INFO PLEASE Intrathecal Morphine Pump Implantation

[Brumley]

I\'ve had 4 spinal fusions and currently take 200mg of slow release morphine daily and 1200mcg of fentynal in a \"lolipop\" for about 4 times daily. Am going to Dr. on 2/24 for pump info. Please send advise. Mother of 2 and wife. Is it worth doing??? Please give opinions!!<br><p>Posted by : <a>Sheila</a><p>Copied from an original message at : <a>http://www.brumley.com/renal/doctormessages/3628.html</a>

[Brumley]

I have had 3 failed back surgeries Too. I\'ve had pain for many years and about five weeks ago I went down again. They really don\'t want to operate again. They want to do a nerve block and want me to get the pump. If you have gotten it , please let me know how you made out.. Thanks Rick<br><p>Posted by : <a>RICK MCHALE</a><p>Copied from an original message at : <a>http://www.brumley.com/renal/doctormessages/3777.html</a>

[Brumley]

Well hello ! I am 1 of the first 10 in the World to have the morphine pump in my body ! My pump was put in 1996 and now after 10 years have to have it taken out !! Some EXCELLENT advise ! Remember the pump was designed to drug atticts and people whom are dying and want pain relief !! When I qualified for the pump it was put in my the doctor whom made this pump available Dr. A. Wolfe in Miami Florida ! Well at first it saved my life, family,marriage,children it was truely a mircle !! My complete back was totally in pain every nerve every part of my body ! When I passed the test that it indeed worked it was a new lease on life !! BUT BEWARE !!! it not FOREVER !!! Trust me !!! I know being one of the longest today to still have the pump ! My pump was only to have morphine with no additives added when I got my 4th re-fill the doctor added additives and I then went into a coma for 5 days came out o.k. the had it refilled with regular morphine and was somewhat o.k. on a pain level from 1 to 10 with 10 being the worst I was about 3 ! Now the 1st 2 years hardly any pain lower than 1 ! than on the 3rd to 6th year pain level between 3-4 not bad but had some pain that did limit me !! well now from the 5th year to present 10th year its got to come OUT !!! My back over the years has fuzed and some nerves need to be blocked but the last couple of years have been terrible ! Back levels going from 3 to 4 to over 10 even with the pump running it did NOT stop the pain levels ! Went in for 5 surgery\'s and seemed to help only for a few months and back to the pain doctor !!! Any way NOW it came to the point went my back fuzed my doctor lowered my drip per hour on mu brain from 6.0 to its lowest it would go 2.0 WOW felt great !! Ya right ! We than took the morphine out and put in Salaine Soluation just to keep the pump running !! BAD move what was now happening I am getting false signals to my brain causing me to be in the hospital this month March 2005 20 of the 26 days ! Blood pressure went 50/40 rate 122 at 7:00 A.M. rushed into ICU and at 9:30 A.M. pressure was 265/220 rate 126 ! Doctors got my pressure to level off after I came out of coma 4 days later ! was released went home for 3 days ! Last week went to my pain doctor was re-fill the Saline solution in the morning the next day got up my wife took 1 look at me and said lets go to hospital , well I got into my truck and went into another coma to 2 days this time pressure at Hospital was so high it would not read !! rushed into ICU again and than to normal room after 4 days and was released the other day !! thats a short version of my pump story !! Now caught in a catch 22 want pump OUT !! but cannot because of unstable pressure !!! dont know whats next but remember 1 thing of all if you get the pump its AWESOME !! at first but BEWARE the after effects later down the road !! Worth it in the beginning YES now NO if I did not have such a strong heart at my age 55 they would have buried mr 3 weeks ago NO JOKE !! REMEMBER 1 thing at the beginning you will feel no pain but you will not be yourself ! With my pump set at 6.0 I was always like in a drug over dose, tired, sleeply,non caring,just in my own little world for years !! Give alot of credit to my family who put up with my sh*t all these years !! it does CHANGE YOU !!! at one time will on the pump with morphine mt back was killing me !! pain doctor raised it from 6.0 to 8.5 drips on brain ! Well guess what back into a coma this time 5 days !!! Brain could not handle the + 2.5 drip and they had to reset it back to 5.0 to bring me out of coma !!! Now today my back is fused and have to have about 2 or 3 minor surgery\'s to relieve lower pain cant wait. But I guess what I am getting at being the pro on this and being one of the longest person to have this pump was it worth it in the long run ? NO Short term Maybe?? remember 1 thing out of this long note there WILL BE SIDE EFFECTS !! NO DOUBT !! NO QUESTION !!! How bad that up to your body and your pump of morphine !! Now I am my ol self funny great to be with and a DAD and husband again !! Ill get through this again Im strong enough now but PLEASE think about it DONT rush into it !! If you got any other questions PLEASE email me and I will try to help you the best I can !!!<br>Take care and Good-Luck on your decisions !!!<br>Jim R.<br><br><p>Posted by : <a>Jim Roach</a><p>Copied from an original message at : <a>http://www.brumley.com/renal/doctormessages/3826.html</a>

[Brumley]

