Pain Management(1)

kelly0706

My mom who is 96 has been having trouble with severe arthritis pain in the morning when caregivers are trying to get her up. Tried fentanyl patch but that totally knocks her out and she is like a zombie. Also tried giving her a small dose if morphine at 5 a.m. but she won't take it while still in bed and wanting to sleep. Any suggestions for pain med that wi not make her totally lethargic and unable to function? She is wheelchair bound so her joints are frozen and stiff. They do restorative therapy as much as she will tolerate and she is on hospice.

Cynbar

Your mom's hospice RN case manager should be working on this, comfort care is the cornerstone of hospice philosophy and that includes pain and agitation. Is the nurse working with you on this issue? If not, push a little harder.

Cobalt

My son has chronic pain that is often managed with MMJ, not pain medication or narcotics.  Since you mention arthritis, are you in a state that you can get her connected up with legal MMJ?  Drops, tinctures, ointments and edible MMJ can help a great deal.  For my son with EO and also chronic pain from spinal surgery, we try to find a candy bar or gummy with the Sativa strain of MMJ because he has more relief, less anxiety, and is able to feed himself and do his home exercises, and enjoy watching TV and socialization without feeling drugged.  He's able to concentrate better!  All of his many specialists are in complete support of this over pharmaceutical medications and narcotics.

His GI doctor recently suggested that when he was having terrible agitation and pain on waking, to give him a small tab of MMJ chocolate bar an hour before giving any medicine.  Astonishing that for 2 weeks now, no issues at all on waking or severe pain. It seems that an empty stomach on waking causes painful stomach pains and then to put pills right away makes it worse.  You may find by accident some little change that can make a difference.

kelly0706

Sadly we are not in a state where it is legal.

kelly0706

Nurse is working on it but I feel that morphine and fentanyl are hospices go to drugs. Every situation is not the same. I will not let them give her these drugs at this point. Thank you.