intracle pump

[ellro]

Hi i have had back problems for the last 9yrs and have just about tried everything on offer for pain, it as been suggested i have a intracl pump fitted and manage my pain is there anyone who has one of these and could give me some feedback as i find it a bit daunting. thanks pat


This discussion is related to Prialt.

[missygina]

I have had three pain pumps, and now have a dorsal com stimulator by medtronic.  The first pain pump that I had was great.  It lasted seven years.  Theres is a lot of maintenance...and depending upon the medicine that is put into it - it can provide great relief.  I had problems there after.  The second one I got an infection - which is always possible with ANY surgery.  The third got tangled, (the wires) and stopped functioning.  I struggled greatly.  I have a ruptured LS-5 disk with sciatica.  This, as from your post - is horrible pain.  Has your pain specialist considered a rizotomity?  I know it isn't spelled right - but it is a "deadening" of the sciatic nerve... and helped me a great deal for many months.  It is a very painful procedure, which requires an injection into the disk itself and shoots pain down the sciatic - but somehow shuts the pain off.  The really sedate you, and it is over quickly.  You have to lie completely still.  I have had two of these.  The relief is well worth the treatment of the searing leg pain.  
I struggle everyday.  Low back pain, leg pain and hips.  I seem to live from pain pill to pain pill.  I need a better way also even with my new device.  I don't know what the answer is, I don't know that the doctors do.  I've had it with pain specialists, I've been through the mill with them.  At least  I find one that seems to care.  The one that I had put me through total hell.  
I hope that you find relief... you might want to consider a stimulator instead of the drug pump, it does help - the vibration cuts off the pain signal, at least it cuts it down some.  I would just be ware of drugs that have psychological affects.  I would be ware especially when pain causes us to suffer mentally and emotionally anyway.  I would not do a drug that was not readily known and approved.  I am sensitive to such things and the older I get, the worse it is.  If you get a bad drug, you have that to contend with and then the withdrawal.
Hope something I mentioned helped!
Gina

[Tuckamore]

Ellro,

Every one's experience is different... and though mkh's sister-in-law (sil) had a frightening experience please don't think it will happen to you. Obviously it needs to be considered. However she said her sil was "addicted". There's a huge difference between addiction and dependant due to chronic pain. I am guessing that made a difference in the outcome also.

Again I am glad you are doing your research. We'll look forward to hearing from you often.

My Best,
~Tuck

[ellro]

Thanks for the information you have given me, sounds quite scary, i think i must have tried everything going for pain i have a trapped sciatic nerve due to disc problems,
Its quite frightening when you read other people experiences, i can understand the withdrawel from morphine it was oe of the worst experiences of my life i just wanted someone to pull my arms and legs of  your poor sister-in-law glad to hear she has come through it ok.  I shall not do anything until i am sure what they are doing i will let you know how i get on many thanks ellro

[mkh9]

Hi Pat,
Firstly, I'm very sorry to hear you have had pain for so long. I hope you can find a good solution. I haven't had the pain med pump but my sister in law had a morphine pump for a couple of years. It helped for a while but in the end it started leaking spinal fluid. She went to the ER and they removed it and gave her no meds to taper off morphine. They said since it was directly into the pain area or in the spine (both maybe) that it wouldn't give her withdrawal. She went into severe withdrawal and was suicidal. She then had to go to a drug rehab to get meds to withdraw from the morphine and they finally managed her pain much better. After she had been incapacitated and addicted to morphine for years (previously she had been using morphine patches) the doctors were able to see her in patient and how she reacted to stress, pain meds etc. over a month and she now has a life. She got went back to work and then got married and has varied her meds until she has done pretty well. I don't mean to scare you about the pump and it will probably help for a while. Do you have nerve pain or a neuropathy? I hope this informs you. It helps to make informed decisions.
mkh9

[grannan]

If you are talking about the surgically implanted device; a friend had one implanted years ago.  It has since been surrounded by muscle/tissue/nerves and makes it impossible for her to have mri's.  She has been told also that to attempt removing it could result in permanent paralysis.

[ellro]

Thankyou for your advice i will certainly be asking alot of questions before i make my decision and i will let you know the outcome.