Morphine pumps are decided based off of a test where they check you into the hospital overnight. They then inject you with morphine directly into the spinal fluid. You'll know right then and there if it works. If it does like it did me, I was actually crying it felt so good to have the pain ease off to such an immense degree. You're kept in the hospital since morphine does/might/could have some rather nasty side effects such as slowing down your breathing and heart muscle that can be rather detrimental.

My pump has changed my life, but it's not a panacea and so if someone thinks that they'll get rid of all their pain if they just get a pump, they're usually very sad the with end results. It works very well for modulating pain so you don't have the severe highs and lows, but it's not a silver bullet. It's also not cheap, so there has to be a ton of well documented medical paperwork showing the need after all other options have usually been exhausted. They're rather large and annoying, but when you're trying to get the pain to ease up no matter what it takes, then and only then do I think that this should be looked at seriously.

The most horrific story I ever read was about a person who lied during the test about it helping ease the pain when it really hadn't, they got so wrapped up in knowing they had to have one. Then it was installed (because the doctor has been told the test had worked) and then the patient complained it wasn't working. In this persons case, I doubt if it ever will. If you have the test and you notice a considerable backing off of pain, then it just might be the wonderful solution that can give back to you as much life as it has me. Best of luck, Bob.