Pain pump failure

Posted by heisenberg34 @heisenberg34, Apr 7, 2024

I had the Medtronics pain pump implanted a year ago. Nothing else had worked to relieve my severe lower back pain which radiated down to my buttocks, legs and feet. My spinal cord stimulator also stopped providing any pain relief. I had the pump output increased six to eight times with just a few days of decent relief. Then we moved to another state. New pain doc has increased the output 5 or 6 times. With my pain still hovering between a 7 and a 9, I was desperate. I took an old oxycodone which actually helped. But the pain amped up after a few days so I went back and he upped the dosage by 30% (quite drastic). By the end of the day, The pain had turned into a numb feeling. That night I could not sleep. I was on the verge of nausea and felt like a zombie. How much dosage is too much? I am still in bad pain unless I give myself a bolus, which sends me back into the numb, zombie state. I am afraid that I am in an overdose situation. My voicemail to the doc with these concerns has gone unanswered. How can a pain pump not relieve pain at this level? Really looking for someone with similar expereince and what you ultimately did.

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jthomas458 | @jthomas458 | Mar 25 8:29pm

In reply to @carolynhughes75 "I had a spinal cord stimulator. It didn't help my neuropathy." + (show)

Did anything help the neuropathy for you? I am talking with a pain management doctor now who is telling me the SCS will help with my neuropathy, but the pain pump will not. It sounds like neither device helped with your neuropathy.

carolynhughes75 | @carolynhughes75 | Mar 26 7:51am

You are right. I haven't found anything that really helps my neuropathy. I have tried Lyrica, the generic of Cymbalta, steroids, creams, magnesium, prescription vitamins. The creams give me some short lasting relief, but nothing completely stops the neuropathy pain. Narcotics don't work on neuropathy. I wish you good luck and relief.

heisenberg34 | @heisenberg34 | Mar 26 9:53am

In reply to @carolynhughes75 "You are right. I haven't found anything that really helps my neuropathy. I have tried Lyrica,..." + (show)

Those of us suffering from severe, painful neuropathy just wish that the medical community would do something to help us. Five years ago I was skiing, cycling, hiking, doing just about every thing I ever did, even at 72. Now I can barely shuffle along. Pain every day, usually an 8. How about it, medical community?

carolynhughes75 | @carolynhughes75 | Mar 26 11:18am

In reply to @heisenberg34 "Those of us suffering from severe, painful neuropathy just wish that the medical community would do..." + (show)

The only thing that helps, even though it only temporarily masks the pain, is a cream called Willow Balm. I get it from Tractor Supply but you can find it on the internet. Try it. Couldn't hurt.