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Kttn please read

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Chronic Pain
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straydog
Forum Moderator
Joined : Feb 2003
Posts : 18251
Posted 6/16/2009 3:57 PM (GMT -7)
Kttn,

I saw where you responded to the Balcofen pump post. I have a pump that is a 90 day pump. My former PM dr refilled my pump within a couple weeks of the 90 days. My new PM dr refills my pump every 6 weeks. You know the pump itself is a small thing and really does not hold a terrific amt of medication. My new dr says the longer the medication sits in these pumps the less effective the medication becomes!!! That is why she changes her pumps 6 weeks. After she said that and explained it made perfectly good sense.

Now let me tell you about the refill. Its nothing, the first 6 months my stomach area was numb from the surgery and I felt nothing. At no time has anyone ever hurt me sticking a needle in to fill my pump ever, I promise. I don't know how to explain it but there is no pain involved and I do have the feeling back in my stomach.

My nurse always feels around on the pump and locates where the little port is. She then takes this little disc that reminds me of a cd only smaller and marks her spot. I can honestly say she has my pump drained and refilled before I know it. Most of the time I do not realize she is done and she says ok, you can sit up now and I will program you. So far, I have had 3 different nrses and one dr fill my pump and none of them have ever hurt.

My pump sits a little high up on the right side. They no longer put them in waist level because they can slip. People that wore their pants to tight had their pumps to flip, so now they put them in a little higher up. I did not have a binder either. From what I understand on the binder its to help hold the pump in place so that it cannot move around while the scar tissue heals over it.

My pump had medication put in the day it was implanted too. Wanted to try and help sooth your fears over the refills....Susie

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kttn251977
Veteran Member
Joined : Jul 2007
Posts : 554
Posted 6/19/2009 8:57 PM (GMT -7)
Susie, thank you. i don't know how to explain it, needles don't bother me- i just bruise easily i guess. they did explain about the meds being sucked out and fresh ones put back in. i wish i could hurry up, i called the dr today (he gave me his cell, do you believe that?) to follow up, 2 weeks from our firm decision, he said it should be approved by now. i am looking forward to coming off of these hard core meds. my pcp is happy i am coming off the dilaudid pills, he says they are really bad. i am going to try and stop taking my oxys this week. i am sure i will cave, i tried once before and the withdrawls were so bad i caved. i just want them gone, i am sure you understand, whenever you go someplace like the er and i always have to explain why i am on so many pain killers. last time a nurse actually told me to go to bed, that all the "pain killers and ambien should make you sleepy" ummmmm thats why its called insomnia. i know my trial i barely had to take any breakthrough meds and none of my oxycontinER. it was a huge difference. i can't wait. thanks for the advice, its nice to have someone to talk to about this. thanks again and i will let you know when i get the pump in. pray for me this weekend that i can withdraw myself.
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uniquelyme
Veteran Member
Joined : Nov 2008
Posts : 1037
Posted 6/20/2009 11:24 AM (GMT -7)

I have a question about this pump thing...If you have been taking pain meds and are switched to the pump do you have withdrawls?  I don't even know what meds are put in the pump...I have been thinking seriously about going this route because of the pain meds I am taking....Can you help me out?

Me.

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kttn251977
Veteran Member
Joined : Jul 2007
Posts : 554
Posted 6/20/2009 11:13 PM (GMT -7)
talk to your dr about it. there is a trial before the permanent device. it helped me a lot. i didn't feel like i even needed my pills anymore. there are a lot of meds they can mix into your pump as well. look on medtronics website to see about what happens. ultimatley my goal is to stop the meds. i know how frustrating they can be. and the trial won't hurt at all. you (well i) went went everyday for 5 days until they bumped me up to the correct dosage. pills can be something like 1/500th weaker than the pump. good luck!
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