Friday, June 29, 2012

New Painkillers

Over the last week and a half, I have had to decrease the time interval between doses of oxycodone from 8 to 4 hours. Otherwise, I was in pain.

So I asked Judy, my hospice nurse, what my next step ought to be. A higher dose of oxycodone, or try another drug?

She consulted with their pharmacist and came up with a plan. It's something for me to try, to see how it works.

Basically, I would switch to morphine, and have extended release pill every 12 hours, with the availability of immediate release pills as needed in between.

She ran the plan by me, and after I agreed, she sent the paperwork to Dr R, because he's the one writing prescriptions.

I made the switch yesterday. I was virtually pain free. That was awesome.

Plus, I didn't have to even think about pain for 12 hours. (With the other drug, every 4 hours the pain crept back up on me, so it was always in my face.)

But I was really sleepy. I slept for most of the day.

Part of that sleepiness might have been needing to rest after the excitement of Tinalynne's visit --- but part of it had to be the new painkillers.

Judy warned me that it might take a couple of days to adjust.

Today I am just a little sleepy. But mostly what I feel is a little wobbly on my feet. Not enough to feel as though I might fall, though. Do not want to fall!


Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Definitely don't want to fall!

Anonymous said...

Don't want you to fall either...Love you

Anonymous said...

Hi Karen! It's great to hear that you are virtually pain free on the new meds.

I just wanted to say hi and to let you know that my arms are around you giving you a BIG hug filled with love. xoxo - Ryan

ps...Aunt Cathy sends her love, too!

Anonymous said...

Hi Karen, I am so glad the morphine is helping control the pain for you!! And it sounds like your visit with Tinalynne was absolutely wonderful. Love you so much and lots of hugs to Lou also!! xoxo Debbie P. fronm Bellevue

Anonymous said...

pain free is the goal...I think about you all the time. I will call you on Sunday. You should get my card today or tomorrow.

I hope you can eat a little more with the new pain meds...

Thinking of how we got connected with each other back in the day (before I had a cell phone!), and your cat and dog tribulations along the way. Hanging out with Crysi and you. Remember when we sometimes met and ate at Bellevue Botanical Garden? The time you let me stay when things were rough for me. Lou's paella and how he would ask how I was when I called you and he picked up. Good stuff.

Enough reminiscing, hope you have a restful evening and night.

Love you,
Kathy
from Kirkland

Anonymous said...

Hope the new pain meds do the trick. I think you will be sleepy until your body adjusts. I'm sleepy all the time and don't have pain meds as an excuse....and don't say it has something to do with my age. Ha Ha Keep the updates coming.

Luv ya!

Gerry

Tinalynne said...

Pain free is good. Woobly, as I remmeber is a side effect of that pill...I think wobbly gets better as your body gets used to the drug...I am gald you are not as tired today...we can certainly blame me for your tiredness yesterday day! HA! : )

Anonymous said...

I'm glad your nurse acted immediately to try a new pain reliever. That's good. Of course we are rejoicing that you are free of pain. Hope the side effects subside soon. Sending love, Jeannie and family