Please help! Dad in terrible pain.

[Toodlepipfornow]

Hi,

My Dad is in hospital and is on morphine for pain.

This evening, he has begun to have the most terrible pain but the nurses can't give him anything for another hour. My sister is trying to contact someone from the St. Christopher's out of hours team for advice but it is terrible to see him in such distress.

Does anyone have any ideas that might help to ease his pain?

Anything at all, please - we are desperate.

Thank you.

 

[DeMartin]

Gentle hand foot massage, anything to distract and focus on another part of the body, hope someone responds quickly.

 

[Beate]

Sorry if this is a stupid question but how do you know whether he is in pain? Has he said so? I'm asking because when my OH was on end of life care he was also put on morphine and I thought it wasn't working because his breathing was so laboured. They sent in a palliative care nurse who was amazing. She examined his arms and reassured me he was comfortable and his arms relaxed - the breathing was different as it changes towards the end. She was a great help.

If your Dad really is in pain, I apologize, I don't mean to offend. I have no idea how often morphine can be given. It's strong stuff and very addictive, but at end of life that shouldn't matter anymore.

 

[canary]

Has anyone suggested a syringe driver? This is often used at end of life so that they have a constant supply of morphine which will make them comfortable when they pass away. Im sorry, I dont know whether your dad is at that stage yet.

 

[Toodlepipfornow]

Gentle hand foot massage, anything to distract and focus on another part of the body, hope someone responds quickly.

Thank you, DeMartin, unfortunately. he can't bear to be touched. He is semi-conscious and in so much distress. Thank you, anyway, for the suggestion.

 

[Toodlepipfornow]

Has anyone suggested a syringe driver? This is often used at end of life so that they have a constant supply of morphine which will make them comfortable when they pass away. Im sorry, I dont know whether your dad is at that stage yet.

Thank you, canary. He has a syringe driver which is delivering the morphine.

 

[Toodlepipfornow]

Thank you, canary. He has a syringe driver which is delivering the morphine.

... but it is only giving him relief for a few hours - nowhere new as long as it should. We are trying to get in touch with an out of hours palliative care nurse. We don't know understand why he is in so much pain - he is old, not ill. Thanks again.

 

[canary]

Has he been assessed to see whether the morphine is sufficient?
When mum was on a syringe driver it was not initially enough, so she was assessed by the district nurses and the flow increased.
To begin with she seemed very distressed and was throwing off her bed clothes, trying to remove her clothes and even get her hair away from her head, but I was told that often at this stage they go through a period when they are feeling very hot and it did quieten down.

 

[canary]

... but it is only giving him relief for a few hours - nowhere new as long as it should. We are trying to get in touch with an out of hours palliative care nurse. We don't know understand why he is in so much pain - he is old, not ill. Thanks again.

Have you talked to someone about this? Has he been put on palliative care?
I was assuming that as you posted in "end of life" and he is on a syringe driver that he was expected to pass away very soon.

 

[Baby Bunty]

Hi so sorry to hear your dad is in pain..palliative nurse can add drugs to syringe driver for pain and also to calm him down..also he should have prn drugs which can be given if and when needed..no one should be left in pain..thoughts are with you and your dad.xxx

 

[Toodlepipfornow]

Sorry if this is a stupid question but how do you know whether he is in pain? Has he said so? I'm asking because when my OH was on end of life care he was also put on morphine and I thought it wasn't working because his breathing was so laboured. They sent in a palliative care nurse who was amazing. She examined his arms and reassured me he was comfortable and his arms relaxed - the breathing was different as it changes towards the end. She was a great help.

If your Dad really is in pain, I apologize, I don't mean to offend. I have no idea how often morphine can be given. It's strong stuff and very addictive, but at end of life that shouldn't matter anymore.

The palliative care nurse he saw in Friday was amazing. She said at this stage, the ONLY thing that was important was managing his pain. She said there was no need for him to be in pain.
No, dad hasn't told us he's in pain (he is semi-conscious and rambling) but he is groaning, crying out and wincing every time someone touches him, so we think it's a pretty safe bet that he is. He has always had a high pain threshold, and would never show pain, so it is heartbreaking to see him like this.

 

[Toodlepipfornow]

Have you talked to someone about this? Has he been put on palliative care?
I was assuming that as you posted in "end of life" and he is on a syringe driver that he was expected to pass away very soon.

No one expected him to last the night on Thursday. That was the second time in a week that we thought we would lose him. I posted u

 

[Toodlepipfornow]

...i posted in end of life because that's what doctors and care staff keep telling us he is.
Unfortunately, the palliative weekend staff have been very ineffective. We are waiting for a call from one of the St Christopher's team.
We don't know what is causing his pain. He has no illness. Thanks for the reply.

 

[canary]

Im sorry to hear that @Toodlepipfornow

Pain often accompanies the final stages before someone dies, but they should not be allowed to be in pain. I hope the district nurses can sort this out quickly.

 

[canary]

He has no illness

Im assuming that he has dementia, though.
Mum died from her dementia too - she had no other problems that cause death.

 

[Toodlepipfornow]

Has he been assessed to see whether the morphine is sufficient?
When mum was on a syringe driver it was not initially enough, so she was assessed by the district nurses and the flow increased.
To begin with she seemed very distressed and was throwing off her bed clothes, trying to remove her clothes and even get her hair away from her head, but I was told that often at this stage they go through a period when they are feeling very hot and it did quieten down.

He was initially Canary, but he hasn't since gisboain

 

[Toodlepipfornow]

... sorry. He hasn't been assessed since his pain has got worse. We are trying to get someone to see him. It is crazy that he is going through this after the palliative care nurse told us on Friday wadbthat

 

[Toodlepipfornow]

... Was that the only thing they were focusing on was ensuring dad didn't suffer.

 

[Toodlepipfornow]

Hi so sorry to hear your dad is in pain..palliative nurse can add drugs to syringe driver for pain and also to calm him down..also he should have prn drugs which can be given if and when needed..no one should be left in pain..thoughts are with you and your dad.xxx

Thank you Baby Bunty. It seems that the problem in getting someone to see him is that it's the weekend and staff are short on the ground. We just want someone to give him something that stops his pay. Thanks for your reply. xx

 

[Toodlepipfornow]

Thank you Baby Bunty. It seems that the problem in getting someone to see him is that it's the weekend and staff are short on the ground. We just want someone to give him something that stops his pay. Thanks for your reply. xx

Obviously, I meant "stops his pain" not pay.