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Question for Intrathercal Pump Users-Morphine and Swelling

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Posted 7/8/2009 9:51 PM (GMT 0)
 

about two months ago a small dose of Morphine was added to my standard Baclofen solution.  The morphine concentration added was equivalent to a 25 m Fentenayl patch.  At that time, I notice some swelling in my feet, but nothing serious.  Late last week, I had the solution in my pump changed again.  I continued with the Baclofen/Morphine combination, but the Morphine was increased an addition 20%.  Now my legs, ankles, and feet are extremely swollen.  Has anyone ever experienced anything like this with with Morphine?  I will call the PM tomorrow, but wanted to see whether others have experienced this too.

Posted 7/9/2009 12:19 AM (GMT 0)
I have not had morphine in my pump but I was on 60 mg of morphine three times a day and started experiencing the same thing and when I called my doctor he asked if I had been urinating okay and I told him yes, nevertheless he said to come in he wanted to do a test, they gave me an ultrasound and found that even though I was going okay that my bladder was not vacating all the urine and therefore was backing up into my kidneys causing them to start shuting down they had to take me off the morphine, that was my experience with it, I sure hope that is not your problem, but I did just have DILAUDID, a hydrogenated ketone of morphine, added a week and a half a go to my pump and I was allergic to it, I had trouble urinating and got a severe rash, they had to shut my pump off and I am having it drained tomorrow and having the solution replaced with Prialt which is what was originally in there anyway but they mixed it with the Dilaudid and had to shut it off because of that. I don't know if any of my rambling helped any but I wish you the best of luck and hope it's nothing severe, please send an update when you know, good luck and take care!
Posted 7/9/2009 1:20 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Stella, oh, I don't think you and the Morphine are a good match. I cannot tolerate Morphine, swelling was one of the many problems. Back when I was on the Fentanyl patches I had a real bad problem with not being able to urinate when they bumped the patch from 50 to 75. Be sure the dr understands this happened after Morphine was introduced into the pump. Good luck.
Posted 7/9/2009 3:46 AM (GMT 0)
Smoochie did you hve Prialt before, why did you have to take it out? From what I have read and heard from people that tried it, I am terrified of it I sure hope if you get on it everything goes wel lfor you.
Posted 7/9/2009 3:52 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone. I am calling my PM tomorrow. I do not think there are many pain meds that can be mixed with Baclofen. This really limits my options.

Smoochie - I am glad Prialt works for you. I had a horrible experience with it. One of the side effects is psychotic events. Within 48 hours of having the med in my pump I begain to believe I was being poisoned and the only way to stop it was to literally cut the pump out. My husband immediately took me to the ER - that medication caused me to experience horrible psychotic manifestations.
Posted 7/9/2009 6:46 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Stella Marie:

I just thought I'd add my 2 cents worth. When I first had my pump, I had Morphine in my pump and had the same problem, and my PM told me that it was a very common reaction to morphine. I would still call your PM as you planned just to be on the safe side.

Lorie
Posted 7/9/2009 10:25 PM (GMT 0)
Straydog- Sorry it took so long for a post had my pumped emptied today because of the Dilaudid, took 2 and half hours, boy did it suck. Anyway, no the Prialt and me were getting along fine but I have alot of leg pain and they wanted to add a narcotic to my pump to see if I would get relief, didn't happen, but thats the way it works sometimes, okay most times,lol. I have been receiving some relief from the Prialt, very little but the pump is still being adjusted and I have a long way to go, but like Palady, my insurance just ran out, so I am not sure what to do, but I am hoping I will get the opportuity to advance with this medication because I really believe it will be the one that might help. I would give it a shot if you could, they can do a trial run in the hospital to make sure you don't have any problems, ask about it, it can't hurt to check it out. Stella Marie- Did they put you through a psychological evaluation on you before they installed it, I am just curious as I had to go through it.

 

Posted 7/10/2009 7:20 AM (GMT 0)
Smoochie:

If I understand your post you were just changed from morphine to prialt in your pump? If that is correct, did you have to have a surgery to have your pump cleaned out before the new med was put in? I was told by my home nurse that it is required. I have been curious about this medication for a long time, and I have an intrathecal pump (I have Dilaudid & Bubpivicaine in it).

I know some people start to do really well on it, but then all of the sudden have some psychological effects. Could you please keep us informed of how you are doing as time goes by. I'm very interested.

