Medtronic Intrathecal Pump

I'm afraid that I can't help you with this but I wanted to welcome you and we do have some that have pain pumps and I'm sure that they will be along that ca answer your questions.

Welcome to the forum!   I have a Medtronic intrathecal pump.   Pumps are very complicated and because they are so individual, it is hard to answer your question.   As you are probably aware, if you and your doctor decide a pump is right for you, you will be required   to have a psychological exam and to participate in a trial with an external pump first.   A temporary catheter will be placed in the intrathecal area in your spine while you are under light sedation and then hooked up to an external pump.   You will stay several days in the hospital and various medications will be trialed.   The test is considered positive if you achieve a determined reduction in your pain.   Pumps are usually implanted in abdomen, just under the skin, so they can be accessed in the port externally for refills.   Pumps require refilling at different times, depending on what meds you have in them.   Many pain management doctors are slow to titrate pump medications to an effective level right after surgery.   For many patients, it takes several months – even up to one year to achieve pain control, so don’t expect immediate pain relief.   It is important that you question your doctor as to how he handles break through pain.   Some doctors will provide oral medications, while others feel that all pain control should come from the pump.   This is a very important issue for many patients.   It is also important that you select a doctor that you have easy access too.   You will need to visit his or her office for all refills, titrations or changes in your medications or medication rates.   Make sure you have a excellent relationship with the doctor implanting your pump.   You will it a difficult to change doctors once you have a pump, as many doctors refuse taking on new patients that have had pumps implanted by other doctors.   Once you have a pump implanted, you will need to be careful about bending, lifting and twisting.   Any of these can cause kinks or dislodgement of the catheter.       You will also need to give up anything that could potentially increase your body temperature like:   hot bathes, hot tubs, electric blankets, tanning beds, and certain ultrasound physical therapy treatments like ultrasound heat therapy.    Increased body temperature can cause the medication be released from the pump at an uncontrolled rate.      Filling pumps is very expensive, so make sure that you have good insurance and can afford the refills.   Each refill can cost up into the $1000’s and if you lose your insurance, no one is going to refill your pump for free.   There are all kinds of medications that can be placed in the pump and in all kinds of combinations.   Many are familiar meds, while other are anesthesia’s and other types of medications that are not available is oral form so they would be different that the ones you have previously tried.   Most people have a reduction in side effects, as less medication is needed, almost 1/100 th of the usual oral dose.   Talk to as many people as you can and good luck in you decision.  If you have any other questions, please don't be afraid to ask.  Now is the times to ask.

Hi In8, I too have the pump and I am so glad I had it implanted. One of the key factors of the pump is getting the right medication in it that works for you and then getting your doseage adjusted to where it needs to be. Its trial & error at first. I had way too much pain in too many parts of my body for oral meds to touch on. I also do not tolerate alot of meds and with the pump we do have a better field to pick from because we can use combinations of meds. I have 4 different meds in my pump and I am on much, much, much less medication than what I took orally. I went from being nearly bed ridden to plating 3 flower beds this spring, one had to be built and I did it. You will have limitations with the pump, but its a much better quality of life. Good luck, Susie

In8, I was put in the hospital for a couple of days for the trial, for the 1st time in long time, the pain was nearly all gone. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I begged my dr just leave me the way it is right now, he said oh everyone says that. You will know during the trial if it works or not, thats how fast it happens. I was so excited after the trial. It was a couple days ater the trial mine was implanted, it was a hurry up deal cause my ins was changing in less than a week and my dr himself got me approved for the placement of the pump. Hands down, I have much better pain control with the pump. The medication is on continual release in a tiny amt, everyone does. With oral meds you have the time frame when the pill works its best, then it starts wearing off, with the pump you have none of that. The catheter & meds are placed in the spine where the pain receptors are, the meds block the pain signals to the brain. My dr told me I would experiece less side effects from the meds cause we have a better selection of meds to use in the pump, again, it all goes with getting your doseage right. My dr had me coming one time for a month every week tweaking my pump up. Then it was every 2 wks. Of course now I am leveled out. I had a refill a wek ago and got a 10% increase only, I have bad swelling of the legs & COPD on oxygen, so I cannot be ramped up like the average bear cause the meds can affect the breathing. Also, you can be given a bolus from your pump which is like getting a pain shot. I have done this when I had some bad pain crop up and then things settled back down. I have driven myself to my sisters almost 3 hrs away. Yes, you can have a life with the pump. Susie

Hi In8,

I too have just had the Medtronic pump put in. Right now I am going
through the adjustments. Yes I have pain right now, but with each
adjustment it has gotten better. My head is already free of the pain
pill fog. Which has been a long time in coming.
I under went the trial for 5 days, I was so happy at the end of the trial.
my dr. had the process going and I was cleared to have the pump inserted
in a month.
For the first time for many years, I can see myself setting goals for
myself. I to have been mostly bed ridden for over a year now, before
that my quality of life declined since 2002. I was to the point that pills
were gagging me.
Sorry, this is really all I can add right now, since I am sort of new to
this myself. However, I can say I have already had more relief then
in many years.

d58

I had this pain pump put in dec 28th 06 and medicine morphine was placed in pump morning jan 2nd 2007 and sent home outpatient.  I was on duragesic 75 patches and you have to wean off of them.  Nearly died from overmedication 2nd night after pump was filled, then again 3 hours later from withdrawal after having removed the patches as Doctors office suggested.  This is a very short story to a very long event.  The switchover was pure Hell for weeks of sweating the bed wet, and being in bed 20 hours per day.

