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vns therapy side effects
Wed, 02/15/2006 - 10:10Topic: Complementary Therapies
I joined this site yesterday and I'm interesting in touching base with anyone who has a vns. In particular I would like to find out if anyone has experienced any unusual side effects not mentioned by Cyberonics. I occasionally experience 'tingling' in my neck and shoulder - this is actually quite unpleasant and it has been severe enough to warrant having my vns temporarily turned off. At one point last summer it felt like I was being repeatedly stung by a bee or something like that (I'm not sure exactly how to describe it). Cyberonics claims that no one has ever mentioned anything similar to this. I have been quite happy with my vns - it has helped stop many seizures once they have started, which has meant fewer trips to the ER but if this problem became really severe again I wouldn't be able to keep my vns turned on. Please let me know if you have experienced anything like this - I would like to know - Cyberonics makes it sound like I'm crazy or something. Thanks!!!
Comments
Re: Re: vns therapy side effects
Submitted by birdbomb on Mon, 2007-05-21 - 19:04
Sometimes there are no other adjustments that can be made. My unit was causing extreme pain and numbness to shoot down my arm into my hand every single time it fired. It had been evaluated and there was no malfunction, no lead impedence, just the way my body reacted. I opted to turn the damn thing off, and off it has stayed.
My neuro and I planned for rebound seizure activity and added lamictil as a precaution. I felt so much better when it was turned off! The arm pain and numbness subsided, however I am left with facial nerve damage, occational swallowing issues, severe obstructive sleep apnea and a few other wonderful souveniers for the effort.
For some people, just turning the unit off for a few months and allowing the body to adjust, then trying again, can make all the difference!
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"If you are going through hell, keep going."
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magnet
Submitted by lindacall on Fri, 2018-02-23 - 18:53
After taping it on, because the VNS was not stopping it's charging, I had to keep the magnet in place for 2 1/2 days because it was Saturday, The ER did not have a tablet to shut off the VNS, I was burned at the sight of the magnet.