morphine pump implant

[Terry5256]

Has anyone had a pump implanted and has it helped? I' dissapointed as to the results. I take morphine sulfate for breakthrough pain. I'm just at a loss at what to do anymore.

[Sheba2233]

I can’t tell you what to do, but I have it. When the doctor put it in, I was still having pain, come to find out they put it in up side down, so they had to put a new one in and it works great! I have morphine in it and yes I go back into the office to get it read and if I need it a little higher for delivery. I don’t get high from it just relief. But I would do it again if I had to. I have been house ridden for over 8 years until I got the pump. Worth it. I have failed back surgeries, RSD, Lupus,  connective tissue disease, among others. Chronic pain!
Good luck to relief pain down the road!!

[Tuckamore]

Your comment is appreciated and important to us. This thread is 6 years old, last comment was 3 years ago. I don't think the posters are active. Please begin a new thread/question. It will get better visibility and more responses.

I'm glad that traction worked for you. I'd like to hear more from you in a new thread. Please share with us whict choice you're making, pump or surgery - and why.

Thanks,
~Tuck

[strongjohn]

Try traction it work for me. had l3-4 fused surgery made things worse traction and deep tissue massage Iam John hi have Rolfing it hurts to have done it helps a lot. Am now had C3-5 fused plate.Then had T6-T11 fused rods,  Just had mri lumbar doctor said either get a pain pump of have surgery fuse what left of lumbar guess it comes with age and beating your self up at the gym heave squats deadlifts etc

[LifeChanging4]

I would like to say that I have spent almost 20 years on very high doses of medication finally deemed disabled at a very young age and all I can say is I was offered this morphine pump years ago. WISH I had done this back then but never got the info , it has already changed my life ,it is the best thing I have ever done ,I can tell you that all the meds I was on were posining my system ,and I wish you could know how bad it was ,they start giving you pills for this and that ,I at one point was taking 13 different meds ,and all of seventy  pills in 24 hr period , ug  I couldn't live with the pain even on the highest doses of meds and break through meds , meds for nerve pain ,meds for my bladder meds for spasams and the list go's on ,to many meds if this sounds like you all I can say is get the pump  The amount of medicine from pump is so small compared to oral meds and it doesn't affect your kidney's or liver ,This can change your life so much, youll wish you did it yrs ago , best of luck. LLT  P.S. I had also went through phys theraphy,water theraphy, oh did I forget to tell you about wearing tenz units and  having  injections until you just say no more,been to spine institute , you name it I probably have had it done and even had a doctor tell me that wheel chair I was in for years ,well I'm sorry but your only going to get worse over the years. well Try it if you are as bad as I was you have nothing to lose except your frustration ,being irrritable , being mad ,not being able to do the things you should be able to and most of all your Pain. Good luck

[de547]

i love my morphine pump, i can walk with ease, its been a blessing to me, but u do need to have the battery changed evry 6 to 7 yrs, which is where im at right now, n i cant wait to have it done, im in so much pain n swelling, at first it seems not to help, but they say they have to adjust ur doses, until u find the right fit for u,ive had mine for 6 yrs now n its done me good, if u r having 1 implanted pls make sure to get all the details of what the drs restrictions r, make sure to get all the info,

[SKIINNY]

MY NAME IS MARK SHIELDS I HAVE GONE THROUGH  4 SHOULDER SURGEYS AND 2 BACK SURGEYS MY PAIN MEDS R NOT WORK N AND THERE TALKING ABOUT MORE BACK SURGEYS WHICH I DONT WANT.DO U ALL THINK THE PAIN PUMP IS THE WAY TO GO. AND HOW DOES THE MEDS MAKE U FEEL I JUST DONT WANT THE HIGH FEELING ALL THE TIME FROM IT AND HOW LONG DOES THAT FEELING STAY WITH U .I HAVE 4 LOVELY YOUNG KIDS THAT I WANT TO ENJOY MY TIME WITH THIS ALL IS NOT FAIR TO THEM.AND WANT TO ENJOY MY TIME WITH THEM AND DO THINGS ALSO THEY ALL R IN SPORTS AND I CANT EVEN HELP THEM  

[cella48]

i  have inthrathedal pain pump x 4 yrs for chronic nerve pain of c 6 dermatome due to failed surg c5-c6 disc x 3 within 1 year. i would like to join your group. please  send me any infor. thanks ,marcella mcdonad at  306-789-2046 or dmmcdonald @ accesscomm.ca.

