International: Peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS)

PNS is commercially available for use in select international markets.

Peripheral Nerve Stimulation of the occipital nerves is a new therapy for intractable chronic migraine and is only approved in select international markets.

St. Jude Medical Neuromodulation Division is a pioneer in developing technologies for the management of chronic pain and other neurological disorders. With innovations such as constant current stimulation delivery, we have been a leader of the neuromodulation industry for over 30 years. We are now applying our proven technology to provide a new option for managing the pain and disability associated with intractable chronic migraine.

A Proven Technology with Significant Advantages

A randomized double-blind, controlled study of chronic migraine sufferers who used St. Jude Medical PNS systems revealed the following:¹

Reduction in Overall Disability
At 12 weeks, the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS)
questionnaire indicated participants in the active group
had a 41% reduction in overall disability compared to a
13% reduction in the control group.


Reduction in Headache Days
At 12 weeks, patients who received stimulation reported a
36% decrease in their number of headache days compared
to the control group which reported a 25% decrease.

Quality of Life
At one year, 68% of patients reported that their
quality of life improved, 26% reported that it
stayed the same, and 5% reported that their
quality of life deteriorated.

Recomendation
At one year, 88% of patients reported that they would
recommend the procedure to someone else and
12% reported that they would not.

How PNS Works

Neurostimulation systems are designed to regulate the body’s electrical systems. They function much like pacemakers, except that instead of sending pulses to the heart, the leads carry the pulses to the occipital nerves, changing the way the pain signals are transmitted. This localized delivery does not produce lingering systemic side effects—a common problem with migraine drugs.

A neurostimulation system consists of the following components:

Neurostimulator
A stopwatch-sized device containing the battery and electronics that create the pulses which stimulate the nerves

Leads and Extensions
Wires that carry the pulses from the neurostimulator to the nerves

Patient Programmer
A remote control device that enables the patient to turn the neurostimulator on and off and adjust power levels

Clinician Programmer
A remote control device that enables a clinician to program the neurostimulator and adjust stimulation

Who May Be a Candidate

Patients who have been diagnosed with intractable chronic migraine may be candidates for peripheral nerve stimulation. Intractable chronic migraine is defined as headache lasting at least 4 hours per day for 15 or more days per month, not responding to three or more preventive drugs, and causing at least moderate disability (determined using a validated migraine disability instrument [e.g., MIDAS or HIT-6]).

1. Silberstein S, Dodick D, Saper J, et al. The safety and efficacy of peripheral nerve stimulation of the occipital nerve for the management of chronic migraine. Poster presented at: 15th Congress of the International Headache Society; June 23-26, 2011; Berlin, Germany.

Website that I go this information from and also the company that I have my battery through. I also have two more contacts then this the pictures that above. 

http://www.sjmneuropro.com/Pro-Education/International%20-%20Peripheral%20Nerve%20Stimulation.aspx

Another Hiccups :(

Today I found out since my battery is not working that it will have to be surgically fix. My battery for my stimulator has fallen to deep into my hip to connect with the charger. So I can't charge it and it is died not for a week and half. I hope that the insurance doesn't take forever but who knows. Till then I have a very unwelcome headaches that turn into migraines here and there. I am determined to have a good summer though.

A day in the Life of Migraineur

This is a typical day for me when I have a migraine. If I have to go to work or school I am up by 7 at the latest. I can normal base the night before how I will be feeling in the morning. So when I first wake up I decide whether I need to shower to wake up or not. I sometime have to shower to loosen up and ease the pain. Then I take my anti-seizure and/or muscle relaxer. And then I eat breakfast and because I have food triggers I usually have something with whole grain or fruits. I normally start the day off at a four or a five. As the day goes on I become in more and more pain. By noon I am normal in enough pain where I need to rest in the dark or nap. This isn't always easy to do and sometime I have to push through the pain. By the end of the day I am wide out but the sad part is that I can't sleep due to the pain or insomnia. By the end of the day I am at a eight or nine. The pain of the migraine is a dull and achy pain. Something it can be sharp and on one side of my head. But this is just the pain in my head. Sometime the pain is behind my eyes and it just feel like someone is trying to push my eye balls out. When I have a migraine my whole body hurts all over. Not only does my body hurt but lights and sounds hurt. It hurt to hear the sounds and to see any lights. It a kind of  piercing pain that hurts way in the brain. There is also other thing that come along with migraines. Some symptom that I have along with migraine, is dizziness, ring of the ears, numbness in my arms and legs, muscle cramps, this list could really go on. This side effect that come from my migraine are hard to deal with alone. 
Migraines are very hard to deal. Along with the fact that no body really understand what we are going through. Not only is having migraines hard but the days recovering for a migraine are also hard and debilitating. I have struggle with migraine for the six years and It not the easiest thing I have done. I have had a lot of ups and downs. I spent a lot of my day in my bedroom trying to sleep away the pain. The days I do go out I have to be sure I have medicine in case I get a bad migraine. I am proud to say that I am a would traveler and manged to earn my Silver and Gold award through Girl scout. I never let my migraine stop me from doing what I want to do in life. I will also be fight against them for my dreams no mater how big or small.

