11/05/2009 15:35 - ponycar68

Hello. I am new to this format so bear with me. I have had an L5-S1 disk problem. A partial removal of the disk was done in 1999. Since then I have had increasing levels of pain and now both lower legs are involved. It's neuropathic pain but some time it's very sharp and the bottoms of my feet develop knots like a half of a golf ball is under the skin. So far the only therapy is an implanted Medtronic pain supressor unit. I am now on my third unit and it now has started to stop transmitting to several of the locations on the electrodes. It's the type that is rechargeable thru the skin. But my real issue at this time is that my Dr. wants to implant a morphine pump. I need some information on this and from patients that have one of these implanted. Before I go this way I have also seen a Dr. that says he can operate on the nerves that run down the lower legs and can interrupt the flow of pain signals by removing part of the nerve tissue so there is a break and no signal will be transmitted to the brain. I had a biopsy in my left foot and a small portion of the nerve was removed so they could study it and see why there was so much pain and if it was due to something wrong with the nerve itself. They dicovered there was evidence of the mylen disentegrating and the nerve was bare in several spots. But no cure or therapy is known for this problem. So I don't know which to go-have a pump implanted or have some of the nerve tissue removed. Can anyone be of any help on this? Thank you so much. ponycar68

24/09/2009 15:25 - ktfabian2

Hi- I'm sorry to hear of the problem you're having. I'm fused from L4/5-L5/S1 but a car accident after the fusion caused pain that was always off the 1-10 chart. I'd gone the rounds with a stimulator earlier in my pain career (before fusion '97-'00) and had the same trouble you've had with leads that didn't always work. I would have to have a surgery every time something went wrong. I finally had the whole thing pulled out, so I wasn't too keen on having another implant from that particular company. My pain doctor convinced me to at least do the morphine pump trial. I did and the pain relief was just so overwhelming, I agreed to have it implanted it 2005 and I haven't regretted that decision yet. The pump doesn't cover every pain you'll ever have. I'm now dealing with large herniation of the disk about my fusion, and the pump doesn't seem to be doing much for the pain associated with that, but at least I know I'm not dealing with this new pain on top of the old pain. I've only had to have one repair of my pump - very unusual and probably my own fault as I'm heavier than I was when the pump went in: the pump became unanchored and moved up under my waistline and was very uncomfortable. A same-day surgery with quick recovery put it back in place. I'm not a saleswoman for medtronic or anything, I just am very pleased with what the pump has done for me and thought I'd let you know just in case you're still thinking about getting one or not. Tracy

19/12/2009 20:34 - cabramow

Hi My name is Carolyn and I am curious as to if you ever had a procedure called radio frequency ablation? Can you tell me more about the Medtronic pump you have now. I have had three back surgeries = two for fusions and one for removal of a slipped disc. Needless to say I suffer terribly from chronic pain and my doctors are now talking about the morphine pump also. But I am not certain about having it. Caroly