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My tolerance to all opiates is very high. Thinking of pump.

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Chronic Pain
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Posted 11/16/2013 11:18 AM (GMT 0)
I am on 100mg's of methadone daily. I am taking 40mg's in the a.m. then 30mg's in afternoon and early evening. my pain doctor doesn't want me to have any other medications (opiates) because of the several operations I still have to do. I still have my left shoulder and right hip and now my right shoulder that was replaced in 2009 needs to be replaced again. When they did my Rt shoulder they left part of the ball so it could be redone again. My doctor wants to  keep as low as possible with the pain meds because after each surgery it will be to difficult to manage my pain,But in the meantime I am uncomfortable on the 100mg's of methadone. Would anybody know if having the medication pump implanted make a big difference...
Posted 11/16/2013 3:43 PM (GMT 0)
hey rj, sorry to hear about your pains.i can relate to your tolerance to pain meds. i'm sorta in the same boat. i suffer from chronic pain in my lower back and both legs down to both feet. i've had 4 back surgeries(2) laminectomies and (2) fusions. the first one failed and the second one seems to have healed, just seem to suffer from the pain. i also have neuropathy in both legs. i have been taking
opiates for around 7-8 years nows and when i take them sometimes they take the edge off, sometimes they don't. anyway this past july i was talkiing to my surgeon and i brought up having the pain pump installed in my lower back. one, it should bring about a good level of pain relive and 2, the get me off some of my pain meds.. i'm currently taking morphine 30mgs. twice a day and oxycodone 15mgs 1-2 every 4-6 hours plus motrin and flexirill. well after a couple months of seeing my pm clinics pyhc and an emg plus a trial run of the medicine they will put in the pump. i'm good to go on my surgery which is on nov.26th. i am looking forward to this procedure and the relive to come with it.
i'm a pretty positive person with the glass half full. i'm sorry i reall can't offer some post surgical input or suggtions, YET. but i will be more than happy to share my results after the surgery. i wish the best for you in your journey to get some pain relive and to lead a more productive life.
Posted 11/16/2013 6:01 PM (GMT 0)
rj  I talked with my PM about getting an implanted pain pump, he made me a referral to a specialist in Indianapolis, I have to wait till January to see him. I have been on pain meds for going on 15 years, have had some major back and neck surgeries during that time, but some of the things wrong, Herniated thoracic disk they just will not touch. Anyway I tried with the help of my PM weaning my self off the pain meds but just could not do it, as the pain was just to great with out them. I am on allot lower dose now though, but I am on a fairly high dose of Baclofen, and it just blocks the spasms most of the time. Both of these can be put in a pain pump, and I am hoping to receive better relief, although I know that it will not completely eliminate my pain. 

I suggest you talk with your PM about it, see if he/she thinks it is a good idea.  My motivation is primarily because I just recently moved to a state that is very very difficult to find anyone willing to continue with my current pain control regime, and as of right now I have to drive over 300 miles one way to continue to see my current PM every month. So getting the pain pump would be a much needed change, if the specialist will accept me as a candidate for it. Even if I had to go to Indy every month or so to get it filled and serviced it would be half the distance that I now have to drive. 

Anyway I wish you mallardmark all the best on your up coming surgery on getting the pump, I hope it works well for you, and rj I would definitely talk with your PM about getting one, read up on it and find out the pros and cons of having one.

Good Luck to both of you!

White Beard

Posted 11/16/2013 7:00 PM (GMT 0)
300 miles?  One way?  Each way?  Every month?

OMG.

(Had to chime in).

The few hours I drive each way every 2 weeks now seems much more in perspective.

It's incredible what we'll do to attain a quality of life, and to see so many health practitioners turning the other cheek.

M.

Posted 11/17/2013 1:07 AM (GMT 0)
Yes Merrida 320 to be exact one way, every month! Driving is one thing I can do, if my car seat is adjusted properly and I have the heat turned on in the seat. I also stop and stretch and rest about every 100 miles. I do hurt pretty bad the next day, and when I make the trip I usually take two days one there and one back.  All I can say is one does what one has to do!  Getting the pain pump would help allot!!!

White Beard

Posted 11/17/2013 11:00 AM (GMT 0)
I was wondering after your PM doctor gives you a referral what did you have to do to get the OK to get the pump installed. I.E. how many doctors did you have to see and so on..
Thanks a lot Randy
Posted 11/17/2013 5:14 PM (GMT 0)
RJ first you have to see a dr that will do a trial for the pump. If the trial is a success, then they send you for a psych evaluation before having a pump implanted. Your PM dr can make the refer to get all of this done. It takes several months to get it all lined up.

Susie
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