[Sheba2233]

Hi could you please pass the info to me about how to join the group too? I’m 60 years old and I have the drug pump for 5 years now. Ty ***@****
Sheila

[freebird63]

I recently had the trial pump and it worked wonders for me, only having to take pain meds twice for break through pain.  Yes as with all surgerical procedures there are potential bad things that can happen and as I work in a hopsital I hear about the bad things and see the bad things.  But for me it was worth taking the chance.  This is my only option, if this didn't work then I was facing being disabled within a year or two.  Its amazing how fast my back went down hill.  This road to a possible fix has been long traveled.  I wish you the best of luck.

Chuck

[fpainestam]

Hi, DH.

I was struck by your comment about hanging on an inversion machine.  I also have a problem with standing more than a very short period of time.  Where can I get information on the inversion machine, how it works, etc., etc.  Has it really helped you?  Thanks!  Frank

[AnonDH56]

I have been a candidate for this and just now reading about it. Overall I would not take the chance. For now I hang upside down 15 minutes a day on an inversion machine and otherwise just cant stay standing upright more than 5 minutes. So looking into doing online teaching on a laptop. I wish you luck, I have no idea why you are not getting relief. I am happy though NOT to be hooked on opiates. Oh, I do use a TENS unit when I get bad leg sciatica, about once a week.
DH

[hobbsie]

Hello. I had 3 failed back surgreries for scoliois. Pain  has been chronic and excruciating for 3 years now, going on 4!! just wicked. Not sure how I have endured it. I finally thought I should have the pain pump implanted. First time, the pump got infected and had to be removed. I also contracted spinal meningitis and almost died! I don't mean to scare anyone out there, because I read of amazing successes!  Now I have had the pump implanted yet a second time; I am not getting any pain relief at all, I am gulping norco ev. 4 hours.  I have gone back to pain doc and he has increased the morphine to l.6 (in hospital I was getting 2.5!)  It is just as if I were on opiods, pills all over again. Does anyone out there reading this have any idea why I not getting any pain relief. My neurosurgeon took a CT scan and said pump is working!!!  What goes on?
I welcome any input. thanks, guys.  from Hobbsie still in dreadful pain!

[glenn233333333333333]

i too iam thinking on havin a pump implant after s1-l4-l5 nowl3 fusiondone i have another bad disc 80 %GONE what id like to know the difference between dilaudid  and baclofen course i know morhine thanks

[1_bamboo_lover]

I have Medtronic pain pump for 3+ yrs now.  I have plate in neck for degenerative problems, as well as entire spine fused due to scoliosis, rods, etc.  Degenerative problems & all that goes with it. . . stenosis, etc.  The pump does great for everything except the neck.  The pain in the neck is completely dibilitating.  I wonder if the pump is worth it as I am still in such pain.  If it would reach the neck it would be the miracle.  What it does it does great.  But with stenosis the spinal canal gets areas where it is so closed that the med cannot flow well, also the cathather only goes up to between the shoulders, not all the way up to the neck itself.

[Christine3]

Dear Dedicated Professional,
Your post has given me hope.  Although I do not know the details of your specific situation, it is the first time I have heard postive feedback regarding the morphine pump.  I am a 43 year-old female with degenerative disc disease.  Thus far I have had 4 discs fused after two major spinal surgeries.  My fusion ranges from C4-C5 through T-1.  After almost 3 years of constant pain, neuropathy, and an inability to move without a crushing, heavy feeling on my shoulders, neck and right arm, my last hope seems to be the pump.  I have had the trial electrical stim implant (since it is less invasive) but with no luck, as the current could not reach the cervical area.  Would you be able to tell me if your pain is cervical?  The degeneration is spreading down my spine, and my hopes are fading for any relief.
Any information that you can give me would be so much appreciated.  My e-mail is ***@****.  I cannot thank you enough.
Christine Guth

[DedicatedProfessional]

I had a MEDTRONIC pump implanted many years ago.  After a couple of adjustments, the pump turned out to be a miraculous success for me.  I can't say enough good things about it.  Before the pump, I was bedridden 23 hours-a-day.  The pump (delivered morphine) allowed me to rehabilitate myself and return to work.  I am post spinal-fusion surgery with nerve damage.  As with any alternative, there are side effects.  For me, the infused medication caused me to have difficulty with achieving an orgasm.  The physician explained it was a common side effect.  I learned to live with it.

You may need fine tuning to receive full benefit from the pump.  I wish you luck.