DEAR RICK;<br> I\'M AFRAID I DON\'T HAVE ANYTHING GOOD TO SAY ABOUT THE PUMP. I DON\'T KNOW IF IT MAKES ANY DIFFERANCE THAT THEY USED DILAUDID,BUT I DOUT IT....<br> I TOO HAVE GONE THROUGH MANY SURGERIES. NOT TO SCARE YOU, BUT I\'M AT 25 IN 25 YEARS. I HAD THE PRE-TEST FOR THE PUMP , AND WAS AMAZED HOW WELL IT WORKED, SO IT DIDN\'T TAKE MUCH THOUGHT TO START THE BALL ROLLING FOR THE SURGERY. ALTHOUGH IT WAS PERFORMED BY A DIFFERANR DOCTOR, THE PAIN THERAPIST IS THE ONE THAT HANDELED EVERYTHING FROM THERE ON....ALL WAS <br>REALLY GOOD FOR ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS, THEN I NOTICED I WAS FEELING ALOT MORE PAIN, AND WHEN HE ASKED ME IF I WANTED THE VOLUME TURNED UP, OF COURSE I SAID YES. THIS WENT ON FOR A WHILE TILL ONE OF HIS INTERNS WHO WAS GIVING ME AN EPEDERAL, NOTICED THAT THE TUBEING HAD COME LOOSE.<br> SO I FOUND MYSELF BACK IN THE HOSPITAL SO THE SURGON COULD PUT THE TUBEING BACK IN PLACE AND TACK IT DOWN. UNFORTUNALY I FORMED A HEMATOMA AFTER I LEFT THE HOSPITAL, AND HAD TO BE ADMITTED AGAIN TO DRAIN IT AND PUT ME ON I.V. ANTIBIOTICS.<br>OKAY, SO ANOTHER FEW MONTHS GO BY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I\'M FEELING WEEKNES, NUMBNESS, AND SHOCKS IN MY RIGHT LEG AND SIDE (THIS HAD ALLWAYS BEEN MY STRONG SIDE, BUT I COULDN\'T LIFT MY LEG. FINNALLY THE DR, LISTEND TO ME AND GOT AN M.R.I. WHICH SCARED HIM TO DEATH. BECAUSE HE HAD TURNDED UP THE CONCENTRATION OF MY MEDICATION SO HIGH IT CRISTALIZED AND CAUSED A HUGE GRANULOMA TO GROW ON MY SPINAL CORD.....SO ANOTHER MAJOR SURGERY LATER, AFTER THE NEROLOGIST TOLD HIM TO EITHER REMOVE THE PUMP OR TURN THE VOLUME DOWN. HE DID NEITHER. I ASKED MANY TIMES IF THIS COULDN\'T FORM A NEW GRANULOMA, AND HE KEPT SAYING NO !!...THE SHOCKS GOT SO BAD I WENT BACK TO THE NEROSERGEON AND HE ORDEREED A C.T. AND THEN AN M. R. I. AND ALTHOUGH THIS ONE WAS DIFFERANT.DOWN AT T.10 INSTEAD OF AT T 12. IT LOOKED MORE LIKE A BUBBLE,SO I TOLD THE OTHER DR. TO TURN THE MEDICATION OFF. AND WITHIN A FEW DAYS THE SHOCKS HAD STOPPED, BUT I FELT PARALIZED FROM MY NAVEL TO THE CENTER OF MY BECK. THIS FEELING WAS DIFFERANT THAN ANYI HAD EVER FELT BEFORE.. I COULDN\'T FEEL ANYTHING IN MY STOMACHE, ALL THE WAY THREW..AND BEING AT T10 IT AFFECTED THE NERVES THAT SURROUND THE BLADDER AND BOWEL. I WON\'T GO INTO THE PATICULARS ON WHAT THAT COST ME. SUFFICE IT TO SAY, MY BODY IS NOW SO DIFFORMED, I CAN\'T FIT INTO ANY OF MY CLOTHS, AND I\'M INBARASSED TO GO OUTSIDE. I FEEL AND LOOK LIKE EGOR. I\'M NOT KIDDING. MY BODY HAS NOTHING TO HOLD IT UP NOW SO IT JUST Falls to the right and forwarD. I start physical therapy next week, AND I FEEL THAT\'S MY LAST HOPE.<br> I STILL HAVE TO HAVE THIS THING TAKEN OUT OF ME WHICH WILL REQIRE TWO SURGERIES. BUT I\'M IN NO HURRY...<br> I\'M REALLY SORRY RICK,THAT I COULDN\'T GIVE YOU A MORE POSSITIVE POINT OF VIEW. I JUST WISH SOMEONE WOULD HAVE TOLD ME THE DOWN SIDES BEFORE I PUT MYSELF BACK INTO ANOTHER DO-GOODERS HANDS...<br> SORRY PATTI <br><p>Posted by : <a>patricia perry</a><p>Copied from an original message at : <a>http://www.brumley.com/renal/doctormessages/5078.html</a>

[Brumley]

http://actiq.more-xxx.com<br><p>Posted by : <a>actiq</a><p><a>actiq</a><p>Mirrored from an original message at : <a>http://www.brumley.com/renal/doctormessages/5634.html</a>