Quote:
Originally Posted by daylilyfan
I wonder about the cost of the pump - since I am on Medicare now since I am on SSDI - and also the cost of the meds.
I don't want to try a SCS - to many horror stories, and a TENS drives me into a dark place by increasing pain.
Oral opiates don't even take the edge off the RSD for me. They help the fibro a bit but not the RSD.
I figured the pump might be the only option left to me, but don't think I can afford it.
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Daylily.....excuse my memory which is far from what is was and should be. Do you also have TOS ? I thought you were a TOS/RSD/fibro 'match' with me.
My TEN's would help me a lot with my TOS/RSD spot, but the RSD sweating makes it impossible to keep the leads on most days.
Myofascial release several years ago really opened up my ROM and I am able to keep that with gentle stretching. That has improved my L arm symptoms, so I am not a candidate for surgery for TOS. The original TOS pain (just to the left of T1) is my RSD spot too.
Oral opiates are my savior on the TOS/RSD. They do nothing for my fibro. Oral anti-inflammatories, menthol gels/rubs, Neurontin, and Cymbalta help with both, for me.
I'm anti SCS too after all I've read about it.
What is your medicare add on insurance ? I'd check with asking them if it's covered. I assumed that a implanted pain pump would definitely be covered by most insurance. It's not a newer/experimental treatment like ketamine. I imagined the biggest problem would be finding a doctor who would recommend it.