Carol's Story
Drug Delivery Therapy
A couple of years after having disc surgery, Carol knew something wasn't right. The soles of her feet were becoming numb and her legs and back started to ache.
An MRI confirmed that Carol had spinal canal stenosis and a herniated disc. Within 2 months, she was bedridden.
Coping with chronic pain
Carol and her doctor tried many different treatment options, including oral and patch medications, acupuncture and physical therapy. The treatments didn't relieve the pain, and the oral medication had many negative side effects.
"I was nauseous, I had no appetite, and I lost over 25 pounds," recalls Carol.
"I wasn't able to complete any of the household chores, garden, or go to the store," says Carol. "When I sat or stood, the pain was unbearable, even with strong pain pills."
The pain affected both Carol and her husband, Larry. "He did the shopping, laundry, bathed me, and so much more," Carol says. "It was so hard for him because there wasn't anything he could do about the pain."
After seeing a neurosurgeon, Carol underwent a second disc surgery. "As soon as the anesthesia wore off, I knew the disc surgery hadn't relieved the pain," Carol says. Her doctors told her she had nerve damage, and there was too much scar tissue for additional surgery.
Discovering drug delivery therapy
Eventually, Carol was referred to a pain clinic in Portland, Oregon. "The physician sat down with us and asked me: if it would relieve even 50% of the pain, would I want the Medtronic pump? I said yes!"
After starting drug delivery therapy, Carol finally found immense relief from her chronic pain. While she did not have any complications, there are risks associated with the procedure. The most frequently reported problems following drug infusion system implant surgery include infection, spinal fluid leak, pump inversion, skin erosion, drug side effects, loss of therapy effect, and therapy that did not meet the patient's expectations. For a complete list of adverse events that have been associated with the therapy, please refer to the important safety information.
Living a full life with drug delivery therapy
"The Medtronic pump has changed our lives," Carol explains. "I had been down, flat on my back for over 4 months. My husband took care of me 24 hours a day. We were feeling so afraid and hopeless. Because of the pump, I am now able to take care of myself. We've returned to a near-normal existence."
"There are a few activities I still can't do and I still have some aches and pains if I overdo it," she says. "But they are minor in comparison to what I experience before the Medtronic pump."
"My husband and I have our lives back. It means so much to us both."
This story reflects one person's experience. Please bear in mind that the experiences are specific to this particular person. Not everyone will receive the same results as the patient in this story. Talk with your doctor about your treatment options.