Living with an Intrathecal Pump
Hello, My name is Patrick. As the title of my blog states I am living with a Intrathecal Pump implanted inside of me. A little background, I was injured on the job in August, 2000. I had a L5/S1 disc herniation.I limped through life for 6 years being treated medically for my injury. I took different pain meds, had epidural shots, had a nerve ablation and suddenly in December, 2006 while on another project. My pain went off the scale. In March 2007, I had a fusion surgery, 10 days later I had an infection and had a Picc Line inserted in my arm. I received antibiotics for 2 months. I finally fused and I was still in pain. I started to take Oxycontin, Percocets and muscle relaxers. Did regular PT and swim therapy for months. Fast forward 2 years, pain is worse than before surgery.
I am now considered a "Failed Back Surgery" patient. That means the surgeon tells you there is nothing left to do surgically and this is the rest of your life. Being in my mid 40's I started to wonder where will I be in 30 years health wise. Taking big doses of Oxycontin and Percocet going into the blood stream, across the brain and going through the gastrointestinal system. Common sense told me that this was not going to be good for me.
My surgeon told me about the Intrathecal Pain Pump by Medtronics. I investigated the system on the net and found Medtronics' site and a few sites that had forums of people that live with the pump. Let me be clear, I am not affiliated with Medtronics at all. I am just a patient with a Medtronics SynchroMed II 40 ml and this blog is my experience with that pump. The good and the bad