If your reading this because your moving on from trial to permanent and trying to decided where battery is to be placed I have a few comments on this but ultimately it's your decision. You can discuss with your doctor but some do not give you a choice or I should say if you don't have a preference they most likely will choose the back side for you. I'm not sure if my doctor is willing to do the stomach or not. He seemed to persuade me that the back side was an easier surgery, for him that is, and would cut down time 30-45 minutes.
I was thinking a lot about this decision during my trial. I have so many scars that it wasn't an issue of how it looks. It was more about comfort and the fact that it already hurts back there. Why add some more misery? He explained to me that if I had it placed in my stomach it would mean longer surgery due to the fact that I would have to be turned over after the leads were placed. You see after they make the incision on you spine and get the leads in they wake you up and find out where your feeling the stimulation. They want to make sure they are in the right area. If not, some moving will take place and they will try again. Once everything seems ok, back to sleep you go and then they cut and place the battery. If you want on your stomach you have to be turned over. I never asked but once he told me that I started being concerned about the wires coming around to my stomach from my back. Its called a "tunneling cable.
During my decision making time I had read a lot of others experience of battery placement. I was worried about wether or not I would feel in lying or sitting down. Right now, at 16 days out it has been a big issue for me. I do know with time, how long I'm not sure could be as long as 6 months, that will get better. If you want to read about someones experience with a belly implant check the link I posted in yesterdays post. She seemed to choose her belly for all the reasons I was concerned about. (she does have the same soreness I have but different area) Long term I think I made the right decision from my reading "medical opinions" about the subject. But of course with the added pain its causing I have my doubts.
In the end I would say, its your body. You have to live with it there. Do your own research on it and make your self a list of pro's and cons. I will say that sometime when I'm turning my stimulator on I'm nervous about reaching back there to get to the battery seeing how I'm not supposed to twist. It can be done with one had and you really don't need to see, just feel so its just something else for me to worry about :-(. I'll just be happy when enough time has passed that its not so uncomfortable to sit and lay on it. Hope this helped in some way.
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