MY INTRATHECAL DRUG PUMP IMPLANT SURGERY

about two weeks after my Drug Pump trial was successfully completed I was scheduled for my permanent pump. Registration was standard where I spoke briefly with everyone involved in my surgery. They wheeled me into the operating room where I positioned myself on the operating table on my right side. I was promptly taped down to the table and my back, side and left belly was sanitized with (very cold) iodine and I was shaved like a lamb before slaughter. LOL. That was my last memory before being knocked out.

I woke up lying on my back in recovery in expected pain from my incisions. I also felt pain from my left lumbar area shooting down into my left leg. Why do they always position patients on their backs after cutting their back side open? I struggled to roll to my right side to find slight relief until the nurse could crank the pain meds up. During my transfer to my room I felt every tiny floor crack and how could I forget when they my bed into a wall, which promptly woke my groggy arse up with incredible pain! I particularly enjoyed the ride on the elevator with visitors who kept trying not to look, while staring intently at me as I lay in agony and wearing my silly blue surgical hat. Lol.

Once in my room I was immediately greeted by my floor nurse and my wife and mother (no time to rest, rest). My vitals were taking for the hundredth time. I was worried about my family being comfortable and they me. There wasn't much to say, not that I felt like talking much. I finally reached under my blanket and felt the bandage covering where my pump was and it surprised me how big (40 ml) it actually was! I think it is slightly bigger than a hockey puck. I also didn't expect my incision in my back to be as big (2.36 inches) as it was. After about 2 hours in my room I finally had enough strength to change out of the hospital gown and into my pj bottoms and a t-shirt. I hate those drafty gowns and I felt instantly better not having to worry about accidentally giving a free peep-show. After putting my shirt on, I noticed my IV in my hand was coming out, because my hands and arms are hairy and it didn't hold the tape very well. When the floor nurse came in to check it I asked him if the IV was still in my vein, since it was pulled half way out. The nurse assured me it was fine and added more tape to it. A short time later my Pain Nurse came to check on me. I told her about the nerve pain going from my lumbar into my leg. She told me the sciatic nerve may have been nicked or agitated during surgery and it will typically go away on its own. She added even more tape around my IV to keep it in place. She checked my bandages and gave me an extra shot of pain meds and tried to explain to the floor nurse what my surgery entailed and what I needed for my overnight stay and then she left for the night.

Heck, I remember sitting on the side of my bed in pain and utterly exhausted, bored, and lonely playing with my iPAD2 when a nurse assistant came into my room at about 5:15am. She walked right past me and without a word she replaced a paper posted on the wall and left as quickly as she came. The paper was a check sheet for nurse assistants to complete at different times throughout the days/evenings/nights and not surprisingly, although it was only 5:15am, it was already filled out and signed for the 6am time slot! According to the form, she had asked me how I was feeling, what my pain level was, what could she do to make me more comfortably and that she cleaned the room, like emptying my two full urinals at my bedside...NOT! By shift change at 7am I was still in pain and my bladder was as full as the two urinals still hanging on the side of my bed. The nurse who was ready to leave took the urinals into the bathroom, emptied them and rinsed them out and kept them at the sink and both nurses quickly left my room. I again limped my way to the urinals and managed to bring them back to my bedside where I promptly filled them again.

I hope that my Drug Pump Implant Surgery experience will help others who suffer from Chronic Pain and are considering the Implant. I also posted my experience with the mandatory trial period. That post is old, so you will need to search for it using the following: Drug Pump Trial Period.

I welcome direct contact via email and phone if anyone would like to speak with me about my experiences. Not that what I've written above is lacking details, lol. I know I have already helped at least one person with her decision to get the Drug Pump. I wish her well wi her upcoming surgery and pray it goes better than mine, certainly hope she has far better nurse care!

I look forward to reading any and all replies. Again, you are welcome to email me directly to speak in more detail. I just ask that you put "healing well" in the subject box so I know it's not spam mail.

Take care!

Hi - Charles isn't it?

Like SE said, thank you so much for posting your experiences. I too had the problem with nerve pain and altered sensation after my pump was implanted - mine was down both legs though worse in my left. I have nerve pain for other reasons, but I still have residual proprioceptive deficits (poor sense of where my feet/lower legs are) almost four years after surgery.

I hope that your refills prove no big deal for you. I have mine every six weeks and sometimes they are quite painful, sometimes now. Definitely keep us posted on how things are going.

Laura

Hi Stray,

My pump is actually right under the skin - mine is a 40mL as well and it sticks out almost an inch from my abdomen! I have almost no body fat on me at all, especially compared to what I had when my pump was put in. Even though my doctor is gentle, I always bleed quite a bit and almost always bruise as well.

Laura