Hi all,
Had my baclofen pump installed in my left lower back on 3/13. Discharged from hospital the following day with spinal headache that would persist for 13 days. They refused to do a blood patch - “This is common. Lay on your back and drink as much caffeine in a day as you can.” For a couple days, sure - 13 was stupid.
After using up my 10 day supply of 5mg Norco over 13 days, once the spinal headache went away, I could feel my back and it HURT at the pump placement site. I called the neurosurgeon for more meds. “Oh, you’ve been using your Norco for the spinal headache? That was for back pain. We’re calling you in Tramadol for continued headaches and hopefully it helps with the back.”
Well, over the past 2 weeks and 2 visits to my physiatrist (to get the pump increased - up to 200 mcg/day right now) and one visit to my PCP and using up all of these Tramadol (while trying to alternate them with Motrin), I ran out of pain meds. (I was given a 10 day script of Norco and a 7 day script of Tramadol that I used up over 4 weeks.) I’m an RN and I routinely tear up my narcotic prescription forms they give me in the ED, because I don’t like how they make me feel with my other meds - causing my PCP to call me and ask me why I didn’t fill them so they can cancel the script.
So now that I am in need of meds, with this stupid opioid crisis, no one wants to give me any. My PCP is out sick with strep, the neurosurgeon says “Motrin should be fine.” and after a significant decline over 3 days and my physiatrist wanting me to drive an hour to her ER to possibly hospitalize me, I threw a fit. “I have a pharmacy 5 minutes from home, you say you believe this is neuropathy and may never go away, but the gabapentin takes 1-2 weeks to kick in - just give me a 5 day script of Tramadol so I can walk, get out of bed, put pressure on my pump site. I don’t want to go back inpatient.” Finally, got Tramadol.
So, now I am stuck hoping this is not permanent neuropathy. This surgery was supposed to help my pain and mobility and I’m hoping I don’t have more issues from it. Anyone else have issues from baclofen pump surgery that went away?
Sorry for the long post,
Sazed
Had my baclofen pump installed in my left lower back on 3/13. Discharged from hospital the following day with spinal headache that would persist for 13 days. They refused to do a blood patch - “This is common. Lay on your back and drink as much caffeine in a day as you can.” For a couple days, sure - 13 was stupid.
After using up my 10 day supply of 5mg Norco over 13 days, once the spinal headache went away, I could feel my back and it HURT at the pump placement site. I called the neurosurgeon for more meds. “Oh, you’ve been using your Norco for the spinal headache? That was for back pain. We’re calling you in Tramadol for continued headaches and hopefully it helps with the back.”
Well, over the past 2 weeks and 2 visits to my physiatrist (to get the pump increased - up to 200 mcg/day right now) and one visit to my PCP and using up all of these Tramadol (while trying to alternate them with Motrin), I ran out of pain meds. (I was given a 10 day script of Norco and a 7 day script of Tramadol that I used up over 4 weeks.) I’m an RN and I routinely tear up my narcotic prescription forms they give me in the ED, because I don’t like how they make me feel with my other meds - causing my PCP to call me and ask me why I didn’t fill them so they can cancel the script.
So now that I am in need of meds, with this stupid opioid crisis, no one wants to give me any. My PCP is out sick with strep, the neurosurgeon says “Motrin should be fine.” and after a significant decline over 3 days and my physiatrist wanting me to drive an hour to her ER to possibly hospitalize me, I threw a fit. “I have a pharmacy 5 minutes from home, you say you believe this is neuropathy and may never go away, but the gabapentin takes 1-2 weeks to kick in - just give me a 5 day script of Tramadol so I can walk, get out of bed, put pressure on my pump site. I don’t want to go back inpatient.” Finally, got Tramadol.
So, now I am stuck hoping this is not permanent neuropathy. This surgery was supposed to help my pain and mobility and I’m hoping I don’t have more issues from it. Anyone else have issues from baclofen pump surgery that went away?
Sorry for the long post,
Sazed
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