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Pain pump at last

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Posted 5/15/2018 10:14 PM (GMT -6)
Greetings,
It is me again! At last I have been approved for a pain pump and will have the surgery in about two week. The neurosurgeon was awesome and plans on putting the catheter in my thoracic spine to help my neck and my low back, which he seemed to be confident that he could treat both areas of pain.

He validated that my neuropathic pain is from damaged nerves in my spine and my pain is incurable. This is my only hope.

I plan on searching this site because I know a lot of people have posted their experience. But I would not mind input on what to expecte the first 4-6 weeks of recovery. Even things like how does it feel to ride in a car etc.

This has been a long road since 2014 when I first wrote here and you all were all so wonderful.
Thanks, TN
Posted 5/16/2018 10:56 AM (GMT -6)
Wishing you well with your upcoming pain pump placement and hopes for a meaningful reduction in your pain. Sending you positive karma and lucky lady bugs.
Karen
Posted 5/16/2018 11:04 AM (GMT -6)
TN, I am so, so happy for you about the pain pump. One thing I have always tried to not do in this forum is suggest pumps to people. I do remember a few years back I suggested one to you & gave you Medtronics website, lol. You just were not ready at the time to go there. I balked back in 2005 when my dr recommended one to me. I had to really think long & hard about it before agreeing to a trial.

Both times my pumps were implanted I was ok at the 6 week mark. I was of course a little younger also, so I sprang back pretty quick back then, lol. I just don't remember having any unusual events during the recovery process. Are you having yours implanted in your stomach on the side? I know of a few that has had it implanted in the buttock area, can't wrap my head around that, especially when sitting. I never had an issue riding in a car. The only time I had problems was hitting it while getting things out of the back of the washing machine. That got my attention. I am 4 "11", so something like that I am careful about.

WhiteBeard will hopefully come along with his input too. He has done great with his pump. He will tell anyone that was the best thing that ever happened to him.

Ask any question you have.
Posted 5/16/2018 11:18 PM (GMT -6)
Hi TN, Susie is Right! I can't say enough good things about having this pain pump!!! It has been a real Godsend for me! I really appreciate having the PTM Personal Therapy Management Unit (I think that's what it's called) mine is programmed that I can give myself up to ten bolus doses from pain pump in a 24 hour period. With each bolus dose at least one hour apart. Usually on most days I might give myself 1, 2, or possibly 3 bolus doses in a 24 hour period. But there is allot of days I don't even use the PTM as the regular constant infusion is sufficient in controlling most of my pain! Once in a while if I over due it or I do something I shouldn't and it causes me allot of back pain I use the PTM allot more, and also I'm in my recliner allot more! LOL TN I take no oral pain meds at all since being on the pump! However when I had my Total right Knee Replacement surgery, and my hernia repair surgery, I had to go on short term oral pain meds for a while after those surgeries, but that's it!!

When I first got my pump. (During the first few days after surgery) I ran a fever and had bright red streaks going from my abdomen where the pump was implanted following the embedded catheter around my side and back to my spine. I ended up having to be put on a couse of antibiotics for 10 days. But other than that small glitch , I haven't had any problems with it! I'm on a very small infusion dose, and I only have to get my pump refilled every 6 months, and even then there is still quite a bit of morphine still in the pump, but my doctor and their pain clinic, requires that the pain medication be replaced and not left in the pump any longer than 6 months. I go to the University of Indiana Medical School Pain Clinic in Indianapolis for my pain pump and refills.

TN I hope when you get your pump implanted that you have as much success with it as I have had with mine! Good Luck to You!!!

White Beard
Posted 5/17/2018 1:12 AM (GMT -6)
Thanks Susie and White Beard!
I will have the pump in my abdomen, and the catheter in my thoracic spine. The surgeon said since I am small that he may have to put it under my muscle. My test for the pump was very successful, I had zero pain in my legs and low back, which they said is unusual but great so I have great hope that this will be a life changer.

Susie, I am thankful you told me about them. I have worsened in even the past year and now desperately want a sliver of my life back. It also took me some time to convince my PM doctor. But after my hospital stay in October for my low back he saw it was time as well. But it has been an uphill battle. Even now I don’t know if insurance will pay. Everything is getting so hard to get approved these days as they seem to think they are my doctor not my insurance !

I will let you know how it goes. In the meantime if anyone else wants to weigh in on recovery, please do!
Keep up the good work!
TN
Posted 5/20/2018 2:18 PM (GMT -6)
Taller Now, I wanted to post this to you about your insurance company. Since they approved you doing the trial you should not have trouble getting them to pay for the implant. If they were going to start giving the drs office a lot grief, they would not have even considered the trial. All they will need is the proper coding the trial was considered a success.

If you don't have some elastic waist shorts or pants, invest in some. You will not want anything tight fitting in your waist area. Once you are healed you can switch to something different.

Please let is know when you get scheduled. If you haven't checked out Medtronics.com or TamethePain.com, check them out.
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