Pain Pump quit working

[crawfish007]

Hello everyone,  ive experienced opiate withdrawalas in the past quite a few times and it was no picnic, this is when I was on oral meds, opana, oxycontin etc. ive had 5 back surgeries and still suffer.  well I couldn't control the pain pills so I had two spinal cord stimulators and a morphine pain pump installed approx. 7 years ago and the pain control has been fantastic until 3 days ago,, the informed that my pumps life is near its end and I have approx. 7 months left on the battery.  well, its funny because I just saw the dr on the 10th of this month  and 2 days later I started experiencing severe withdrawl symptoms, and they were freaking awful.  I was at a hunting alone , way the hell back in the woods, my generator, which powered my camp died, I had no heat.  I had suboxone at home which was 2.5 hours away, but you know how it is when youre in full blown withdrawls, sweating, vomiting, diarrhea etc and its 40 degrees outside. its hard to get anything done.  well after 2 days of suffering I made it home. I was a wreck, I took half of a suboxone,  then 45 min later another half.. these pills are at least 7 years old..  I was informed that my pump should of been beeping, however im hard of hearing and didn't have my hearing aids in.  ive never heard my pump beep.  I know for sure I went through withdrawls..  I always smell a weird smell, sounds stupid but it happens ,, has anyone had any issues with their pain pump,  I called my doctor like she said to do,, and she said , go to the ER..  its the weekend I cant do anything for you now.   lmao..  pathetic aint it.  apparently they've never been through withdrawals..  sorry about the long story, any feedback would be helpfull

[Muddyasain]

My wifes pump stopped working (it never has made a noise) she said she didn't feel good on Friday & came home early from work with a headache and went to bed. By Saturday she wasn't able to think or communicate clearly, was vomiting and had diarrhea (she forgot how to use a toilet) by 7:40 Saturday She had a seizure and then a heart attack (while home). I called 911 & They came and took her to the hospital. The hospital documented her as having a seizure which caused her heart attack due to lack of medication. The pain clinic refuses to admit that the pump is not working and now doesn't want to see her anymore. They said all they could do was turn it off. When she asked them what to do about the withdrawals they did they offered her a week's worth of Tylenol 3. She made them give her an order for an x-ray to see if a catheter maybe kinked, slipped out of place, or leaking. She's only been out of the hospital for 5 days & the morphine they gave her to take at home (5 days worth) until she could get into see the doctor at the pain clinic is gone. She knows she's about to go threw it all again & is going to the ER so when it starts she already their. She's had the pump about 7 years & it has done wonder's for her pain (until it stopped working). She wasn't even examined when she went to her pain doctor, begging them to help her.

[mombojombo]

Boy, that's rough and dangerous.  How is she doing since you posted this? I think if she will not get pain medication prescribed for the foreseeable future, she needs to professionally detox. Under doctor supervision. I'd look into where she can go. Treatment centers offer this (I know, she's a pain patient and not an addict but this is in her best interest to live through this). You can see what other place you can work with if this one refuses to see her. What is their allegation against her to stop seeing her?

[42069]

We have gotten ahold of Flowonix (the ones who made her pump). Their going to call us back & we're going to ask that they send a representative down to check on it, as we no longer trust the pain clinic to be honest with us after the way she was treated. Her family doctor did prescribe her some Norco's but she's calling him Monday. The 3 a day don't quite do it but 4 do. She seams almost back to herself but is very weak & still has the clammy cold sweat's. If Flowonix can't offer help or a direction for us to go then we will be contacting FDA as they are heavily watching the pumps for issues or possible need of recalls

[42069]

The pain clinic called us to set up an appointment to talk about replacing the pump. They are going to replace it within the next 10 days. They also did a drug test on her (which is the 1st one since she's had the pump). The test came back and showed she had No morphine in her system. Which means the pump &/or catheter are not working. Even though all their equipment says there's nothing wrong & its working as it should be.

[backhurtz]

Hoping this solves the issues she’s having. It is possible the catheter has a build up clogging the tip or it kinked somehow. Let us know how she makes out.

