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Intrathecal Pain Pump

Posted by duckski44 @duckski44, Jun 21 5:02pm

I’ve have an intrathecal pain pump for many years, just trying to connect with others that have this device to chat with people about effectiveness and drug therapies.

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heisenberg34 | @heisenberg34 | 1 day ago
In reply to @bilt4pain "@heisenberg34 I’ve had the pump for 8 years and just had it replaced with the 40ml..." + (show)
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@heisenberg34 I’ve had the pump for 8 years and just had it replaced with the 40ml unit. The Medtronic rep at my first implant didn’t have any 40’s, so I got a 20. And monthly refill trips. My trial was with morphine. After the 6 week dry out. She injected 250 mcg. (A 1/4 of a milligram!) within minutes, I was dancing in the hallway with my cane like Gene Kelly singing in the rain. The trial dropped my pain from a 9 to a 1 ! When I went for my first refill it was 275 mcg. And that wore off pretty fast. 8 years later, I’m on 12.1 mg./day. Four 2.5 bolus’s and 1.97 continuous. I went from 8 to 6. How I long for a level 4. My first doc was very conservative and it took over 18 months to be titrated properly. I have a high tolerance for morphine and pain. But my 6 turns to a 7+ at night and a strong 8 on rainy days with a low pressure barometer. At the time I got it, hydromorphone was not acceptable in a pump. But at 40x the strength of morphine I’m going to ask my doctor to plan on switching meds. The best part for me is now I have a full 2 months between refills! And I’m in PT which has to hurt before it helps. If he won’t change to the Dilaudid then it’s another 15% increase in 6 months. Unfortunately I live in the MS/TN border and all health care is in Memphis and it’s awful.

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@bilt4pain That’s great information. I wish I had done more research prior to getting the trial. I would have asked all those important questions regarding how much I was getting. I was on the verge of getting the pump removed until I started looking into all those amounts. That was when I discovered how low I was even after sixteen months. So, going up again. Not sure what my current level is. At my last refill, the nurse told me that I was at about 1.9 mg. I guess that’s per day. I’ve had it increased by ten percent and fifteen percent a few times so I don’t know where I am currently.
I have seen others on this site way up there, so I’m not too worried about going higher. I guess I’m fortunate to be able to get my output adjusted every two to four weeks.
Let’s try and keep each other updated if I can remember. lol. Thanks again!

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morkat | @morkat | 19 hours ago
In reply to @duckski44 "I’m curious, which joint was replaced 7 times? I’ve had my L hip replaced 7 times..." + (show)
Profile picture for duckski44 @duckski44

I’m curious, which joint was replaced 7 times? I’ve had my L hip replaced 7 times due to dislocation issues and muscular instability, the final result is a stable joint now, but terrible muscle pain issues, my pump is maxed out with dilaudid, so my Dr also gives me oral dilaudid which makes life tolerable.

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@duckski44

I had 7 different joints done. Neck front and back, lumbar spine, both knees and both hips and the grand finale right shoulder replacement. Whew!

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