Thread: pain pump

does anyone here have a pain pump installed???
i'm contemplating haveing the electronic stim opne implanted ($80,000- $90,000) installed for my back
i need one for my neck also, but they won't do both.
i'm afraid of the morphine pump, any comments on those???
i greatly appriciate any comments, good or bad on this subject, i need to make a decision on this soon.

I have no experience personally with a pain pump... know ppl that have them tho... they do not care for them but they do function and help with their pain.
I had a walking epidural..... it worked, but again a pain to have and to refill.
I am now on my second ( first one I had a crappy Dr and in approriate stim for my situation -- according to new Dr that I love) Implanted spinal stimulator for Reflex Sympathic dystrophy. I have gone from taking @ 1000 pain pills/month to virtually 0. My stim is for my hips/legs, ankles. It's all in the Dr. you have. That I firmly belive is key. This stim is made by ANS. I love it... pain pill free is awesome.... My stim is totally internal and recharagable.. once a month or so I sit and read and recharge the battery in the comfort of my home...
PM if u need to talk to want mroe info.

me too, so far i'm doing ok with methadone but i have a friend who has a pump (car wreck injury) she had done it all, including getting addicted to pain killers, she got the pump and said it was a life saver

Jim (boyfriend) is in the process of getting this done if his insurance will honor the procedure.

Did your doctor provide the CD to view the process of this pain management technique?
It requires a small incision on your back, no bending or lifting for about 5-7 days and the belt will be worn by you to "pump" your medication as needed for your pain, your nerve receptors will be stimulated by the pump medicine.

I don't know if his insurance will cover this procedure, but he wants it done.

i have medicare now with a secondary, they said about $80,000 plus for it, i hope insurace covers it.

Originally Posted by lynnie

i have medicare now with a secondary, they said about $80,000 plus for it, i hope insurace covers it.

Update with Jim's procedure, I just got off the phone with his DR. and his insurance declined.
But his DR. wants to see him later on this month to discuss this with him and figure out some other alternative for his pain management.


Good Luck with your decision and I hope that your insurance will honor your spend out.

I dont have one as I am too high risk for the procedure I have lots of friends who have them or stimulator and love them! Good luck!

I would be very leary of the SPINAL CORD STIMULATOR. They implant the wires into the spaces in your spinal cord to control the area that you have pain, be it back, butt, or legs.. They implant the controlling part in either your abdomen or your hip. You have a remote control just like a TV remote to operate it & turn it on & off. I did alot of research on this because 3 Neurosurgeons told me it was the "ONLY" thing that would help me after I was to have a 3rd back surgery-3or4 level fusion. I researced both. I decided not to have either the fusion or the Stimulaor implanted after I went to a teaching hospital & got another opinion by a "top" surgeon. He told me that neither the surgery or the Stimulator would probably help & the RISK was GREAT. So I researched the stimulator & I found out that many people have had wires break, been burned because the setting went crazy & they couldn't get it turned off with their remotes & other things like this. There have been recalls of the implanted parts. The idea of it is to replace the pain with a tingling sensation like you get in P.T. from an electrical stimulator treatment. Some people can't tolerate the feeling all the time it's turned on. i think that would be distracting. So, I was sent to see another pain management specialist who is a PHSIATRIST- only specializes in control without surgery. After some attempts with different oral meds, I'm getting around the house, can take a 15 min walk & go to the store occassionally. I would only do the Stimulator now as a LAST RESORT. & if you are on this board & typng & getting around your house, you are not at the LAST RESORT stage- IMHO. I also found out that maintenance $$$ of the Stim is about $5000.00 a yr.-for what wasn't explained & I can't remember what Medicare will pay for that.That info was somewhere that I read. But there is alot to look into & most can be done on the Web. Look for forums where others with them tell their stories. Docs make alot of money from doing these procedures, & I actually had 3 docs who wanted to do it & 3 docs who weren't involved in the surgery tell me not to do it. After your research, all you can do is make up your own mind. They can be removed if needed. If you've ever had back surgery, I can tell you that to implant the wires is like a Laminectomy & then there is the abdomen procedure. You also should have a 7 days trial with it before it's permentantly implanted. They "only" implant the wires & the controlling part is worn on a belt during the trial. The CD of the procedure is, of course, put out by the maker which is why you need to do other research. Just my opinion...................

