Chronic Pain

I am having intrathecal spine pain pump inserted soon and I have a question about the mds used in the pump. I am wanting to return to work, and need to know if the meds used in pain pumps are detectable in urine or serum drug testing required for employment? Does anyone have specific info about drug testing and intrathecal pain pumps? Also, when having trial done in hospital, and when experiencing withdrawal from pain pills, do MDs give other meds than that which is instilled in pump to help relive withdrawal symptoms, such as IV Valium, Phenergan, etc? Please help. Thank you. toomuchpain

First of all you are issued an id card from the manufacturer with your doctors name on it and should probably have something from pain doc for work. I am on disability so I don't have that problem, they wouldn't let me return to work. Your pain doc probably has protacols he follows for what he does as far as what he/she prescribes for their patients. I always have phenegren on hand and probably use it 1-2 times a month. Because of other problems I am also on oral meds. You must understand that the meds used in the pump are not systemic, but local(they don't flow thru the blood stream per se, but stay in the area they are delivered to.
Talk to YOUR DOCTOR, they all do things differently.

Thankyou. So what medication is in your pump? Did you have any problems during your trial and how long were you in the hospital for your trial? Did you go through any withdrawal when trial started? If so, did your doc give you any meds to help you through the withdrawal period or symptoms?

I am having the pum placed so that my pain would be better controlled and then I hopefully will be returning to work once the pump put in and the right doese of meds discovered.

I too have been on disability for several years, but just doesn't pay the bills in life. I have tried several different nursing jobs as a Registered Nurse, and just havn't located the right position yet.

I know things will get better in time and at the right time according to the Good Lord.

Anyway, I know that the pump does not deliver the meds systemically. I would think tha the meds have to still be metabolized and excreted through somewhere and somehow.

Perhaps a physician would be able to answer my question:

Attention Physicians: Are the meds that are administered intrathecally, as in a Medtronic Pain Pump, measurable in urine or serum or oral drug screens for exams for employment? Are the drug screen by-products metabolites or residual drug which is directly excreted?

Thank you for your response(s) in advance.

Thank you.

Toomuchpain

Hi toomuchpain,

I don't personally have any experience with a pain pump, but we have a thread here in the forum under "General Discussion" entitled “Willing to share experience with intrathecal morphine pump implant” that was started and is maintained by Bob Englebardt. That's where everyone gathers to discuss anything to do with intrathecal pain pumps. You might want to post your question there as well as it will probably get more answers. It's a pretty long thread, but rest assured your post will be read and answered. Here is a link to this thread on the forum:
http://forums.healthcentral.co.../f/7251032/m/8491036

I have morphine in my pump, it is changed out every 4 months. If I need it increased(which I have had to have done as things seem to be getting worse) I go in.
I was in hospital for 24 hours, just to make sure every thing goes ok. It was a truly wonderful experience, pain was gone.
My doc says that he does have some nurses that have pumps and returned to work.
My problems are too severe for me to do anything. I was a tax accountant for the state, and was forced to retire by docs at 47. Thank God I have a decent pension along with the social security, otherwise I would be up a creek without a paddle.
good luck