What was your experience with a pain pump?

Thanks. Supposedly, the drug is supposed to stay within the intrathecal space and not enteer the general circulatory system like oral opiates. Therefore, it is not supposed to become addictive,

Ive had a pain pump for 5 years. The drugs in my pump are Fentynal and hydromorphine plus 2 other nonaddictive drugs. My problem is pain in my right buttock so i cannot sit. Only in the last 8 months has my pain moved into my groin area. I am now bedridden in constant pain. My pump doctor will not increase my meds because he is afraid i will die and he will go to jail. My pain is an 8 on a good day. Life has lost its meaning.

This is a very sad situation. I imagine that you have had your pump output adjusted upward a number of times. Did you ever receive any pain relief from your pump? I am in a similar situation. I had my pain pump implanted just over a year ago. It has never given me any pain relief. Even after being adjusted upwards more times than I can remember. I have buttock pain from a fall eight years ago. No treatment, including spinal cord stimulator and pain pump, have reduced that pain or the feeling of sitting on hockey pucks. No one can explain it.
Please don't give up. Have you had an MRI? That should provide some insight as to what is causing your pain.

Ive had many MRIs over the years but they have nearly always been of my back, not my right buttock. The doctors always think it is referred pain from my spine. After 2 surgeries that didnt help, i basically gave up. I sit less and less and depended on my pain pump to make life livable. Now the pain has caught up with me.

Your situation is just like mine. I have reached the point where my doctor will not go up on the pump any more 😒. He is afraid it will kill me and he will go to jail. I understand but what can I do now?

My family member had a pump for 10 years…kept pain at a 6 most days…then developed a granuloma that attached to his spinal cord. The pain was unreal and now we have to decrease pump. Be aware of any changes in bowel or urinary functions..increased pain in stomach/ abdominal areas or other areas….weak, heavy legs. Granuloma from these pumps are rare but can happen especially at higher levels. The one thing that helped my family member and got him off his oral pain meds was cannabis. It is a game changer when it comes to pain relief. I hope you can find the relief you’re looking for.

I have a medtronic pain pump. I've had it for a year now. I haven't got any relief from it at all. My doc changed the medication twice and still no less pain.
Has anyone else had this experience?
I am currently having the flow decreased in 20% increments.
I had rather have the oral pain medication because it provided more relief than this pump.
I hate to be addicted, but t I've got to have some relief.

I hear you! I had the pump implanted almost two years ago. Not an iota of relief! Even after having the output upped more times than I can remember! Mine is also a Medtronics. I am currently having the output decreased so I can get this useless thing out of my body.
The pain pump is supposed to be 94% successful. Are we just part of the unlucky crowd? Just curious, but what oral meds were/are you on prior to pain pump.

I wish I could have had the trial with the temporary pump worn outside of my body for a few days. My trial was an injection. First injection was morphine which did nothing. Second injection two weeks later was hydromorphone. That reduced my pain from an 8 down to about a 2. That's why I went for the permanent implant. What a disappointment! Hope you find something that helps. I am just about out of options.

The pain pump is supposed to be like the "Holy Grail" of pain relief...94% successful/ So. why am I hearing of so many people having no relief from it? It must work for some. But 94%? I had mine increased more times than I can remember. It got to the point where I was getting dizzy, seeing things, and just feeling "out of it". What kind of trial did you have?

I was on 7mg of hydrocodone 2× a day, gabapentin, and muscle relaxers.
I got more relief on those than with this pump. Now with this pump, doc won't prescribe anything even though my pain level is the same as before.
I'm so discouraged. I need it turned off or taken out so I can get my oral medications back.
Yes, I had the trial injection and it worked. I think he changed the medication or has the catheter in a different place than where he put the injection.
Doc said he was not qualified to take it out and said it would be risky as the dural space might not close up.
I wasn't told any of this before I got this thing.