Description of Event or Problem · 1
I HAVE A MEDTRONIC INTRATHECAL PAIN PUMP MODEL #8637-20. THIS IS MY 2ND PUMP AND HAVE IT 1 1/2 YRS. HAD MY FIRST PUMP FOR 7 YEARS (SAME MODEL). I DEVELOPED SEVERE/NEW/UNUSUAL BACK PAIN AT ABOUT 3:00AM. THEN VOMITED FOR HOURS, FREEZING/BURNING UP, WITH HIGH BP, AND SEVERE JERKING OF MY LEGS. I WAS IN WITHDRAWAL FROM THE MORPHINE AND CLONIDINE IN MY PUMP. I WAS UNFAIRLY NEGLECTED AT THE ER, EVEN THOUGH I INFORMED THEM THAT I HAD A PAIN PUMP AND HAD A HEART ATTACK. I WAS SCREENED AND THEN LEFT IN THE ER FOR 7 HOURS DRY HEAVING, AND MORE. BP AT ONE POINT WAS 223/110. I WAS ADMITTED AND FINALLY GIVEN IV MORPHINE. KIDNEY STONES AND UTI WERE RULED OUT. IT WAS 24 HOURS LATER THAT I WAS NO LONGER JERKING / THROWING UP, ETC. MY PAIN SPECIALIST IS AT A LOSS AS TO WHAT HAPPENED. TESTING ON MY PUMP DID NOT SHOW THAT IT STALLED, NOR DID IT EVER ALARM. HE ALSO DID A "SIDE STUDY" TO CHECK THE FLOW OF THE CATHETER. IT WAS APPARENTLY "FINE." THE ONLY OTHER SOLUTION IS THAT I WILL HAVE THE RECENT PUMP MEDS EXTRACTED AND HAVE A NEW BATCH INJECTED THIS THURSDAY AND THE CONTENTS WILL BE ANALYZED, I HAD JUST HAD IT REFILLED 2 1/2 WEEKS AGO. I WAS GIVEN A 3 DAY FENTANYL PATCH TO HOLD ME OVER THE WEEKEND UNTIL I GOT INTO MY PAIN SPECIALIST, WHO DENIES KNOWING OF ANY RECALL ON THIS DEVICE. I WILL LIKELY GET A SECOND OPINION, ESPECIALLY SINCE MY RESEARCH THUS FAR SHOWS THAT THIS PARTICULAR PUMP WAS INTACT RECALLED. I BECAME VERY LETHARGIC AND SLEEPY, SO I REMOVED THE PATCH AND INFORMED MY DR. THE PAIN SPECIALIST HAS NO IDEA "WHAT TO DO WITH ME." THIS PUMP SHOULD LAST 7 YEARS AND TO HAVE IT REPLACED IS A SIGNIFICANT SURGERY. THE PUMP HAS NOT YET BEEN REMOVED OR REPLACED.