Originally Posted by Sandee

I would be very leary of the SPINAL CORD STIMULATOR. They implant the wires into the spaces in your spinal cord to control the area that you have pain, be it back, butt, or legs.. They implant the controlling part in either your abdomen or your hip. You have a remote control just like a TV remote to operate it & turn it on & off. I did alot of research on this because 3 Neurosurgeons told me it was the "ONLY" thing that would help me after I was to have a 3rd back surgery-3or4 level fusion. I researced both. I decided not to have either the fusion or the Stimulaor implanted after I went to a teaching hospital & got another opinion by a "top" surgeon. He told me that neither the surgery or the Stimulator would probably help & the RISK was GREAT. So I researched the stimulator & I found out that many people have had wires break, been burned because the setting went crazy & they couldn't get it turned off with their remotes & other things like this. There have been recalls of the implanted parts. The idea of it is to replace the pain with a tingling sensation like you get in P.T. from an electrical stimulator treatment. Some people can't tolerate the feeling all the time it's turned on. i think that would be distracting. So, I was sent to see another pain management specialist who is a PHSIATRIST- only specializes in control without surgery. After some attempts with different oral meds, I'm getting around the house, can take a 15 min walk & go to the store occassionally. I would only do the Stimulator now as a LAST RESORT. & if you are on this board & typng & getting around your house, you are not at the LAST RESORT stage- IMHO. I also found out that maintenance $$$ of the Stim is about $5000.00 a yr.-for what wasn't explained & I can't remember what Medicare will pay for that.That info was somewhere that I read. But there is alot to look into & most can be done on the Web. Look for forums where others with them tell their stories. Docs make alot of money from doing these procedures, & I actually had 3 docs who wanted to do it & 3 docs who weren't involved in the surgery tell me not to do it. After your research, all you can do is make up your own mind. They can be removed if needed. If you've ever had back surgery, I can tell you that to implant the wires is like a Laminectomy & then there is the abdomen procedure. You also should have a 7 days trial with it before it's permentantly implanted. They "only" implant the wires & the controlling part is worn on a belt during the trial. The CD of the procedure is, of course, put out by the maker which is why you need to do other research. Just my opinion...................

I have a nerve stimulator put in. Some it times works wonders on and some people and some it don't. It helps some for me, but I'am still in a lot of pain, but I can now get my grocerys were I couldn't before. I can't work out side without haveing a chair to set on when the pain gets real bad. I have had five sugeries, have five disk removed and now it is chronic pain and nothing can be done. One thing is I can set and it don't hurt, so I quilt.

My boyfriend has a Neuro-Stimulator implanted as described by Sandee, above. Before he got it he was bedridden. Now he can go out and do a lot of the things he used to do, he's a farmer/rancher. He still has problems if he over does it but a good nights rest usually gets him back in shape. Currently he has a broken lead wire in his spine so it does zap him inappropriately at times but he just needs to go in have it replaced. He needs to find the time to do that. Medicare will cover it but you'll need to have the Doctor's staff do a pre-surgical inquiry with your secondary to make sure they will pick up most of the balance. One thing that Sandee didn't mention is that they are usually only good for 8-9 years, then you have to have them replaced. They used to only be good for 3-4 years so they are improving them all the time. If pain has taken your life completely away from you then I think its worth the risk to have one implanted. I know how hideous the pain can be, I live with it everyday. I've been referred for the same thing by three doctors but I've been turned down every time because of the deterioration in my spine...too far gone. I live with the pain and practice a form of mental control that was suggested by a Neuro-Psych. Surprisingly, it works pretty well! Best wishes to you.