Morphine Pump

[CoyoteBound]

Has anybody had any dealings with a Morphine Pump? I posted a few days ago about my husband and his back trouble that he was having. He has already had surgery done on his back and every kind of injection done on his back that can be done. He went to his Doctor this past Friday and the Doctor said that beings the shots didn't help, there was no need to keep repeating them. He said that my Husband had 2 options! One of them is to keep taking his Hydrocodone and Muscle relaxers and sleeping pills or to have a Morphine Pump put in him. He told my Husband that he would be taken to surgery and they would put the pump in. Does anyone know anything about the pump and if so, where do place the pump at and how often do you have to go in to have the medicine changed out? Any other information that anybody could give us would be greatly appreciated because we don't have a clue about how this works other than what the Doctor told my Husband. We would sure like to hear from someone thats already been thru this.

[patty3204]

Ive had my pump since 2003 and its wonderful. It has been the best thing Ive ever done for my pain. My husband has one also and wouldnt give it up for anything. I had to convince him to have it put in. First they will do a trial test to see if the medicine will work. If that works than youll be ready for the pump. Its implanted usually on the right side of the abdomen and a catheter runs around your side to the spot in your spine thatll bnenfit you the best for your pain, the catheter drips the drug down your spine. I beleive it was a day in the hospital if everything goes ok. Youll start out with only a miligram at a time until you get used to it and then youll go in for pump adjustments about once a week. Im having my pump refilled now about every two and a half months. Just remeber the possibility of infection. I had to go through alot because of massive infection, catheter came loose, and catheter became twisted but even after all of that I wouldnt want to not have the pump because at leaset Im able to move around and walk, so its worth it. Theres a possibility of break through pain which your doctor can give you something but at least you wont have to keep taking oral meds all the time. Everything else Ive taken orally hasnt worked as well as the pump. My pump is a medtronic, for a better understanding and pictures check it out at medtronic.com

[CoyoteBound]

Patti,

I really do appreciate you responding back to me! That sure helps out a lot and kinda explains to us what to expect. I will not call any names in this message because I guess it's not allowed but as long as you and I know whats going in then we can discuss it. My husband is very skeptibal about having the **** put in and I told him what the heck, it couldn't be any worse than the pain he is in now. He can lay down in the bed or recliner and he can fall a sleep and about every 3 seconds he kicks his legs and moves them around and this has been going on for years now. I can not understand why the Doctors have not done a test on the nerves yet in the calves of his legs. Back years ago when I was in and out of the hospital so much with my back trouble, it seems like they done one of them test on my nerves every time I turned around good and that test hurts. It's the one that they stick the needles in your legs and they stick all up and dowmn you and when they hit a bad spot, you feel like coming off the bed because it hurts so bad. Getting back to the ****. After you and your husband had it implanted, did it help the pain more than the pills did, or was the pain about the same? You said that it would drip down the spine, would there be a chance that this would help my husbands leg pain at all? He just can't get any rest because he constantly kicks his legs in his sleep and it wakes him up. I really do thank you for all the info you have given to me. It really helps to talk to someone thats been down that road before and that way we know what to expect too.

[BigMac]

Sorry to see you are up so late..or is is it so early? It's 3:30 AM.......I'm not alone..It sure feels good to hear you say you've had your pump for three years and it is wonderful...........I hope to get on real soon

[donaeis]

To jump from hydrocodone to a morphine pump is way way premature. There are many other more potent medications that should be tried before implanting a pump system that costs around $25,000. If the doctor insists on the morphine pump or limiting the medications to hydrocodone, you may want to consider finding another pain doctor that will work with your husband to try to titrate other potent medicines. The morphine pump should be the last option.