Thank You,

Lorie
Posted 7/10/2009 12:24 PM (GMT 0)
No my pump always had Prialt, they wanted to give me a more immediate relief of the constant leg pain so they added the Dilaudid to the already existing Prialt, so yes they had to clean out the pump but not by surgery, they simply withdrawel the medication clean the pump with saline through the needle, the hard part is the catheter, thats what took so long, they have to empty that out and even though it is done through a needle it is very time consuming. But no surgery was required and very little pain, the worst pain was laying on the table for that long. But when they stopped my pump I can tell you I noticed a difference right away, boy did it suck. I am going to stick with it, I have not had any psychological problems ir any reason to believe I will have them at this time, they did a full evaluation on me before hand to determine if I had any tendancy towards that, it was a prerequisite from my doctor, I have depression but it is caused from the constant pain and the financial woes and was there long before this pump. But I like it I think once they get it to the right level I might experience some good pain relief and I haven't had that for 10 years. So give it a try, it just takes two to three hours to do it, you can always change back, right?
Posted 7/10/2009 10:44 PM (GMT 0)
Smoochie my pump was put in June of 05 and I had to undergo a psych evaluation, its required before getting the pump implanted. How long have you had your pump? I do wish you well with the Prialt. Persaonlly, I am terrified of the drug and would have my pump removed before ever considering Prialt. Please keep us posted on how you are coming along.
Posted 7/12/2009 4:35 AM (GMT 0)
i actually got swelling in my feet/legs/ankles a lot before using the pump. at first i thought it was lyrica as it says swelling can occur, but now i think maybe it is constipation. i notice when i am absent a bowel movement (for a few days) that i swell. i JUST had my pump put in last week and i did have a day of swelling around my ankles and then it went away. i have known a lot of people who are on these meds who swell up, so it may not be a suprise that you are one of us. my feel have been so swollen i couldn't get shoes on. only ballerina flats. for me it just comes and goes, a side effect that i pay the price for. sometimes when they have been swollen for a while (a week or so) they are tender when the swelling goes down. you may want to check just to make sure you aren't allergic. but i just wanted to chime in and say it has happened to me. my pump is morphine as well. hang in there, water pills help a lot- have your dr prescribe some to you for days when this happens. (just make sure to stay hydrated)
Posted 7/28/2009 9:52 PM (GMT 0)
This is my first post as well as one of my first experiences on the internet. I am 66 years old and have been dealing with chronic pain for 13 years. Originally from numerous back surgeries and Surgery for Carpel Tunnel. From those surgeries I developed Reflex Sympathy Disorder (RSD) . I have had a pump for approximately 7 years and have recently been "switching out" Dilauded, Clonidine, Lioresal and Fentanyl for for Prialt. I also take orally, Oxicontin, Dilaudid, Lyrica, Provigil and Cymbalta. (2-3 times a day 240mg, 12mg, 150mg, 400mg, 60mg (one per day) respectively)

I am interested in anyone's experience, if they have been through the same thing. I am hoping that the prialt will alleviate most of the pain and I can slowly wean myself off of narcotics. I have trouble staying awake and still have trouble with chronic pain in my legs., feet, back and arms. I think some of the new pain is due to "switching out" the narcotics in my pump for the Prialt.

Please can anyone point me in the right direction in this forum and or post back a reply.

I reside in the central coast of California and receive treatment in Camarillo California.

Thank you

lafisher42
Posted 7/28/2009 10:03 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, Lafisher42,
Welcome to the chronic pain forum of Healing Well. You have found what in my opinion is the best support system on the internet! We aren't doctors, though, but can share a lot of experiences.

I don't have a pump, but others here do. What I would suggest is for you to start a new thread (new topic) and introduce yourself to the group. It's easy for a post to get buried in an older thread like this. That way everyone will see you as a new member and can respond to any questions you have.

Again, welcome. Glad you joined us!

PaLady
Posted 7/29/2009 2:51 AM (GMT 0)
A great site for pump information is a yahoo groups called Pumpsters.  It is designed for individuals either considering pumps or that already have pumps.  There is a wealth of information within that group. 

Question?  Are you adding Prialt as a new drug to your mixture or have you had it on board for some time?  Some people have good experiences with it - I and many people I have talked with have had very negative side effects.  Within one week I started having psychotic thoughts and increased pain.  That is one drug I would do a lot of research on before I put it in my pump.  My experience with Prialt was a complate nightmare.  Log on to Pumpsters, they have quite a few files about Prialt and the group is large in numbers so they can give you a wide variety of experiences.  Last thing - you are swapping out some heavy duty narcotics for Prialt.  It is a non-opiate but the clinical data it not the strong on it as a sole pain med and I know you have to be very careful with what other meds you mix with it.  Let me know if I can be of any other help.

Posted 8/30/2009 5:13 PM (GMT 0)
I have had Prialt (pump also has pain medication/lidocaine/muscle relaxer) since 2005 and have had ankle/foot swelling of/on since then. However, over the last year my legs/ankles/legs have been huge (shoes/socks a no go) + have had bright red rashes all over. They start at a low red (like I've had since I got this is 1997) but turn a bright, angry red (like blood pooling under my skin). After it goes away - the skin slowly goes mauve/tan. My ankles are now brown, swollen, thick, and deeply creased. I am having them lower the Prialt this week to see if that it is the culprit as I do not know what is from RSDS and what from Prialt (or other meds).

Has anyone with Prialt had any issues from this or does anyone know if this is just a different component of RSDS?

Thank you!
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