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

I've had my pump for 5 years. First please understand that your current dose is tiny. 3 x 5 mg. If any more is too much you are on the wrong dose. You can have Gene testing done to determine which meds you can matabolize or digest without problems. You get tested via a spinal inection to see if a given drug works. If one doesn't work they should try another. Morphine failed for me. Hydromorphone is much stronger and worked well.

I keep thinking about your current dose. When I got my pump after several surgeries was taking 220 mgs. of oxycontin, 32 mgs. of dilaudid plus 20 mg. of Valium each day and it wasn't working. I had to be declared a palliative patient and meet with a psychiatrist and a physiatrist to make sure I wasn't an addict and was not mentally ill. The surgery requires a good neurosurgeon as they threaded a catheter up you spine.

Life is livable and enjoyable but I am disabled by pain. Can walk short distances with a cane or behind a grocery cart. If I just stand or walk I will be in too much pain to continue. I have adjusted my environment and home to allow me to do out things sitting down or leaning on a stool.

The best part of the pump is no side affects from the drug. You don't digest it before
it helps you. Nothing is perfect. Oral narcotics only work for so long. Mine were failing miserably. Now I get 5 to 6 mgs. of hydromrphone every 24 hours. 1 mg. is controlled by me with a remote. 10 doses via a remote control, limited to 10 per 24 hours. Those 10 are .09 mgs. each.

I never had headaches.

I don't think you are ready for the pump if you are only taken. 3 doses of oxygen per day. That is a tiny dose. You are probably allergic to it if that is all you can tolerate. Finding pain management is harder than ever. I suggest seeing a pain specialist who understands narcotics. Then find a neurosurgeon who has done a lot of pumps. You need to also line up who will mange your pump
Every 10 to 12 weeks they put a templet on your tummy, insert a needle into the pump nipple and remove the old meds and then put in fresh meds. Then they download info from your pump.

The best we can do is make pain bearable. To that end we need to continue to do stretching and exercising hopefully with input from a good physical therapist. Even more important is maintaining mental health and doing everything we can to avoid or treat depression which includes a good diet and regular exercise. Nothing aggravates pain like depression.

I wish you the best of luck with this. If you have more questions don't hesitate to ask. Go online to Genesight.com and learn about Gene testing.

Love and Blessings Stephen

Welcome @en517dz, I'm sure Stephen @wsh66 had the same concern as you about whether or not the pain pump will at least lower the pain where you can function. I think that is what the trial is used to determine and adjust as needed. Hopefully you will get some relief soon. How soon is your pain pump trial scheduled?

I take Xtampza 9 mg in the morning and at bedtime along with my 15 mg of oxycodone. I was on OxyContin until our government forced Purdue Pharma into bankruptcy. The Xtampza does not work, the OxyContin did. I have had a gazillion rounds of PT, and injections which lasted 2 months, then I had to wait 6 months before my next shot. I’m borderline diabetic so steroids weren’t helping that. If I take 10 mg of oxycodone at one time, I am very dizzy and off balance like a drunk, can’t drive (I live alone). I hear you loud and clear about pain. Can’t stand more than 5 minutes without pain, can’t walk more than two houses down because of pain,, can’t bend to pick things up (use a grabber). This has been going on 8 years and basically I am a shut-in. Moved to a 55+ community and haven’t met anyone or gone to activities because of my back, knee and hip issues. Then at night, the spasms set in and I have to take Baclofen. I am tired of living like this (I’m sure you can relate) and believe me a pain pump was my last ditch choice (REFUSE spinal cord stimulator though my docs tried to talk me into it). I have rods, struts, bars and am fused from L2 to S1.

Your very correct about the pain stimulator it DOES NOT work. I was talked into by a memory doctor who thinks my pain pump is causing the memory list so he pushed for the stimulator and reduced the available pain pump meds, 6 months later I am in more pain and have surgery this coming Monday to remove the pain stimulator! Listen to for pain doc and not others who chase symptoms without really know what is truly wrong with my body. I am fused from S-1 to the first T level.

