Mum recently went into care home.
Prior to going in she was on Cocodamol x2 for pain 4 hourly. Mum seemed was OK on them but frequently asked for more an hour or two before the four hours were up.
The home uses the GP services of a nearby practice with the GP visiting once a week and I was told that her meds would not be changed for the first 3 months. However I have now found out they have changed her analgesia.
On a recent visit my Mum asked for painkillers and I noticed she got 1 paracetamol tablet. I asked the staff to get her another as I felt 1 paracetamol is woefully inadequate. She told me that the GP has taken her off the Cocodamol as it is far too strong. I told her that it was prescribed by our previous GP and that Paracetomol was ineffective for arthritic pain. She then said that my Mum doesn't ask for painkillers(when at home she was asking me all the time) and she said that because my Mum has capacity she can ask for them when she needs them. I countered this saying that she has poor short term memory issues too so you are assuming she will remember to ask for them when she sees you. I don't mind if they alternate the codeine with the paracetamol throughout the day but I much rather Mum has pain killers regularly to keep pain at bay than not giving them and waiting for her to ask which I think is unreasonable.
She kept saying how addictive codeine was as if it were a gateway drug and within weeks would lead to Mum sitting in the lounge smoking a crack pipe! Surely pain control at 91 is more important. What are others experience? I am going to speak to GP soon and want to have a good few points to back up my argument.
Prior to going in she was on Cocodamol x2 for pain 4 hourly. Mum seemed was OK on them but frequently asked for more an hour or two before the four hours were up.
The home uses the GP services of a nearby practice with the GP visiting once a week and I was told that her meds would not be changed for the first 3 months. However I have now found out they have changed her analgesia.
On a recent visit my Mum asked for painkillers and I noticed she got 1 paracetamol tablet. I asked the staff to get her another as I felt 1 paracetamol is woefully inadequate. She told me that the GP has taken her off the Cocodamol as it is far too strong. I told her that it was prescribed by our previous GP and that Paracetomol was ineffective for arthritic pain. She then said that my Mum doesn't ask for painkillers(when at home she was asking me all the time) and she said that because my Mum has capacity she can ask for them when she needs them. I countered this saying that she has poor short term memory issues too so you are assuming she will remember to ask for them when she sees you. I don't mind if they alternate the codeine with the paracetamol throughout the day but I much rather Mum has pain killers regularly to keep pain at bay than not giving them and waiting for her to ask which I think is unreasonable.
She kept saying how addictive codeine was as if it were a gateway drug and within weeks would lead to Mum sitting in the lounge smoking a crack pipe! Surely pain control at 91 is more important. What are others experience? I am going to speak to GP soon and want to have a good few points to back up my argument.