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← Return to Intrathecal Pain Pump
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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.
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@bilt4pain Here I am again. After having my output increased many times, I am sitting at about 2,8 mg/24 hours with six boluses. I was expecting to get at least SOME relief at this point but no go. Just one crazy day about three months ago. It's as if the medication isn't quite reaching the spinal fluid. I had the pump checked out about a month ago. The pain doc told me that everything is working okay. Very odd. I'm wondering if you, or anyone with a pump, has had the catheter replaced. I have read about these things called granulomas forming at the tip of the catheter, preventing meds from reaching the intrathecal space. I am beginning to get desperate. Would appreciat any insights. Thanks to you and all those with chronic pain.
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@bilt4pain That’s great information. I wish I had done more research prior to getting the trial. I would have asked all those important questions regarding how much I was getting. I was on the verge of getting the pump removed until I started looking into all those amounts. That was when I discovered how low I was even after sixteen months. So, going up again. Not sure what my current level is. At my last refill, the nurse told me that I was at about 1.9 mg. I guess that’s per day. I’ve had it increased by ten percent and fifteen percent a few times so I don’t know where I am currently.
I have seen others on this site way up there, so I’m not too worried about going higher. I guess I’m fortunate to be able to get my output adjusted every two to four weeks.
Let’s try and keep each other updated if I can remember. lol. Thanks again!