Wheelchair patient scheduled for morphine pump. TERRIFIED & needs info!

I need more information, there r 3 ways they do the trial... see below...I am asking my pain dr to put one in me on Friday...Please keep me informed on what they did...

Determining whether an implantable drug pump will be a good pain management option for you is a complex process. Before a permanent pump can be implanted, you must undergo a trial to see if the device decreases your level of pain or spasticity. Depending on your particular condition, one of the following screening tests will be necessary:

1. Single injection: you will receive one injection of intrathecal medicine (morphine or baclofen) through a lumbar puncture.
2. Multiple injections: you are given multiple injections over a series of days by either a lumbar puncture or catheter.
3. Continuous trial: a catheter is placed in the correct area of your spine and connected to an external pump. The dose is increased every 2 hours until you notice pain relief.

I have been researching alot about this since u brought this serious question to my attention...With all I am reading u never leave the hospital or where ever the trial is taking place...Even if the put a trail cath in, they will increase ur pain meds every 2 hours until u have a low pain level, they will remove if it won't work for you or implant it right then in there if it shows atleast 50% reduction in pain. I also learned you have to be awake so you can tell them what the pain levels are while they are doing the trial. If they told u it would be an out patient and won't take long, than I feel from all that I read they r going to do the injection process. If you don't mind me asking, whats causing ur chronic pain? Hope this helps u any...I know I don't won't to be in the dark. Please keep me informed. If I find out more Friday when I go talk to him about placing a pump in me, I will come home and tell u what he told me...

River Rat,  your question can be answered several ways as all doctors do not do the same type of trial's. It would be simple if they did, but they just don't. The insertion of the needle & catheter into the area will be simple, mine did not hurt as the doctor had already injected it with a numbing agent. Yes, you will be able to move around, the catheter & external pump will be portable.  The trial can last from 1 day to several depending on your doctor.  There is nothing to be afraid of  and I suggest that you contact the pumpsters group that can be found on yahoo.com, they have much information available for those who need to know about the pump and will get very straight answers.

dont be scared, no reason. I had the trail, they put me out, so I didnt feel anything. Yes you will have a bag full of meds to carry around, but the meds are automatic, you do nothing. I had a home nurse come out when it was time to change the meds. They just switch the bag and they will put a clean banadge on you. It doesnt hurt, you will have a numbing agent in it, most likely, and feel nothing. It was awesome relief. They set it up so you will be slowly taken off your oral meds, or lower doses. They see you once a month, sooner if needed, if having lots of pain in the site of orginal pain, they will turn the pump up. Durning the nurses visits, if pain is bad, they can turn up meds also. It didnt hurt after the surgery, it didn't hurt when the nurses changed the bandage, etc, relax. You are waited on hand and foot, enjoy. The nurses took care of me, once a week(?), hubby took care of most everything, I rested. It was nice to get the real one in. I keep forgetting to pick up the bag and take it with me, all of a sudden I came to a quick stop by the bag still sitting on the couch! First time it scared me, thought I pulled it out, I didn't, relax....