Sunday, October 31, 2010

Intrathecal Drug Delivery Systems

Intrathecal Drug Delivery Systems are also known as a Morphine Pump.  Although other medications may be used along with Morphine, I will concentrate on the pump specifically using only Morphine.


Made by Medtronics, the Intrathecal Drug Delivery System, (IDDS), is first used in a trial that lasts approx. 3 to 4 days.  The similarities to the trial I had of Medtronics Spinal Cord Stimulator, are the same in that the trial lasts 3 days, and the patient and doctor have an opportunity to see by trial if the system will work for the patient.


Unfortunately, when I had the trial of the Stimulator, instead of innervating (innervation: Stimulation of a part through the action of nerves), the intended area of my Thoracic Spine, I was buzzing in the abdomen and right thigh areas.  When in the operating room, I had to be as awake as possible to respond to the doctor who was placing the leads, and tell him when I felt the stimulator, and where it was felt.  He said that there was a large amount of scar tissue in the area he was placing the leads, which later made a lot of sense, when the innervation was in the incorrect area.


After three days of a buzzing tummy and thigh, I returned to the doctor's office, and the leads were pulled out quickly through the incision in my upper back.  It was not a successful trial.  That was very hard for me to deal with, as I was at the end of what could be done to alleviate my Chronic Pain.


Forward to the present, and now I have the opportunity to try a different method of pain relief, in the Implantable Morphine Pump.  The pump was first suggested to me by my wonderful Pain Management Doctor.  He stated that I was an excellent candidate for the pump, and then began the journey that has brought me to now.  I began at a doctor he referred me to, who did implantation of pumps, and we had a very expensive, yet very informative meeting and discussion about what is expected during the trial, what the hoped outcomes are, and left me to think about this possible procedure that could actually get me back into LIFE again; including my dream of returning to work as a nurse.


Next post:  What it takes to secure a pump trial!    


Gentle Hugs...

7 comments:

  1. Shauna ~

    I have just discovered, and subscribed to, your blog. Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge on the subject of chronic pain. As one with degenerative disk disease, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome, I am only too well aware of what it is like to live with chronic pain and the need to take pain medications --- and the response I get from some who don't approve."

    I look forward to following your posts and learning more. I wish you to be as pain-free as possible. Blessings to you!

    Watona

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  2. Hello Watona,

    Thank you for visiting and subscribing!! Hope that you enjoy it here, there are a lot of regular readers that are wonderful to know with awesome blogs themselves.

    You always get...

    Gentle Hugs----<3

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  3. I hope you get to do these trials, and wish you the best of luck in it. I really hope it works for you. Pain is not fun. I love reading your blog. gentle hug to you.

    friend.

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  4. I hope you get in the next trials,and it will be better.
    Good luck with them.

    LH

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  5. I'm glad I stumbled across your blog on the Chronic Babes forum.

    I'm a follower now and look forward to reading more about you and your life.

    ~ M

    http://throughpainandsmiles.blogspot.com

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  6. Hello Shauna,
    I enjoyed reading this today and look forward to hearing about your medical outcome of the trial. I recently went through another treatment of radiofrequency ablation, although it does not provide any type of longterm alleviation of pain. I am also on a long acting morphine sulfate which I have been able to tolerate with relatively few side effects, however it does not cover my chronic pain enough to resume my career in healthcare administration. I too seek a way back to my former life. I wish you the best and pray that this works for you!
    Yours in Christ,
    Marie

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  7. Mister, LJ, Smiling and Marie;

    Thank you all so very much for your kind wishes and encouragement regarding the Intrathecal Drug Delivery System, (IDDS). Every bit of encouragement that you wonderful people give me just help to make me stay strong and determined. I appreciate all your words of kindness and caring; on this day, at this very moment, those words and your true sense of caring mean more to me that I can express. Thanks thanks thanks!! God Bless...

    Gentle Hugs Always----<3

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