My sister has degeneration of the spinal column they want her to go on a morphine drip for the pain good idea?
my sister has degeneration of the spine, genetic my dad also had it, shes been in pain management but they want her to start on a morphine drip is this a good idea and what side effects could there be ?
Answers:
If her pain doctor has suggested it, then she needs it. They don't put people on morphine drips unless it is absolutely neccessary. Trust the docs, they have medical training and are trying to help her have some quality of life and be reasonably pain-free.
should try her on fentenayl patch first,,time released,,each patch good for 3 days
Instead of asking people who cant do anything ask your doctor or her doctor he is the best person to talk to when it comes to your spinal cord!
It would help to know a little bit more information, with regards to what sort of pain management she is on now, if they're proposing scheduled morphine or a PCA (patient-controlled pump), and what side effects are you mostly concerned about?
Morphine is addictive! How old is she? What quality of life will it gie her. there are many things to build back bone in the spinal column if it is related to the discs. I would get a second opinion or a good neurologist. I lost all my thoric and 2 lubar discs to cancer. Yes I took pain meds but never a drip and I had cancer in every bone in my body. To me a drip is like giving up..Just my opinion..There are patches as someone suggested. Does she do back exercises..I have been able to join Curves and do light work outs (1/3) the recomended exercise under a doctors supervision. I am bent over, I lost 3 inches in height but I take lots of Coral calcium with Vitamin D and Magnesium and eat foods heavy in calcium. It will utimately be her choice as it is her life.
Hope she does well.
They give morphine drips or pills, methadone, or Oxycontin. These are all opiates for long term pain relief. They each have side effects, but if the benefit of the drug helps with the pain they may be worth a try. These drugs in a medically prescribed, monitored situation are not addictive unless the patience has addictive tendencies. A person may get used to the drug if it helps and has to be tapered down when time to be removed from the drug, so habit forming, yes. addictive, no.
Best thing you can do is talk to several doctors and perhaps a drug rehab specialist to see how people handle these drugs.
Chronic pain is very hard to live with and debilitating so it might be worth a try.
This is just an opinion from someone who also has chronic pain and is starting methadone therapy soon.
You can look up side effects of any drugs on the internet, just go to a web browser and type in the drug name.
Good luck to your family
The patch is a much more acceptable alternative, No IV bag to need to deal with (irrelevent if she is in the hospital). Have the care takers read The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Davies to see if this can help any.
It is written so anyone can understand it. And if between a massage therapist and the book she is able to stay off the heavy drugs it might allow for other alternatives to be considered.
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