pixiepoodle
01-26-2002, 09:28 PM
DMS and Kim,
The trial run for my morphine pump implant went great. I really couldn't appreciate just how great the spinal injection was until this afternoon when my normal pain level set back in after taking the pills. The dr. gave me 1 mg. as planned, but I could still slightly feel some sore muscles in my upper back. We discussed him possibly uping the doze for the pump to the next level which he says he does in increments of 20%. I guess that means 20% of 1 mg which would mean 1.2mg???? The actual procedure of the injection went as I thought it would except for them putting in an iv line and hooking me up with gluose. They used a jel to numb the injection site first and then when they used the novacaine, I did feel a tiny pin prick that lasted all of 3 seconds. The morphine worked instantly upon getting the injection so that was cool. They let me eat a sandwich about 20 min. after the shot because I was starving since they made me go without food and fluids since midnight and by then it was 10 a.m. I asked them to let me get up and walk around to judge how the injection was working since all my joints, especially my hip joints had been very stiff and painful for the past week. I started walking and pushing my portable IV a little too fast for the staff and they got upset - but I felt great and thought I was walking normally. I think they are used to dealing with a lot of very sick cancer patients or elderly patients who have no desire to get up and start walking around. A 1/2 hr. after the injection they took me to the Neuro IC unit to monitor me for 24 hrs. I thought the monitoring was quite a bit of overkill as they had me hooked up with so many wires to monitor my blood pressure every 10 min., my heart rate and other vital signs. The IC unit didn't have a bathroom or shower facilities so they brought in a portable toilet chair and I had to go home this morning without being able to take a shower. The only bad experience about the whole thing was the fact that they give you an IV doze of antibotics and I am allergic to ALL antibotics except Keflex and when they called the dr. to let him know, he prescribed something he said was in the same family of sulfer drugs as Keflex. Well, just as I predicted, I lost my lunch shortly after I received the antibotic.
I did find out that I will have my surgery next Friday afternoon (I hope that doesn't mean I have to fast from midnight the night before) and I will have to stay overnight. I will be meeting with the dr. before next Fri. and I believe his nurse said they have a video for me to watch. I also found out that the pump can be computer programed to increase the dozage if the initial doze is not enough. If I find anything else out interesting before my surgery I will post it on the board, otherwise you might not hear from me until after the surgery. Until then, the Lord has me in His hands as always.
The trial run for my morphine pump implant went great. I really couldn't appreciate just how great the spinal injection was until this afternoon when my normal pain level set back in after taking the pills. The dr. gave me 1 mg. as planned, but I could still slightly feel some sore muscles in my upper back. We discussed him possibly uping the doze for the pump to the next level which he says he does in increments of 20%. I guess that means 20% of 1 mg which would mean 1.2mg???? The actual procedure of the injection went as I thought it would except for them putting in an iv line and hooking me up with gluose. They used a jel to numb the injection site first and then when they used the novacaine, I did feel a tiny pin prick that lasted all of 3 seconds. The morphine worked instantly upon getting the injection so that was cool. They let me eat a sandwich about 20 min. after the shot because I was starving since they made me go without food and fluids since midnight and by then it was 10 a.m. I asked them to let me get up and walk around to judge how the injection was working since all my joints, especially my hip joints had been very stiff and painful for the past week. I started walking and pushing my portable IV a little too fast for the staff and they got upset - but I felt great and thought I was walking normally. I think they are used to dealing with a lot of very sick cancer patients or elderly patients who have no desire to get up and start walking around. A 1/2 hr. after the injection they took me to the Neuro IC unit to monitor me for 24 hrs. I thought the monitoring was quite a bit of overkill as they had me hooked up with so many wires to monitor my blood pressure every 10 min., my heart rate and other vital signs. The IC unit didn't have a bathroom or shower facilities so they brought in a portable toilet chair and I had to go home this morning without being able to take a shower. The only bad experience about the whole thing was the fact that they give you an IV doze of antibotics and I am allergic to ALL antibotics except Keflex and when they called the dr. to let him know, he prescribed something he said was in the same family of sulfer drugs as Keflex. Well, just as I predicted, I lost my lunch shortly after I received the antibotic.
I did find out that I will have my surgery next Friday afternoon (I hope that doesn't mean I have to fast from midnight the night before) and I will have to stay overnight. I will be meeting with the dr. before next Fri. and I believe his nurse said they have a video for me to watch. I also found out that the pump can be computer programed to increase the dozage if the initial doze is not enough. If I find anything else out interesting before my surgery I will post it on the board, otherwise you might not hear from me until after the surgery. Until then, the Lord has me in His hands as always.
Sponsor
korken
01-26-2002, 09:35 PM
PP, That sounds great. Getting relief will be so great for you. Gary is still chicken. Hope all goes well and hear from you then. Good luck and our Prayers to you.
------------------
Take care ~Kim & Gary~
[This message has been edited by kim (edited 01-26-2002).]
------------------
Take care ~Kim & Gary~
[This message has been edited by kim (edited 01-26-2002).]
DMS
01-28-2002, 09:19 PM
Hi Pixiepoodle!
I really hope this procedure is "the ticket" for you! I'd be nervous about having something like that in me; I don't know why, I have breast implants!
Please keep posting on this topic so I can know how it all goes for you. I wish you the best, Deanna
I really hope this procedure is "the ticket" for you! I'd be nervous about having something like that in me; I don't know why, I have breast implants!
Please keep posting on this topic so I can know how it all goes for you. I wish you the best, Deanna
pixiepoodle
01-29-2002, 10:56 AM
I picked up a video from my dr. to watch on the pump implant. The pump is called the SynchroMed Infusion System and its made by Medtronic. They also gave me a phamplet to read and I printed out a bunch of stuff I researched on the net. There are approx. 25,000 people who have the pump already and everyone who has it gives raves about it. I think the company that makes the pump should try to get information about it into the hands of all drs., especially rheumies. On the video, they interviewed a nurse and a young father who has the pump and they couldn't say enough good things about it, especially that it gave them back their life. The only downside to the pump is that when the battery wears out anywhere between 3 - 5 yrs., the pump has to be replaced. I imagine that surgical procedures would be a lot simplier than the initial surgery to put it in. If you want to read up on the pump, one good website I found was: www.reddinganesthesia.com/itpump.htm (http://www.reddinganesthesia.com/itpump.htm) Another website listed in the back of the phamplet by the pump mfg. they gave me (but which I haven't checked out yet) is: www.medtronic.com (http://www.medtronic.com) As soon as I get done here, I am going to check that site out. I also found a page from this healthboard where someone who has already had the implant gives a detailed explanation of his experience. You can find that at: www.healthboards.com/pain-management/2867.html. (http://www.healthboards.com/pain-management/2867.html.) After ready that, Fri. can not get here soon enough. Any discomfort from the surgery will be over in a short period of time and will be well worth it when I can gain my life back.
korken
01-29-2002, 05:24 PM
PP, Thank you sooooo much http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/bang.gif :D:
------------------
Take care ~Kim & Gary~
------------------
Take care ~Kim & Gary~