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.

@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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You have to find a neurosurgeon or pain specialist that does the pain pump trial. They will look at your pain journey and evaluate you for a pain pump,

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@heisenberg34

You have to find a neurosurgeon or pain specialist that does the pain pump trial. They will look at your pain journey and evaluate you for a pain pump,

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Yes I'm seeing one now. He is going to try cortisone shots. Sur I've had this done before, But I'll try again see what happens. Works or it don't.

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What country is this please?

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How bad does your pain have to be before they’ll give you one ? I go to the pain clinic for the Tramadol I take but it doesn’t do much good I have gotten to where I lay around most days cause the pain is to much to let me clean house or go shopping I’m very depressed

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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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Interesting that you can determine your pain level from a 3 to 2.5
How do you measure your pain levels so accurately, especially when you are taking pain meds ?
For myself, determaining a pain level is a guess when taking anti-inflams & pain meds.

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It's good to know that someone has an effective pain pump.
I read bad stories about them in the past.
I have been taking oxycodone for 25 years.
I will talk to a PM Dr at the next appt about getting one..
I'm in fear of having additional vertabrea fused.

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@tresemae

Yes I'm seeing one now. He is going to try cortisone shots. Sur I've had this done before, But I'll try again see what happens. Works or it don't.

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Yes, I went down that road before..."let's try some more shots"; have you tried chiropractic?" I did 'em all. Having to wait in between visits drives me crazy. The second shot of the trial worked really well. But, then, I had to wait a month before I could get in to have the surgery done. Frustrating.

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@heisenberg34

Yes, I went down that road before..."let's try some more shots"; have you tried chiropractic?" I did 'em all. Having to wait in between visits drives me crazy. The second shot of the trial worked really well. But, then, I had to wait a month before I could get in to have the surgery done. Frustrating.

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I've had them all. Yes the waiting I'm still waiting 2 weeks now. Total of a couple months. This is crazy. I'm just about ready to go back on my opioids just what I wanted ahha, That's why I was thinking of having the pump. This will never quit hurting or go away. Very Tiresome.

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Ya it makes a person wonder how the Dr determines how much pain you're in before they say yes to the implant compared to someone with cancer that does even have to go through a trial period before they get theirs. How much medication your taking and or your diagnosis..

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