I love the fact that my mind is back!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Hate the pump as I am 5' 11 3/4" at 180lbs. down from 248lbs prior to injury oct 2001,  But I would never choose to go back to being mindless.  Email Questions.

 hi, I had my pump placed in 11/04.

10 days ago, my alarm went off and the signal said it was empty. Since I couldn't see my pain doc fro 5 days, I was admitted to the hospital to treat pain and the withdrawl. Then when I went to see my pain doc, he so kindly told me that he know longer does pumps, but he did find a doc,who would refill my pump my one grand. So on friday ,I go see this doc. He was a nightmare. He was astute enough to see that when the computer read my pump, it said empty, but when he tried to drain any fluid, he found 10ml of fluid or 1/4 of the medication in my pump. He said i would need to find another doc to fix the issue. Today, I called medtronics and they advised me to be admitted to the hospital, and have my primary doc call medtronics and they would send a rep within 2 days to solve the problem. Should I be worried/

Hi Fieldgoal: How are Ypu doing ?????? Iam considering getting a pain pump-- PLEASE advise Thanks, Tom

So sorry Susie cannot get back to your reply, Roni123 just sent you this with out my name would need your advise!!! Didn't know you responded, I answered your questions, here I go again, how do I know when you reply? How do I find you?
My print out reads 1.98/mg/day, do not know how that converts into my oral I will see PM, on th 18th, he will be adding a Numbing agent
What I didn't ask, my pain,takes over my brain, however, I also lay on a moisturizing heating pad all day as hot as i can get it I told him that this helps with my pain, I also use ice from my groin area, down to my knee, severe pain debilitating , have been to many specialist and recently had X-rays done ordered from my P/M, that revealed a rupture in a disc that is causing my right side to radiate with pain.. down to my knee ,my PM Dr, did NOT-say not to use heating pad, nor did he say not use whirlpool , I read all of the above issues in my 1st reply to you I pray this reaches you, right now added my tens unit going crazy!!!!!! Please tell me how to find your post's. Roni, I also have had 2 lactomectomys, fusion, and before pump all narcartics,

Roni, I have made you a new post of your own.

Hi,Susie, thank you so much yes I found 3 - replies and your directions to find your replies worked, so grateful, my PM doctor should have told not to be on the heating pad so much, although when I finally got in to see him after my last increase I had called every week to get back in because my pain level was so bad,
The nurses told me to just deal with it till my appt. no advise they were annoyed each time I called. Then when I finally saw my PM,
That is when he found out I was on a heating pad ect..he did raise my pump 10/20% what dose that mean and how long dose to take to feel relief? On my next appt, he will be adding a numbing agent, this happened after going for 3- month of no relief , this has been a nightmare for me iI realize this a process, but I have no outlets ,my family friends are sick of me and cannot help my PM, very hard to deal with I belive my Doctor is very good but he has literally ignored my cries for help. This concerns me the MOST as he is all I have my LIFE IS IN HIS HANDS, then I started this and found you THANK-YOU TODAY I'm BETTER ONLY ICE SINCE YOUR POST, AFRAID TO DO ANYTHING NEVER KNOW HOW LONG BEFORE MY NEXT ATTACK.so i, hoping the increase has kicked in it never lasts,another concern? Oh one more thing I did find my original print out for my dosesages, I asked him to explain how this compared to my oral ,
He said it would be hard to compare exactly but the level at that time equaled to 250 mg of morp.but now I'm on the dilauded and will ask him to break it down so you can see where I'm at. April 18th is my next appt...tilll then I'm praying this will turn around forgot to tell you taking 800mg Motrin 3/day with omephazil, baclofed 20mg at night couldn't he add that to my pump same time as this numbing agent??? Appreciate your in-put and kindness Roni

Hey everybody. I just got my Medtronic pain pump implanted a few weeks ago and the meds are flowing into my system today - first day. Can't feel them at all. I've read it takes months for the doctors to get the dosage right so it is a major disappointment so far. I've read many reports so I should know better, but was just hoping i would be different and waiting for the instant relief. Who knows if I'll ever get it from the Medtronic pain pump - but at least when I get to the hospital next time I won't be treated like a drug seeking addict. The opiate epidemic is real, I understand that - but that doesn't have anything to do with those of us who legitimately have serious pain issues and the drugs are the only thing I know of which eliminates the serious pain.