I had a pain pump (intrathecal drug delivery) implanted. It's on my right side in the pereneal area. It's the size of a hockey puck and has a port that the medicine is delivered by injection every 3 months.

Does anyone else have one of these pumps or knows someone with this pump that went ahead and had the lapband done? I just don't want to go to the pre-meetings and nutritionist and psych. appts. if it's not even an option. I'll be just waisting the Doctors time, my time and I'll be pushing back someone who has been waiting.

Thank you, in advance

~ K ~

I used to work with patients who had intrathecal pumps. I can't think of a reason why they would contradict each other. I would talk candidlyl with the MD who inserted the pain pump and the surgeon before proceeding, tho.

Good Luck to you!

Kimber-Lilly,

Thank you for your input. I just got the pump implanted 3 weeks ago. I should not be embarrassed to ask the pump Dr. but I am. I have to tell him some time, after all, I do need to get a refill of the medicine every 3 months.

I'm not clear on how the lapband has fills. I know with the pain pump we need to inject medicine into the port. I thought maybe the devices could cross frequency or something crazy like that. I posted a long time ago on another site and I got a reply that the lapband could not be done if I had the pump but there was no reason given and I was never responded to again.

Thanks again!

I am assuming that you have a Medtronic pump and when you go in for your fill of medication, they will wave a wireless "mouse" over your pump to "read" it--it will generate a read out of how much is left in the pump, etc....then they will fill the pump thru the port.

Lap Bands have a port identical to the one on the medtronic pump. Lap Bands have no "electronics or bells and whistles" to interfere with the operation of the intrathecal pump. Your intrathecal pump port is not electronic.

Your main concern, I would think, would be that whom ever fills your pump know exactly which port to use--you should wear a bracelet and it should be clearly documented in your medical record which is which.

Thank you so much for all your info.! It is medtronics and you are very right about the port fill with the mouse. I thought it was electronic because of the mouse and the little computer the Dr. used. Now that I think about it... the port is ran on batteries. I remember the Dr. telling me it would beep if I was low on meds.

You really made my night! I was so discouraged and reluctant to have the pump installed. I would have rather suffer in pain than be unhealthy and over weight for the rest of my life.

Best of luck to you and thank you again, you really helped me out.

Regarding your intrathecal pump--the pump itself runs on battery power, the PORT and it's tubing does not run on any power. It doesn't need power because it doesn't do anything. the reason I said it should be clearly documented and well know by all your healthcare providers is that you don't want someone putting the wrong thing in the wrong port, as they are identical devices.

Hope that is more clear! Pump has power, ports of any kind do not.

Again, thank you. I will make sure I get some sort of bracelet, like you suggested.

You have been more helpful than the nurse I spoke to last week.

I just wanted everyone to know that the Dr., who does the lapband surgery, emailed me and informed me that he does not see any issues with the lapband and the intrathecal pump both being implanted.

He did say, however, that some doctors will not do the surgery because they don't want to "deal" with the pump or any issues that may arise with it.

He also mentioned that I should get a bracelet to make sure there is no confusion on which is the lapband and which is the pump. Kimber.. mentioned that already.