This is me in Switzerland in 2011.

Some of my art work to remind myself to Live Life to the Fullest

This is a picture that I took. I love taking photograph of the great outdoors

This is me on a life flight tour on the top of a hospital in Houston Medical Center

Me on a boat in Germany in 2009

  I love to travel and I try and let nothing stop me

I show chickens in High School. This in 2010 when I was ninth place in  Houston Livestock show and rodeo. This was a very proud moment for me.

This is something I found online. That I like and find really true. 
I hope this post is helpful to everyone and that your pain free.

Summer has been busy!

It been a busy busy summer for me. I have two job so that keep me pretty busy. I am also taking summer school which keep me busy at nights and on the weekend. In two week I will be going to my favorite place in Texas. It called the Frio River in Concan, Texas. I have been going there since I was five years old and it just a place where my cell doesn't work and I can just relax. And now it that I am adult I can go there and act like a kid. There are also a few other place along the Frio River that I am looking for to going while I am there too. Like Garner State Park, Neal's Lodges and Frio's Dry Fifty. I will also be staying at Yeargan's River Bend. It a wonderful little place to stay and it a very family friendly place to stay and bring your children and grandchildren for years to come. I really have enjoyed going there and growing up there. The river is a rock bedded river and the water is crystal clear.

This is the cottage at Yeargan's River Bend

This two picture of my brother and I  at the Frio River when when were younger.

This is a picture of the Dry Fifty

So all and all I have been having a wonderful summer and Headache wise I am doing well and feeling Great!

What Headaches?

So it been about a month without any major headaches (knock on wood!). I am doing wonderful and living life to the Fullest. I am recently watch "The Help" for the first time and I have fallen in love with it. I like that the book that is talked about in the movie is from the view of the African American Woman's eyes. Over all it a wonderful movie and I look forward to reading the book this summer. Today I watch a movie called Sarah's Key. It a story about a girl who was picked up during the Vel'd'Hiv Roundup on July 16 and 17 of 1942. This happen in Paris. The French Police when a rounded up about 13,000 Jewish people and sent them to camps. Most of them would die. In the Movie there is a Journalist who is writing an article about this event that there is not one image to prove that this happen. During her research she find out about this girl and try to track her down to talk to her. I wont ruin the movie for you but it has a great story.

This is the Movie trailer to Sarah's Key

This summer one of the things I plan on making my bucket list. Lately I come to realize how short life is and that you should live it to the fullest. I plan on just doing that. So what something on your bucket list that your want to do?

How Volunteering Has Changed my l Life

Volunteering has become an important part of my life. It has given me the opportunity to give back to others, meet people and discover my career path. I have been a life-long volunteer.  I started learning the importance of volunteering as a Girl Scout in kindergarten.  One of the first things we learned was the Girl Scout Promise and what it means.  The Girl Scout Promise states “On my honor, I will try to serve God and my country, and to help people at all times and live by the Girl Scout Law.” This statement has made a positive impact on my life.  Volunteering has been significant in developing positive self-esteem and confidence in me.  Knowing that I can help others that I don't know and have an impact in their lives through a positive manner makes a wonderful heartwarming experience.  I have volunteered with many different organizations in my community and have learned so much from my experience but, the two that made the biggest significance in my life are the Juliette Low Camp and Tomball Regional Hospital.

The Juliette Low Camp is a camp in Missouri for girls with disabilities from ages seven to twenty.  I volunteered to be a counselor for fifty girls with a wide range of disabilities.  The camp lasted for a month.  During that time, I volunteered a total of 300 hours.  I went through a week long training to learn how to care for each girl and their disability.  I also learned that people come in many different packages; and they all have a heart and feelings.  Just volunteering at the Juliette Low Camp opened my eyes, to truly not judge a book by its cover.  The most important lesson I learned is to not take life for granted and to love every minute you’re given. 

At Tomball Regional Hospital I volunteered five to ten hours a week for eight weeks.  The main area I volunteered in was the Nursery and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).  During the time I volunteered there, I learn many things like how to answer the phone professionally and make medical charts.  I also learned what happens when a baby is born and is very sick and has to go to the NICU.  The most important thing I learned, that no one there taught me, was that I want to be a NICU Nurse.  I am very thankful that I was able to volunteer in the nursery at Tomball Hospital because this has helped me to discover what I want to pursue in college.

Volunteering has changed my life in many of ways.  Everybody needs help at some point in their life.  I have learned that it is important for those in your community to lend a helping hand when possible.  By volunteering, it has taught me to give to others without expecting anything in return.  

15 things about me!

1. I have two middle names

2. I love Girl Scout and been in it since Kindergarten

3. I took Ballet from age 3 to 12

4. My favorite drink is Vitamin Water

5. My favorite food it grilled cheese

6. I like going to be Beach and being around water

7. I rasie chickens and love it.

8. I want to go to college and become a Nurse

9. I have to sleep with two fans on every night.

10. I am a nanny for two boys

11. I live Life to the FULLEST.

12. I love any medical show on tv

13. My favorite color is blue, green and yellow.

14. I collect spoons from every where I go.

15. I love my life and who I am.