I took baclofen for about a year until I had a bad reaction to my copaxone injections which sent me running crying to the doctor. I thought the baclofen was working, I certainly wasn't going to complain. Sure I woke up to many a Charlie horse, and yeah I got spasms so bad at times you could actually see the muscles twisting and jumping under the skin like a pair of feisty puppies under a blanket. But it was helping...

Thankfully I did have such a horrible reaction to the copaxone since then I got to learn what 'relaxed' muscles were probably for the first time in my life. They switched me to gabapentin which is a generic for neurotin and skelaxin (muscle relaxant). I started noticing relief just starting the gabapentin, but once I weaned off the baclofen and started the skelaxin... Whole new body for me! Though I still take a zanaflex at bedtime.

As far as pain pumps are concerned, I've known a small number of people who have had them 2 thought greatest thing since sliced bread! 2 said worst mistake they ever made never worked properly and they couldn't wait for the doctors to rip them out. And a handful of people who could have used them in terms of cutting back on oral medication but weren't good candidates because sensitivities.

Everybody and every body is different. And I don't know how many different meds you've tried before the baclofen. For me I took flexeril for about 2-3 years never feeling it was doing anything for me, but swallow the pill anyways... Switched to robaxin for another couple of years, thought it helped but still had major spasms that would lift me out of bed/chairs or send me crashing to the floor... Went on zanaflex, eh it was something... Did the baclofen for a year and again thought it was working... Neurotin and skelaxin ended up being my golden combination.

I'm completely narcotic free now, still have the odd day of spasisty (rainy days, extremely hot/humid days) but even my worst day now can't compare to my best day on baclofen and lortab. And I do still take a zanaflex at bedtime, so I sleep fitfully 90% of the time. And if I could avoid having myself cut open for a few months I might even be able to finish physical therapy and get a job at long last.

So it's really a matter of what you want to do. You can see if you're a good candidate for the pain pump and hopefully it works like a charm for you, or you can keep bouncing to the doctor trying this med and that med and varied combinations. There's really no way to say which is 'right' or 'better' for you. I realize that doesn't seem very helpful... So I guess the short answer is, my fingers are crossed for you, from one who has definitely been there, to the point of torn ligaments and tendons from the spasms, may you find something that helps!