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

Posted by Stephen @wsh66, Nov 9, 2018

I have had an implanted pain pump in my abdomen for about 18 months. It is a miracle. I get a total of 4.764 mgs. of Dilaudid, If I administer all of the 10 extra micro does I can have in 24 hours. If I don't use those extra doses I get 2.74 mgs. over 24 hours. The effect is 300 times more effective than if I took the same dose orally. I go to my doctors office every 3 months to have the pump refilled. I'm there for about 15 minutes. The actual process of refilling the pump takes no more than 5 minutes and is painless. No prescriptions to worry about, no one wondering if I'm misusing or selling my pain meds, no one making me feel like a drug addict or a criminal. In our current climate this is even more important than it was two years ago. Many Doctors want nothing to do with pain patients or writing scripts for pain meds. I know many of you have been there. This method is especially good for back issues as the drug is delivered via a catheter which runs up my spin. Yes, I still have pain but it's pain I can live with. If your Doctor doesn't know about this or doesn't want to do it contact a pain clinic. The Doctor who put mine in is a Neurosurgeon. If you have any questions please respond.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Chronic Pain Support Group.

Wish I would have seen this. I should pay closer attention lol. I just posted about this. I’m getting my pump Tuesday and could sure use someone’s perspective who’s been through it. Thank you!!

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@mutter3

Wish I would have seen this. I should pay closer attention lol. I just posted about this. I’m getting my pump Tuesday and could sure use someone’s perspective who’s been through it. Thank you!!

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No regrets here. I had a pain pump put in last November. It has reduced my base level pain by about 20% (from a 3 to a 2.5) and completely eliminated the spikes in pain that felt like electrical shocks. I am still working with my pain management doctor to increase my dosage to get the maximum result.

I have taken a lot of Opioids pills over the last four years for Sciatica, namely Morphine, Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Dilaudid and Tramadol. I had the best relief from Dilaudid and so that is what is in my lump.

Best wishes

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@karenmcgarvey1135

No regrets here. I had a pain pump put in last November. It has reduced my base level pain by about 20% (from a 3 to a 2.5) and completely eliminated the spikes in pain that felt like electrical shocks. I am still working with my pain management doctor to increase my dosage to get the maximum result.

I have taken a lot of Opioids pills over the last four years for Sciatica, namely Morphine, Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Dilaudid and Tramadol. I had the best relief from Dilaudid and so that is what is in my lump.

Best wishes

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Thank you. I was on either morphine or dilaudid from 2008-2016. Had to stop while hospitalized with rhabdomylosis, congestive heart failure, double pneumonia and thrush. I don’t remember those 3 weeks in ICU. Then to rehab hospital for another month. This was in another city. By the time I got home the opiod crisis had struck and I couldn’t get back on meds. I have been without anything except the occasional Tramadol which doesn’t help. Went through five pump trials and 3 years of battling insurance and was just about ready to give up when I got approved two weeks ago. Any amount of pain reduction will be a welcomed relief.

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@donfeld

Who is the manufacturer of your pump and you know of any here in Florida Central like Lakeland Florida?

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I just had the Medtronics pump surgically implanted yesterday. Surgery went well. Minimal incision pain. You should go to the Medtronics website and do a search for available reps in the Lakeland area. I believe Medtronics is a nationwide company. My Medtronics spinal cord stimulator worked well for about three years.

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What was your average daily pain level prior to and after getting the pump installed and properly adjusted? I just had mine implanted yesterday. I was at a daily pain level of between 6 to 8, sometimes approaching a 9 on some days. I would gladly settle for a 2 or a 3, enabling me to get back to doing daily chores again.

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@karenmcgarvey1135

No regrets here. I had a pain pump put in last November. It has reduced my base level pain by about 20% (from a 3 to a 2.5) and completely eliminated the spikes in pain that felt like electrical shocks. I am still working with my pain management doctor to increase my dosage to get the maximum result.

I have taken a lot of Opioids pills over the last four years for Sciatica, namely Morphine, Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Dilaudid and Tramadol. I had the best relief from Dilaudid and so that is what is in my lump.

Best wishes

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I would kill (not literally, of course) for a daily pain level of 2 or 3. I just had my pump installed yesterday and set to the lowest possible setting. I had gotten up to a daily level of 7 or 8. Did you have to have your pump readjusted sometime after surgery. I will be going back for my first (and hopefully only) adjustment.

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@wsh66

You would have to test the meds orally before knowing how they will work. Dilaudid is powerful stuff, much more so than Morphine or Oxycontin. I'm not sure what long term side effects you're talking about. The dose is tiny. I have no problem with constipation. The does would never be enough to get you high so I wouldn't worry about addiction although my Doctor say if my pump failed, I would know it had failed because I would experience withdrawal. I not sure that I would. I gone off meds and had big big decreases in med overnight and never experienced withdrawal. Increased dose level. We turned my pump up several times to get the right dose but are not increasing it anymore. One thing you don't need to be concerned with is the fog that comes with high doses of opioids. Is this the last resort? If you have back issues that a surgeon cannot fix, if you are going to be in pain for the rest of your life, I would say this is the first choice. It was the last resort for me because I had done Thousands of hours of PT, I had taken many different drugs, narcotic and non narcotic and my back was too bad for surgery. I was taking the equivalent of 320 mgs. of oxycontin a day and getting little relief, my life was not really worth living. I was tested for the electrical stimulator and that was ruled out so the pump was the next step. I am not experiencing any side effects that I am aware of. My pump will have to be replaced approximately every 5 years. Who knows by the time I get the one it may be one that lasts forever. More questions? Just ask.

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Did you have to get an evaluation before you got the pain pump sugary?

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i have fibromyalgia does it qualify to have pain pump surgery? I have been on high dose medications and have failed taking the opioids. I need a higher dose but pain management refused so I would run out having to self-medicate.

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@tresemae

i have fibromyalgia does it qualify to have pain pump surgery? I have been on high dose medications and have failed taking the opioids. I need a higher dose but pain management refused so I would run out having to self-medicate.

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I don't think insurance will pay for a pump for fibro.

I live with pain and kind of thank god I'm allergic to opioids of all kinds. Takes away all decisions and instantly makes me not a drug seeker. I self inject toridol, a strong antiinflammatory when needed, about 4 times a year.

You might ask for one shot and see if it helps. They gladly give it in the er. Its not a med to remove pain for a few hours. Literally a very strong anti-inflammatory so it's not only taking me away pain it's actually helping your body. Anti-inflammatory diet is next on my list. Hard to afford good food.

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Well seen the surgeon yesterday and he wants to do cortisone shots in my neck. I think I have had that done already but what have I got to loose. I've had so many different diagnosis it is not funny. 2 surgeons say I need surgery and 2 say there is nothing they can do with it. That I'm full of arthritis. on and on. Compression fracture, ostyoarthritis, stenosis,,, All I know is I'm not good at taking opiods I run out before i should. Because I have been on the same dose for over 5 years. Well waiting to go have the shots again and see if it works for me. Wish you all the luck.

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