I have a medical background (45 years as a medical transcriptionist) and also did my homework and read about them (still have the print-outs to give to the pain management doc who is putting my pain pump in) and it was like the nightmare on Elm Street. People were getting burned by the battery packs, two people (of those reported to the FDA) are paralyzed in a wheelchair for the rest of their lives, people were in more pain than before they had the stimulator (your case), the device is know to misfire, shocking and jolting people, the leads and even new paddles break and migrate and this was an article by NBC news. The FDA had said more testing needs to be done on it. And I want this in my body? ABSOLUTELY NOT- I know doctors art trying to get people off opioids, it’s their mission, and that’s where we people fall into the cracks. We have legitimate agonizing, debilitating pain and we are treated like street drug addicts looking for a high. One pain clinic doc here in FL takes EVERYONE off opioids on their first visit. He belongs to an organization to stop the opioid epidemic.
You are doing the right thing tossing the stimulator!
Good luck to you, it’s an uphill battle, but God willing, we will win.

I talked with 3 people who had a spinal cord stimulator implanted. It was called a DRG and manufactured by Abbott industries. Two had a foot problem and one had a leg problem. One was an RN and she got 95% relief from foot pain. The other two had foot and leg pain. They all got significant pain relief. I did the trial about 5 weeks ago for chronic pain in my toes. It didn't help me but I had a different doctor. . I also have lower back pain that can exacerbate the pain in my toes from two prior surgeries. I now have a stump neuroma and another nerve is aggravated , I think it all comes down to the skill of the doctor. I've been told that SCS spinal cord stimulators are not that effective for back pain.

I've had my pump for 5 years. First please understand that your current dose is tiny. 3 x 5 mg. If any more is too much you are on the wrong dose. You can have Gene testing done to determine which meds you can matabolize or digest without problems. You get tested via a spinal inection to see if a given drug works. If one doesn't work they should try another. Morphine failed for me. Hydromorphone is much stronger and worked well.

I keep thinking about your current dose. When I got my pump after several surgeries was taking 220 mgs. of oxycontin, 32 mgs. of dilaudid plus 20 mg. of Valium each day and it wasn't working. I had to be declared a palliative patient and meet with a psychiatrist and a physiatrist to make sure I wasn't an addict and was not mentally ill. The surgery requires a good neurosurgeon as they threaded a catheter up you spine.

Life is livable and enjoyable but I am disabled by pain. Can walk short distances with a cane or behind a grocery cart. If I just stand or walk I will be in too much pain to continue. I have adjusted my environment and home to allow me to do out things sitting down or leaning on a stool.

The best part of the pump is no side affects from the drug. You don't digest it before
it helps you. Nothing is perfect. Oral narcotics only work for so long. Mine were failing miserably. Now I get 5 to 6 mgs. of hydromrphone every 24 hours. 1 mg. is controlled by me with a remote. 10 doses via a remote control, limited to 10 per 24 hours. Those 10 are .09 mgs. each.

I never had headaches.

I don't think you are ready for the pump if you are only taken. 3 doses of oxygen per day. That is a tiny dose. You are probably allergic to it if that is all you can tolerate. Finding pain management is harder than ever. I suggest seeing a pain specialist who understands narcotics. Then find a neurosurgeon who has done a lot of pumps. You need to also line up who will mange your pump
Every 10 to 12 weeks they put a templet on your tummy, insert a needle into the pump nipple and remove the old meds and then put in fresh meds. Then they download info from your pump.

The best we can do is make pain bearable. To that end we need to continue to do stretching and exercising hopefully with input from a good physical therapist. Even more important is maintaining mental health and doing everything we can to avoid or treat depression which includes a good diet and regular exercise. Nothing aggravates pain like depression.

I wish you the best of luck with this. If you have more questions don't hesitate to ask. Go online to Genesight.com and learn about Gene testing.

Love and Blessings Stephen

Metronic’s pain pump with the right Pain Doctor gives me enough pain relief (from a 8 to a 4) to enjoy almost everyday! I do not have brain fog with the Metronic’s implant!

Hi Stephen,
I have a couple questions about the placement for pump. Did you have any advise on we’re the pump is placed in abdomen, right verse left side ?
I’ve gone through canacer treatment and my right side is very weak. But I mainly sleep on my left side, did you have any information on which side is best?