traveler1
Member
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2010
- Messages
- 20
- Reason
- DX UMND/PLS
- Diagnosis
- 04/2009
- Country
- US
- State
- CA
- City
- Long Beach
Hi All,
I'm not a great contributor to this site, but I truly appreciate those of you who are! You're created a supportive community that's both informative and kind, as well as a forum that often tickles the funny bone! Many thanks!
Now it's my turn to make an offering. I'm finally ready to earn my keep by sharing my enthusiastic endorsement of the Medtronic Baclofen pump.
I'm a PLSer (first symptoms 2005, first neuro visit 2007), and though I was still walking, the spasticity was making some outings a little dicey. If a shopping cart was available, I'd be fine. But if not, I had to be very careful and often used a single or a pair of hiking sticks.
I finally took the plunge and received a pump implant in November, 2015. I'm from southern California but decided to have the surgery at UC San Francisco. I was in and out on the same day, spent the night at a hotel, and drove home the next day to so cal. Almost immediately, I could see an improvement. We adjusted the amount of baclofen i received four times in the first two months, each time slightly upping the dosage. I still have my moments of excessive spasticity, but they are very rare and not nearly as severe as they used to be. And I no longer need my hiking stick(s). (Although I sometimes carry them on walks in the hills, just in case i run into an errant coyote or mountain lion and need to make a hasty retreat!)
I don't want to be melodramatic, but the pump has truly made a positive difference in my life. I'm much more independent--I can go almost anywhere alone again! And traveling is much more fun now. In fact, for the first time in years, I was able to visit our Mammoth Lakes condo in the winter....in the snow! I'm also planning a trip to NYC for this summer. Things are definitely looking up!
I'd be happy to answer any questions anyone may have about my experience with the pump. It's been a miracle worker for me and I'm thrilled to spread the pump gospel!
Cheers!
Lauren
I'm not a great contributor to this site, but I truly appreciate those of you who are! You're created a supportive community that's both informative and kind, as well as a forum that often tickles the funny bone! Many thanks!
Now it's my turn to make an offering. I'm finally ready to earn my keep by sharing my enthusiastic endorsement of the Medtronic Baclofen pump.
I'm a PLSer (first symptoms 2005, first neuro visit 2007), and though I was still walking, the spasticity was making some outings a little dicey. If a shopping cart was available, I'd be fine. But if not, I had to be very careful and often used a single or a pair of hiking sticks.
I finally took the plunge and received a pump implant in November, 2015. I'm from southern California but decided to have the surgery at UC San Francisco. I was in and out on the same day, spent the night at a hotel, and drove home the next day to so cal. Almost immediately, I could see an improvement. We adjusted the amount of baclofen i received four times in the first two months, each time slightly upping the dosage. I still have my moments of excessive spasticity, but they are very rare and not nearly as severe as they used to be. And I no longer need my hiking stick(s). (Although I sometimes carry them on walks in the hills, just in case i run into an errant coyote or mountain lion and need to make a hasty retreat!)
I don't want to be melodramatic, but the pump has truly made a positive difference in my life. I'm much more independent--I can go almost anywhere alone again! And traveling is much more fun now. In fact, for the first time in years, I was able to visit our Mammoth Lakes condo in the winter....in the snow! I'm also planning a trip to NYC for this summer. Things are definitely looking up!
I'd be happy to answer any questions anyone may have about my experience with the pump. It's been a miracle worker for me and I'm thrilled to spread the pump gospel!
Cheers!
Lauren