You may want to consider giving the Spinal Cord Stimulator a trial before having the morphine pump implanted. I exhausted the highest dose of morphine in combination with several other drugs. I finally got tired of the lump on my waistline and becoming immune to everything the doctor tried.
Sometimes the pump wasn't working (malfunction) and I would go into withdrawal until I got in to get it checked. When the meds worked, I felt good but it definitely made me sleepy. Also, the pump sets off security alarms and of course, they pull you aside and give you a thorough check. You sometimes have to go in several times a week to get the dosage regulated. They would give me what's called a "bolus" which is an extra boost of pain med. My pain specialist waived the co-pay to the minimum amount allowable; otherwise, I couldn't have afforded it. I don't mean to cause you concern but this is information a doctor tends to forget to explain...or not?
Good luck and whatever you decide, I pray it will work and you'll have some time without pain.
Linda, Jax, FL
>----- Original Message -----
From: "IAS Admin (Tracy)" <tracy.joslin@adhesions.org>
To: "Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS" <adhesions@mail.obgyn.net>
Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009 5:36 AM
Subject: Adhesions & Pain (Celiac Plexus Nerve Block)
> Sender: krisl1204@yahoo.com (Kris)
> Subject: Re: Adhesions & Pain (Celiac Plexus Nerve Block)
>
> 11 Jun 2009, IAS Admin wrote:
>> Hi Cheryl! It's good to hear from you again! I know exactly what you mean
> about pain being worse after gall bladder surgery. I'm in the hospital
> right
> now and have been since Wed. night. I was also in the ER on Monday night.
> I
> am so fortunate to have doctors who understand adhesions. I'm now @ the U
> of
> M. Everyone at the ER to the hospital is wonderful. One nurse even
> admonished me for waiting so long to come in because it takes so long to
> get
> the pain under control! I do also have a condition called pancreas
> divisum,
> which means that I have 2 pancreatic ducts instead of 1 by congenital
> birth
> defect. This can cause excrutiating pain as well as a condition called
> Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction. I'm waiting now to have a test call and
> MRCP
> which will be able to do the analysis on the common bile duct and the
> pancreatic ducts. My Dr. thinks is probably a combination of adhesions and
> this other condition. I guess I'll know soon, after all this time! Have
> you
> heard of adhesions being visible on a CT scan? The ER dr the other night
> said they could see where some had returned since the surgery on May 4th.
> Anyway, I guess the only way to treat this stuff is to manage the
> symptoms.
> I do go to a great pain management clinic. I'm going to discuss having a
> pain pump implanted. I asked them about it a month ago when I was there
> and
> they agreed that I would be a candidate. I hope you're having a pain
> tolerant day! I'll let you know how things turn out.
>
> Kris