Re. Metronic intrathecal drug delivery system

October 20, 2004

I would like to know if anyone with cp has had a Metronic intrathecal

drug delivery system done and if so how is that working out for you.

A doctor at the pain clinic wants me to try this, can anyone help.

Janet

October 20, 2004

>

> I would like to know if anyone with cp has had a Metronic

intrathecal drug delivery system done and if so how is that working

out for you.

Janet,

I have had one since August 2002. It has been a life changer for me.

I no longer need MS Contin, although I do need meds for breakthru

pain pretty regularly. I did,however,have one problem that seemed to

be related to the inexperience of the doc who put it in. The catheter

was not secured properly in my spine and it slipped out of place and

was coiled up in my abdomen under the pump. The only way I knew was

the dramatic increase in pain all of a sudden. They found out when

they were doing a CT to check for some kind of tumor. I guess that if

one has high doses of morphine being delivered intrathecally,it can

cause some kind of growth. But as we found out with the CT,the only

reason my doses were so high was because the catheter had slipped out.

The best way to find an experienced surgeon is to call Medtronic.

They keep a database of all pump patients and their doctors so they

can follow their success rate. Hope this helps.

Diane TN

October 21, 2004

Hi my name is Lucy and I have one when I first got it The pain went away slowly

while they turned it up. But I didn't catch on that I was gaining aabout 5lbs a

week till I got to 165. I asked my doctor and he said it was'nt from the

morphine but It was I talked to some of the nurses that told me people

complained of that and sever depression which I had also. My pump was at 18 1/2

mg it was high. Not much breakthru pain at that time. the hose fell out twice. I

also had two frozen shoulders and stiffnes all over and could hardley get out of

bed. So the last time the pump hose was out of my spine was around was about

the end of June the pain got very bad again The doc was giving me a shot in my

Nerve when he could see it on the T.V. monter and saw it was out I had to wait

till Sept 8th to get it put back. He doesn't know why it does fall out. I have

had it since April 2003. So it has only been back a little over a month, and I

was up to 3mg after 3 wks and I didn't like It I started gaing weight again so

He took the morphine out and put my Medication I take by mouth Dilaudid now

since yesterday I have .8 in my pump, It still isn't up enough for me to tell if

it's working. Dilaudid is 7 times stronger then morphine. but he has to go slow

and watch the strength of it. but all and all I would say the pump has brought

me pain relif and some of the time I have to take my pills from break thru pain.

But if there was something else they could do for me I would probably do it if

it was a for sure thing. I have been to many spelicest and they all say there is

nothing they can do exceept keep the pump if it works They told me most of the

surgerys or methods I have heard about it just expermential. Good luck, Lucy

Re. Metronic intrathecal drug delivery system

I would like to know if anyone with cp has had a Metronic intrathecal

drug delivery system done and if so how is that working out for you.

A doctor at the pain clinic wants me to try this, can anyone help.

Janet

October 21, 2004

Hi this is Lucy did the doctor say why it could slip out mine slipped out 2

times but the doctor doesn't know what causes it. He said maybe to much walking

or bending is bad or he really doesn't know what. Lucy

Re: Re. Metronic intrathecal drug delivery system