Pain pump question

I have several different pain sources on my body:
- sacrum
- S2, S3 (left side of sacrum)
- Coccyx
- rectum (pudendal nerve pain)
- L3, L4, L5
- T4, T5

Can one catheter deal with all those different pain sources? *Or is it because *the meds are placed into the spinal cord directly that their effect is systemic? *Somewhat similar to taking pain meds orally.

I have not had my pain pump trial yet and I am hoping it will work.*

Under what cases does it fail to work, when it fails?

Comments, thoughts?

Thanks!

I went a looking for you, discovering an historical to present day article here http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2080496/ which tends to demonstrate a single catheter approach from a single pump. A number of meds, approaches, and uses are described, the most effective being for the management of pain associated with cancer. Yes, the article demonstrates positioning of the catheter into the spinal space and it would seem such an approach may bring systemic aid as in our oral ingestion of meds discussed on the forum for pain management.

God Bless,
Mark56

Thank you for that link Mark!

Hi Mage - those are some excellent questions. From what I understand about the pump, is that yes, they would cover several sources of pain. Some pain meds won't do much good for neuropathies and vice versa. The neat thing about it is that your Dr can mix up a certain cocktail for your reservoir to tailor to your needs.
This is just 'my' understanding tho and I don't claim to know much.

Oh please stick around and let us know what your Dr tells you. I'd really like to know more about the pumps.

When is your trial going to be?
It's grea to hear from you again!

Rae

Thanks very much for your replies! *Mark, that is pretty much what I thought myself, that it would be similar to the systemic relief you get when you take oral meds.*

I wonder why the pain pump wouldn't work for some people?*

Any idea how the doctor would determine the initial dosage for your trial? *It would be based in your current oral dosage, right?

Thanks for the thoughts!

MC

Agreed!! Thanks, Mark! Interesting article.

I don't know yet. I keep waiting to hear from the psychologist who is supposed to interview me. He was supposed to have called yesterday.

MC

When I looked into a pain pump, prior to the spinal cord stimulators, I was informed by the dr. that the amount of medicine one gets via the pain pump is way less than one takes orally as it goes right into the system and doesn't have to go through the stomach etc. Supposedly the amount you get is pretty small and thus less side effects than one gets from taking it orally.

He also told me that sometimes they have to play around to find the right doseage and combination of meds. once the pain pump is implanted. Some get straight morphine, some get straight dilaudid, and others get some other meds. added in, probably as potentiators.

He told me to go get a spinal cord stimulator for my particular needs as he said you pretty much marry the dr. who gives you the pain pump unless you can find another who'll take over your case.

This is all I knows..hope it helps a little

He told me to go get a spinal cord stimulator for my particular needs as he said you pretty *much marry the dr. who gives you the pain pump unless you can find another who'll take over your case.*

My pain doc told me the same thing. Can anyone clarify just exactly what that means? *What if you need to move to another city?

That last bit of advice was a good bit of wisdom, because back when Bobinjeffmo was writing about his pump, it seemed the refill bit would be a forever thing. It sounded kinda time consuming...... besides,,,,,, yer already married [did ya feel me pull yer leg? Long Distance?]

Still praying for Mage and Fiona, yup pain takes a bunch of prayer,
Mark56

You would attempt through your pain management doc to secure a referral to a specialist in the new city familiar with the procedure, the use, the particular prescription of the meds to fill the pump, then you would get acquainted with someone new to refill the pump from time to time. There are solutions to most anything..... that is... unless you are moving to YellowKnife, Canada. [It is kinda remote]

Yup,
Mark56

When I asked my Dr about the pump, he said "Nope, I don't 'do' those because it would mean we are 'married'" Meaning, the monthly visits to get refills and other 'maintenance' would pretty much deem us 'attached at the hip' because of the commitment it involves. Frankly, my doc is too 'busy' to make that kind of commitment....mainly because I live in a rural area and he is the only doctor around who does the SCS's and other surgeries, block injections, etc. ......and he's very 'cocky' about it too!

As far as moving, it may or may not be a hassle - depending where you are planning to move. If it would be to a rural area (such as mine) then that might pose a problem and you'd have to drive a long distance to get to a Dr who does this. But it can be done.

Rae