 15 years, Michael could not participate in two of his favorite hobbies: ballroom dancing and driving the vintage cars he painstakingly restores. Meanwhile, finding effective treatment proved difficult. Steroid injections provided only temporary and partial pain relief. Opioids were another option, but he did not want to rely on them as a long-term solution.
Once he met Dr. Warner, Michael finally began to get some answers—and pain relief. She determined that Michael’s chronic pain was caused by torn tendons. “That was a huge development for me,” Michael said. “Finally I knew what was wrong and could now search for a cure.”
Dr. Warner also introduced Michael to the StimRouter. After being implanted with the device’s lead, Michael turned on his StimRouter and experienced immediate pain relief.
Over time, StimRouter resolved Michael’s chronic pain and he no longer has to wear the device. He has been able to resume living the active life he loves: spending time with his grandchildren, fixing up his hot rods, and—soon, he hopes—doing cardio workouts and ballroom dancing.
“The StimRouter successfully ended chronic pain that I had been experiencing for countless years. I am now back to cruisin’ the coast and doing what I love. I am thrilled with what the StimRouter has done for me.” — Michael, StimRouter user
Shirley
“I had chronic pain in my legs for nine months. My pain was a 10 out of 10 before the implant and after I got StimRouter, my pain was gone. I have no pain now.
“When I first learned about StimRouter, I was getting injections that lasted about four days and the pain would come back. My doctor told me about StimRouter and I was ready to try it, because the pain in my legs was so bad.
“I was a little scared before the procedure, but everyone was so nice and the implant procedure was fine. They showed me how to use it and we talked about how the system works and it was easy to operate the system after that. It really is easy and it’s been wonderful for me. I turn the StimRouter on for three hours at a time, twice per day, and the pain relief lasts the entire day. When I take it off, the pain relief still lasts. It’s working well for me.
“It’s working so wonderfully on my right leg — I’m going to ask the doctor for another one on my left leg. Before the StimRouter, my leg was so bad and it was difficult to walk, but after the StimRouter I walked about two miles with my daughter and she said, Mama, I’m so glad this works for you and now I’m going to need to work hard to keep up with you.”
Nadege
“I first suffered a stroke in 2012 that affected my right side and then a few years later, I had one that affected my left side. Ever since then, my left shoulder has been in horrible pain and I suffer headaches and back pain. I was doing Botox®, getting injections every two weeks for the pain, as well as constantly taking painkillers.
“One day, my pain management doctor introduced me to StimRouter. He was very kind in explaining the product to me, but I was scared initially. I even left his clinic saying ‘No’ to the procedure, but then I thought to myself, “Take a chance, you have to try it,” so I turned around and went back in the door and said, Please schedule me.”
“I had pain in both my shoulders, but we decided to try StimRouter for my left shoulder, because the pain was really bad. I received my StimRouter implant in August and I was very happy to get it done. At the beginning when I put it on, it was strong but then after the settings were adjusted, it was perfect!
“I still take painkillers, but they are for my headaches, back pain and my right shoulder. I have no complaints about my left shoulder. My daughter puts the StimRouter on my arm for me and she said it’s easy—she took pictures when I got home from my initial procedure, so she knows exactly how to put it on.
“When I have it on, my pain is gone and sometimes I feel a small, comfortable vibration. I usually wear it for 4 to 5 hours, then I have a break for a few hours and only put it back on if my pain goes above a 2. Overall, I would recommend StimRouter to anybody with chronic pain. My doctor and I are even discussing it for my other shoulder. You have to be willing to try. If it helped me, it can help someone else.”
Walter
“After my stroke, I had left-side paralysis and an untouchable shoulder due to pain. I was in rehabilitation for about five weeks. I was able to start walking with a cane, but my shoulder was so painful, that I couldn’t do much rehab with it. I tried taking pain medication, but it didn’t help. It just didn’t work for my pain.
“One day I was introduced to the StimRouter and I started to get excited; I was excited about the thought of exercising my arm without pain.
“Without hesitation, I went for it. The procedure was completely painless for me and didn’t take long; the prep time seemed more intense than the actual surgery.
“Two weeks after the implant, I went back and they removed the single stitch left from the procedure over the implant site.
“I will say ever since I’ve had the StimRouter, my pain has been reduced significantly. I’m getting some good return from it— to the point I can now exercise my arm! Before StimRouter, I couldn’t put my arm up over my head, because the pain was too intense. Now, I can get it over my head.
“I even noticed I have some carryover pain relief when I’m not wearing my StimRouter. I have been working with my occupational therapist at putting both of my hands up over my head at the same time.
“I’m sure I will find more things I can do now that my pain is reduced, so I’ll have to try them and find out — even things like getting something off a high shelf with my left hand or pulling my arm up by itself.
Lenore
Lenore had bad knee pain before and after two knee replacements. “When I moved or had to get up and down, you could hear me groaning and see me dragging my leg when I tried to walk. I would say my pain level was an 8 to 9 out of 10. I had a total of three surgeries in four years. The first was a knee replacement accompanied by nerve blocks and nerve ablation. I was prescribed prescription opioids, but they stopped prescribing them to me after a while and I didn’t want to sit around crying. I had to do something. I never had better than 70% range of motion … it was hell.”
