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← Return to Intrathecal Pain Pump
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Hi, everyone. Heisenberg34 again. I am getting my pain pump refilled today. As a reminder, the pump has not given me any relief in two and a half years EXCEPT for one day about 7 weeks ago. I just had my output increased again and also given six boluses. The day after my appointment I had just given myself a bolus in the afternoon. In about thirty minutes, I was walking down the hallway and suddenly noticed that ALL the pain in the back of my legs, ankles, and feet had disappeared. It was amazing. I thought I had finally reached the magic number for my pump. I was ecstatic. Then, the next day, I got out of bed and the pain relief was gone. All the pain returned. I guess what I am asking is what output have you had to reach in order to get lasting pain relief. I'll ask the nurse tomorrow where I am at. How high can I go? Here's what I do know. The trial dropped my pain from about a 7 down to an 2. So, the hydromorphone works. I got a day of good pain relief, so the pump is able to do what it's supposed to do. Dye test confirmed that the medication is going to the intrathecal space. Please help me out, fellow pain pump users. How high did you have to go? Thanking you all in advance.
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@heisenberg34 I’ve had the pump for 8 years and just had it replaced with the 40ml unit. The Medtronic rep at my first implant didn’t have any 40’s, so I got a 20. And monthly refill trips. My trial was with morphine. After the 6 week dry out. She injected 250 mcg. (A 1/4 of a milligram!) within minutes, I was dancing in the hallway with my cane like Gene Kelly singing in the rain. The trial dropped my pain from a 9 to a 1 ! When I went for my first refill it was 275 mcg. And that wore off pretty fast. 8 years later, I’m on 12.1 mg./day. Four 2.5 bolus’s and 1.97 continuous. I went from 8 to 6. How I long for a level 4. My first doc was very conservative and it took over 18 months to be titrated properly. I have a high tolerance for morphine and pain. But my 6 turns to a 7+ at night and a strong 8 on rainy days with a low pressure barometer. At the time I got it, hydromorphone was not acceptable in a pump. But at 40x the strength of morphine I’m going to ask my doctor to plan on switching meds. The best part for me is now I have a full 2 months between refills! And I’m in PT which has to hurt before it helps. If he won’t change to the Dilaudid then it’s another 15% increase in 6 months. Unfortunately I live in the MS/TN border and all health care is in Memphis and it’s awful.