Pain pump, I have one, how about one for you?

I am fused from T10 - S1 and the only thing that helps with relief is the Metronic’s pain pump. The downside, I just learned is morphine creates shallow breathing and the long term (a few years) probably is the lungs lose capacity. Currently I have both the Metronic’s pain pump and stimulator; the stimulator is less effective and always needs charging. I am going back to my doctor this Friday and will tell him to remove the stimulator; oh this Friday is my 64th birthday but I can lose some lung function for good pain relief. I hope this helps someone!

What has been anyone's experience with this form of pain relief, especially with pain surrounding the torso and rectal areas?

Hi Ken, You may have noticed that I moved your question about getting pain relief around the torse and rectal areas with an intrathecal pain pump to this existing discussion. I did this so you can easily connect with @bear338 @bob57 @kenyalama @cbrackle @ess77 and others, read their experiences and ask questions.

Ken, have you had a consult with a provider about the possibility of an intrathecal pain pump helping with your pain?

Thank you and I have had the Pain Doctor put the idea forward as perhaps the next step in pain management, because I have not had much success w/ the meds, therapy, etc.

Hello @grannyhowdo. I can see you are interested in connecting with others who have a pain pump so have moved your post into an existing discussion on pain pumps.

I'd like to bring in members such as @wsh66 @gcranor and @geocpts who have all recently been apart of the discussion to share their experience with you.

On a scale from 1-10, what was your pain prior to the installation of the pump versus after?

My pain level was 5 to 6 average; it is currently at the same level with additional pain in the right hip and leg. I have had an additional fusion last may due to urinary issues. The implanted stimulator and pain pump is keeping the pain between 5 to 6 (6 after/during walking 1.4 miles).

Before it was abut a 4/5 that is with 15 mg morphine every 4 hrs. Plus 15 mg extended real ease twice a day. It’s now about a7/8 I still have some surgery pain where they put the pump in.I saw the Dr. last week. He told me to hang in there a while longer, as I was ready to have it removed and go back to the oral medicine. He bumped the dose up and said they could keeep adjusting the dose until I was getting good results.

You have both a meds pump and a stimulator? I have only the pump. The testing for the stimulator was a fail. I never heard of having both and the stimulator is always the docs first choice. No drugs. It's important that a pain doc follows your case and makes use of the info they download from your pump and adjusts dose as needed.

I started with the pump which helps and now both; the goal is to reduce the pump and then remove it. I don’t believe that is going to happen; as the stimulator is only helpful!

Who manages your pump? Have they tried adjusting the dose? What meds are they putting in the pump? Did they test the drug in your pump for how well it worked for you. These are all important questions and I like to help. If your bring managed by a person who is trying to get their name lower on the who prescribes the most narcotics list you may not be getting appropriate care. This stuff happens. My doc tried to dump me for that reason but fortunately he hada conscious to appeal to. Did the pump ever work well for you? They need to test the med they use on you on you directly. Genesight Testing csn help with that. Morphine didn't work for me but Dilaudid works like a charm. Every so often he has to raise the dose a fraction of a milligram. Magic. You got the pump, demand that they make it work.