Lenore considered a third knee replacement, but backed out because there was nothing wrong with the existing knee implant. After four years and multiple surgeries, she still didn’t have the ability to lead an active life.
After her StimRouter programming session, Lenore got up and walked immediately. She reported, “It was like a miracle. I got back into physical therapy and my life is so much better now.”
Today, Lenore enjoys being pain-free and consistently uses the StimRouter during daily activities. In addition, her walking ability has improved while the device is on.
“When it’s off, I can’t walk right. I have to drag my leg again.”
During a recent vacation in Spain, Lenore and her husband walked 4.3 miles. “It was amazing! Before the StimRouter, I had to put all my travel on hold. I couldn’t go with the tour group, because I couldn’t keep up with my leg dragging and my cane. I couldn’t even join a neighborhood walking group. Now I can walk without a cane and am back to traveling.”
She notes, “I recommend StimRouter to everybody … are you kidding me? It saved my life. I didn’t want to get up anymore. It’s a horrible, horrible thing being an invalid. Now, I have a life again. ”
Joe
“I had my stroke 14 years ago and suffered from post-stroke chronic shoulder pain. I tried anything to help with the pain. After 7 years of PT/OT rehabilitation, I said, ‘This is it—this is the best I’m ever going to get’ so I stopped. I had to just suck it up when it came to the pain.”
“I tried everything you can think of though — I had a sling to stop my shoulder from moving, but that was useless. I tried pain med after pain med, but nothing succeeded. All of it was to no avail.
“One day, my stroke doctor sent me to a pain management doctor who introduced me to StimRouter. I had to laugh at first; I thought nothing can take this pain away. But I had tried everything else, so I said let’s give it a shot.
“Once the StimRouter was implanted, everything was pretty much OK with my pain. I can say the stimulator is working very well for me. It was programmed by the doctor two weeks after the implant, and after a day of using the StimRouter system with my remote control, my pain started to go away.
“I would keep it on for about two hours, and then I wouldn’t need it for the rest of the day, because the pain relief carried over. I was really impressed with how fast it worked.
“Before StimRouter, I would say my pain went off the scale— above a ten for sure— because my pain was really bad. Sometimes it hurt to breathe. Now, with the help of StimRouter, my pain is only a 2 or 3 at most.
“I wear my system all day, but I only turn it on every 6 to 8 hours, depending on what I’m doing that day. The patches stay on well, but come off just as easily. When it’s on, it feels like a massage chair on your arm.
“The StimRouter works well for me; I feel very lucky. I can lift my arm enough to put on deodorant now and I’ve picked up some new hobbies. It’s a process and I still have goals like being able to ride my bike, but I would recommend StimRouter to people in pain without a doubt in my mind.
Julie
“My wife Julie suffered a stroke that affected the entire right side of her body — from the top of her head all the way to her feet. She lost her ability to speak and lacks mobility in her right leg and arm. Her arm was a constant grinding, like rubbing two rocks together on the inside of your arm; if she could speak, she would tell you it’s way worse than that. You couldn’t even touch her skin because of the pain.
“We tried everything, from morphine to hydrocodone, e-stim patches and just about everything you could think. The pain medicine was horrible; it did more harm to her than the actual stroke. The only solution was to keep her arm in a sling, keep it up and try to do physical therapy.
“One day, Julie’s physical therapist introduced us to StimRouter. When we heard about it, we were extremely hopeful and excited, but reserved because we had been let down by all the other options.
“She’s a stroke survivor. Anything she can grasp onto at this point to make her life better means the world.
“After Julie got the StimRouter, she was overjoyed with how much more she could use her arm and how well it worked to relieve her pain when it was on. Her pain is diminished significantly and she is using a lot less pain medication.
“I can tell you her physical therapy sessions are way better now. She’s able to do things she wasn’t able to do before. The StimRouter motivated her to work harder on her arm and try to get better.
“Prior to getting the implant, she didn’t have that motivation; it was a downward slope, slowly falling into the abyss with no way out. This product is her way out, it gives her that hope: as long as I have the device on, I will be OK.
“StimRouter gave her a second wind. Before this, we were talking about amputation, really seriously debating it. It’s a long road no matter what, but at least now, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.
“She has one job and that’s to get better and I’m all for it! For other people in Julie’s situation who are considering StimRouter, I’d say definitely try it, definitely give it a chance, don’t give up, you don’t know what the future is going to hold. Give it a go, go all the way, you have nothing to lose.
Anna
Anna has been involved in sports her entire life — even transforming her passion into a career as Associate Athletic Director at Indiana University Northwest. But the chronic pain from peripheral neuropathy and ankle nerve compression was getting in the way of many of her responsibilities and relationships with the students.
Following her StimRouter PNS implant, she’s been able to increase her activity level and involvement with students.
