I am sharing this so that hopefully nobody else will go through what happened to me:
Last year my VNS stopped working after only 7 months of use; it had worked fine until the orthopedic surgeon prescribed a bone stimulator for me to wear. Before wearing the bone stimulator I questioned its compatibility with the VNS, but all the docs said it would be ok. In retrospect, I should have gone with my own instinct.
I experienced pain in my neck and chest, and a lump formed on my neck at the site of the lead wire insertion. My VNS went off more frequently than it was programmed to do, and at times I could not turn my head - - it felt as though something was "tugging" on the lead wire. After a few weeks of wearing the bone stimulator, my VNS stopped working completely in August of 2005.
Both Cyberonics and EBI, the bone stimulator company, have denied that the bone stimulator had anything to do with the failure of my VNS.
I underwent surgery on December 22, 2005 to remove and replace the VNS. The battery pack as well as the lead wire had to be removed and replaced.
The neurosurgeon said that when he opened my chest to replace the battery pack, he found a "mass of wires" - it looked as though the battery pack had "flipped 50+ times". He said that he had never seen anything like it. The lead wire was also broken.
The VNS was sent to Cyberonics for testing and they said that the battery pack was still operable, and that they have no idea what had happened - - however, they are certain that the bone stimulator did not cause the problem.
My new neurologist has since advised me that I should not wear a bone stimulator in the future...I'll be following her advice.
Karen
| QUOTE |
| While external electrical stimulation devices are considered very safe, it is important to note that the electromagnetic effects of this type of treatment are unknown for pregnant women and for some types of pacemakers and defibrillators |
LINKElectromagnetic?!With a VNS you are suppose to
avoid electromagnetic fields. Metal detectors, high voltage power lines and even some amplifiers can cause interferance. My old microwave used to bother me. (it was very old too)
It's amazing you are not damaged from the effects of these stimulators working at the same time. My guess the break in the lead probably save you permenant damage to the Vagus nerve or your brain.
Karen, that is absolutely frightening! Thank you for the warning.
| QUOTE (KareninPoway @ Feb 18 2006, 01:31 PM) |
I am sharing this so that hopefully nobody else will go through what happened to me:
Last year my VNS stopped working after only 7 months of use; it had worked fine until the orthopedic surgeon prescribed a bone stimulator for me to wear. Before wearing the bone stimulator I questioned its compatibility with the VNS, but all the docs said it would be ok. In retrospect, I should have gone with my own instinct.
I experienced pain in my neck and chest, and a lump formed on my neck at the site of the lead wire insertion. My VNS went off more frequently than it was programmed to do, and at times I could not turn my head - - it felt as though something was "tugging" on the lead wire. After a few weeks of wearing the bone stimulator, my VNS stopped working completely in August of 2005.
Both Cyberonics and EBI, the bone stimulator company, have denied that the bone stimulator had anything to do with the failure of my VNS.
I underwent surgery on December 22, 2005 to remove and replace the VNS. The battery pack as well as the lead wire had to be removed and replaced.
The neurosurgeon said that when he opened my chest to replace the battery pack, he found a "mass of wires" - it looked as though the battery pack had "flipped 50+ times". He said that he had never seen anything like it. The lead wire was also broken.
The VNS was sent to Cyberonics for testing and they said that the battery pack was still operable, and that they have no idea what had happened - - however, they are certain that the bone stimulator did not cause the problem.
My new neurologist has since advised me that I should not wear a bone stimulator in the future...I'll be following her advice.
Karen |
: surprise : dang i am glade your ok too. I will get the vns monday the 27th and the more i learn stuff like that the better so i know too. Thanks for leting all of us know that.