confused about pain pump
 

Well I spoke with my PM doc re the pump and it did not go well. Since i am practically no meds (just one vicodine a day) he felt it was an extreme step to take. When I told him that I can't tolerate oral meds, he basically said the effects would be the same in the pump. He really felt I was no were near where I have to be to get the pump but in the end he agreed he would discuss the trial with me after I thought about it for a while. He brought up possible bad side effects like infection. The trial would be a catheter in my spine connected to some sort of IV. A 5 day inpatient stay. Now I am so confused and sad.....help me think this thru!

Debbie, Long Island,NY

PS - Why haven't more of you thought about the pain pump???

Well, there's this:

Mortality Associated with Implantation and Management of Intrathecal Opioid Drug Infusion Systems to Treat Noncancer Pain, Coffey RJ, Owens ML, Broste SK, et al, Anesthesiology 2009;111:881-891, full text at http://www.rsds.org/2/library/articl...L_BrosteSK.pdf

Hi Debbie
 

This is a VERY good question to bring up!
It would be an excellent thread to start at the SCS/Pain Pump forum

Here is the direct link:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/fo...ysprune=&f=118

Good Luck
Rae
:hug:

Regarding why more of us haven't inquired about it.......

For me, having doctors directly accuse me or indirectly imply, that I was just looking for narcotics is a memory that I would prefer not to relive by asking for a bag o'morphine to be implanted (Yes, I get that you don't get 'high' from an intrathecal infusion), but I am now reluctant to ask for anything.

That's not saying I never will ask, but at this point I have a few more options to pursue before getting to that one.

Debbie,
Please, Forget what you've heard.
You may be tolerating what you take now, well.
That doesn't mean that you don't need more help.
But,
your doctors need to have a platform to judge from.
For what you take, to jump to a pain pump, may be an extreme step for them.

I hear SO MANY of us hating the Stimulator, vs. the Pain pump.
I wouldn't even try a Stimulator, because I personally know, so many who've had it taken out!

But the pain pump is different.
Check out all the facts for yourself!
There is another thread on this site to do that.

I wish only the best for you!

If I hadto go one way or the other, I'd surely choose the pump!

Hope you're well!

Pete

asb