Greetings, fellow pain pump users (and those contemplating such a device). I have been a frequent commenter here and would like to pose a very important question. Since I have had no pain relief from my pump in almost three years, I have to wonder what's going on. Trial by injection with hydromorphone went great, dropping my pain down to about a 2. I currently stand at 3.5 mg/24 hours with six boluses of .35 mg each. After my last increase of ten percent, I notice that, after giving myself the fifth bolus, the pain in my feet seems to decrease quite a bit. Not every time, but often. My PM doc keeps telling me that I am already on a high dose, which is true. But, there others here on Mayo Connect who are at a higher level. I believe that I may need to go even higher to get pain relief. By the time I give myself the fifth bolus, it is usually late in the day (there is a two hour wait in between boluses. I am not sure the doc will give me a higher dose.
So, is there a problem with the catheter placement? Was it put in a less than optimal position. I had the pump checked under fluoroscopy a month or so ago. Everything checked out okay. I have seen some here saying that the placement of the catheter is best checked using a CT scan. I know this is a lengthy post and somewhat rambling, but I need some input. My PM doc is not very forth-coming with information or other suggestions. H always seems to be in a hurry to move on to the next patient. Thank you all for being such a help to me. I wish you all a blessed day.