[bill2148]

I had my Flowonix pump in for nine months and it quit no alarm. No nothing it quit on a Thursday and I could not get a new one till Tuesday. So I had to eat morphine pills until then to this date they still can’t tell me why the pump quit they said it was working fine. I said if it was working fine why did it quit? And why did I spend six days of going through withdraws my new one now is about seven years old so it’s due to start beeping. I hope it beeps. . six days of going through withdraws my new one now is about seven years old so it’s due to start beeping. I hope it beeps.

[Jsmiles_131]

Omg! I have a pain pump the same thing happened to me in 2019, my pump stopped working no alarm went off I was having severe pain and withdrawals, I had to wait 6 days until surgery to replace the pump and after they replaced it they had to start at the lowest dose, 4 days of dancing with the devil (no exaggeration) right now I'm having withdraws again my pump is supposed to be filled in 6 days I can't wait any longer, I have a heart and lung condition and if my pump stopped I'm going to die..I'm getting the same resistance from doc, it's the weekend I can't help you, well they sure can take the money we pay them to stay safe! I found out from a nurse that fills my pump that the medication can go bad so I usually get my pump refilled 3 weeks early she said the company that makes the pump will deny it to the end but this is ridiculous! I can barely walk where is the justice? We're not asking for anything more than to not suffer.

[Vikingmom]

Hi just got on here hope your still on here what happen with pump. I just started having with drawels its like its not in the right place or something. They said its on. But everything changed for me pain is at 9 to 10 when up. Was 6 to 8 before feeling like with drawels. What did you end up doing?

[crawfish007]

Hey Vikingmom, I haven't been on these forums in quite some time.. well my withdrawals continued to get worse.  I called them my episodes with the devil.  They'd last 36-48 hours of hell and at the most I lost 9 lbs during one episode, hot flashes and sweat like you've never seen.   They changed my pump, 2 months after ,,,more episodes (withdrawal feelings). I ended up having 4 more back surgeries since original post.  Had the pain pump removed and the episodes stopped.  I got on Suboxone afterwards and have been good since.  I quit all opiates.  They seem to think I was having some type of allergic reaction to the morphine.. They even checked to see if the cathoter was blocked or kinked , but all was good.. had both spinal cord stims removed as well.

[Tuckamore]

Hello Crawfish,

Some astute moderator appropriately moved your post to our Pain Management Forum at MedHelp. Welcome.

I am so sorry to hear about the issues you are experiencing with your Pain Pump. I don't have one and can't offer you first hand information. I do have first hand knowledge about Chronic Pain - I get it - as all of us do on this forum. Some of us have also been through W/D (withdrawals). They are worst than the pits I'm told. My heart goes out to you.

Are your SCS still functioning? Is your pain tolerable with the SCS - of the severe W/D?

I don't know about the "smell" with W/D - but every time I have an infection - anyway in my body I can smell and taste it. I know that sounds crazy but I've never been wrong. I believe you when you say you can smell something unique.

Somehow, someway you have to get yourself to an emergency room. If you have to call a friend, a neighbor or a cab - please get yourself to ER. It's the only place you're going to get some help on a weekend.

Please let us know how you are doing - and how you are this morning. You may well be over the worse of the W/D if you're in your fifth day - but I'm unclear exactly what day this is for you.

Baths, especially in Epsom Salts can be helpful, keeping well hydrated, staying active like going for walks and trying to focus else where can help. I'll be here most of the day - and if needed tonight too. I'll watch for your next post on this thread. Please let us hear from you.

Take Care my Friend in Pain,
~Tuck

[jifmoc]

Hi, I'm sorry for your troubles and I don't mean this to be callous, but this is a substance abuse forum. Folks on here are trying desperately to get off opiates and other things. I doubt you will find an answer here.  If you need help w/ withdrawls, check out the Thomas recipe, that may help until you get your situation resolved. Good luck to you.

[Jsmiles_131]

We are reaching out everywhere! Please don't insult us we're suffering just like you are, we're dependent just like you.