Intrathecal Test Failure

You guys certainly are. Slow day today. Have to deal with the leaking spinal fluid and get a bloodpatch.

Distance concepts in the Southwest are so different than traffic bloated Eastern cities. Dallas is 1000 miles from Phoenix or about the distance from Philly to Miami. That trip is 20+ hours driving. I do Dallas in 13. I stopped going to the east coast about 5 years ago.

Thank you all for your concern. I am going to have to re-visit the pump. Maybe this time I won't try to save money by using a vet. In my defense, he did a great job getting rid of the fleas.
Bob

Hi Bob,

I too would like to welcome you to Healing Well. I am so very glad you found us. I think you will have to agree this is a pretty unique group of people on this forum. I am having computer issues right now and I am considering throwing this dang thing out the window. I tried my best to get a larger print but for some reason it would not allow it.

First off, I am a pump person and can tell you first hand if you have a dr that knows what he is doing you can have a life again. But from, what you have described this cat was totally out of his league and he is the problem. Your pump test was not a failure. You were given medication that caused the situation. Legally you do have to be told what medication he used in the pump. My thoughts would be go back to the dr that referred you to this cat and tell him you want to be referred to someone else. But, you need to let your dr know you want someone with a lot years of experience with pumps and the medications that go in pumps. There are many medications that can be used in pumps. I know someone said previously there wasn't. but thats not so. In fact, most people have a combination of several medications, I have 4 in mine. This is why the pump dr must be very knowledgable of medications. A pump is not a one size fits all-they are totally individual as to what meds will work. You might consider getting online with your insurance company to see what PM drs are available in your area. Then start calling and ask questions about the pump.

My first pump dr was a anesthesiologist turned pain mgt dr and he did not have the experience needed to handle pump patients. Therefore, there was 45 of us that got this pitch on how much better our pain was going to be controlled and how we could get a life back. Well, it didn't happen. Four yrs later I was walking bent over dragging my knuckles on the ground in horrible pain. I was real close to where you are. The one thing that stopped me was my one and only grand child that I love more than life itself. That little boy needs this crazy granny, in pain or not. He is my glue that holds me together. The good news is my dr decided to quit PM and go back to anesthesiology. He referred 45 of us to a neurosurgeon that had a decade of pain pump experience and one that is very knowledgable of medications used in pumps. She does her own mixing of medications, she does not use an outside pharmacy. The first thing out of her mouth when she saw me was your freaking pain is so under treated and you have been under treated as a patient. She basically doubled my dose in my pump, changed up concentration dosages the whole bit. Now, I am able to function, like she said you will always have pain but it should be pain that you can manage and tolerate. The old dr refused to increase my meds in my pump simply because he did not know what to do.

Yes, our family and friends do get tired of hearing about our pain.I rarely discuss any of this with my family. I know I am sick of it so they have to be. I come here because the people on this forum get it, they know because they live it too. People that do not have pain like us, have no clue. Remember your family really does need you, your friends need you. Your new friends and extended family here at HW needs you simply because you have a wealth of information that someone else can possibly use.

You can bet most everyone on this forum has lost dreams, sometimes we lose hope. Our financial status has gone down the toilet. Depression tries to eat our lunch. Other health issues show up. Man, I think the list could go on forever.

I do hope you will decide to stay and hang out here with us. Just know you are not alone.
,

   Good Evening Stray! I think your responce to Bob is probably right on the money for him. Excellant reply!

It seems like the perfect gang for me: the Fantastic Four meets a circus sideshow. Probably a movie screenplay in there somewhere.
Nighty-nite.
Bob

Bob, once you get the blood patch you should feel a lot better from that stand point. Just follow the drs instructions afterwards. Real important.

    Lori! Good to see you again! After reading some of the replies here, I feel like a Wal-Mart door greeter!....I'm so limited in my knowledge with CP, and don't know anything about Pumps, although I do have a client who has one. I'm glad I didn't have to go through what Stray went through to gain that kind of expertise. I'm very glad that Bob found his way here to get some sound advice and friendship to last a lifetime. Take care now!.........Scram! :)