Originally Posted by dieslefumes

After years of chronic LBP and no relief from moderate care I was told an intrathecal pain pump was my best option. Went through the 3 day trial in the hospital. Some relief with morphine, not sure right now of the amount (mg) per day. At the end of 2nd day I was throwing up quite a bit, constipated and really struggling to urinate. Told my young pain doctor this when he came to "visit" on his daily rounds. Third day he came by I had taken phenegren, dolcolax, fleets..........having to sit (I'm a male) for 20 minutes or more to urinate. He says when he puts the pump in we can adjust the dosage or even change the type of drug being deliveredand he'll send me to a urologist. Then, without gloves on, he pulled the tape holding the catheter against my back off and just pulled the catheter out with a "snap"! Didn't even put a bandade on it.

Not a drop of blood or anything. How deep could it have been for me not to have been in pain when it was pulled, why no blood, why no bandage if the catheter was in my SCF?

Pump installed April 09. First catheter tip crushed during implant, second one in w/o incident. Had to have 2 blood patches done from fluid leakage and horrific head aches. In the hospital for the second headache/blood patch for 5 days.

On my first office visit after the implant (4 days later to check the staples) I told the nurse and the doctor I had a strange burning sensation just above my belt line and out to both hips. Not a word or concern from the doctor. Pain/sensation gets worse, and is moving up to my upper back/shoulder blades. Still no reaction from doctor.

fast forward.......December 09 pump removed because of drug(s) (several)reactions/intolerances.

For almost a 6 months now the (parathesia) sensations have now gone down into both knees and feet. The burning in my feet has made a grown man cry. I'm 57 and consider myself as tuff as a $2 steak. But this burning in my upper and lower back and feet has whipped me. PCM doesn't know, referred to another PM doc. Have had to go through his list of tests to include repeat of MRI's from October/November of 09, physical therapy work assessment, blood work, nerve conduction (also repeats of Nov 09) and a psych eval. Still waiting for floow-up with him (PM doc).

Am I depressed? Dang right I'm depressed. Not dangerously, but enough to make a grown man cry sometimes with pain/aggrevation. I worked 37 years and a few months (24 US Army and 13 FDOC) without the first day of unemployment until I retierd Feb 09. I used to be one of the most active 56 year olds you could hang with. Now I'm a "whinny boy". 37 years of hard work to retire with this?

I'm grasping at straws here today. Down the middle of my back feels like the skin has been peeled off and my T-shirt is rubbing against my raw flesh. From my knees down feels like I'm standing in scalding hot water or at best a severe sunburn.

I've taken almost every kind of pain pill and even amitriptylene without the first bit of relief. Currently taking loritab 10/500 4/day and nucynta 100 4 times/day with the loritab. I get light headed and sometimes nauseated, but the burning never subsides. Sleep (good sleep) over an hour at the time is a thing of the past. Take 0.5 mg of triazolam and still don't sleep.

Besides euthenasia(sp), does anyone have any shred of advice or similar symptoms?

thanks in advance,
d-fumes