| | Joined: Sep 2012 Posts: 145 "OCF Down Under" Senior Member (100+ posts) |  "OCF Down Under" Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2012 Posts: 145 | There are three types of pain medication you should have at your disposal:
- Long term pain relief such as MS Contin or Fentanyl patches which lasts up to 12 hours.
- Breakthrough pain medication such as Oxycodone, Tylenol etc. which you take every 4-6 hours accordingly
- Short lasting pain medication such as Lignocaine, Cocaine mouthwash etc. which provides short term pain relief which is used when you need to eat etc.
Making sure you keep on top of the above medication is absolutely critical as more pain you have equates to more of the body using nutrition & energy to fight the toxins released into the bloodstream caused by the pain which ultimately means that healing will be slower and more difficult.
On the flip side, you want to make sure you are only taking what is required without going overboard as you must remember a lot of the pain medication is opiate based meaning that you will have to cope with the addiction & withdrawal symptoms once you start to get better.
What I used to do with Jen was ask her every 4 hours what her pain level was between 1-10 and tried to keep it between a 3-4 through the medication.
Hope that helps.
6/8/12: Wife 33y/o with no risk dx with Stage IVa SCC L of Tongue(T4aN2bM0)
3/9/12: Induced birth @ 36 weeks - Baby Hunter!
11/9/12: OP - 3/4 Partial Gloss, Radical ND & Tongue Rec.
24/10/12: 33xRad + 7xChemo
7/12/12: Tx complete
21/3/13 & 21/6/13: NED
24/7/13: SCC in Lungs - OP: Lobectomy (VATS)
29/1/14 passed away
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2012 Posts: 51 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2012 Posts: 51 | Paul is on his 32 radiation treatment. He started with Vicodin, then added the Fentanyl patch beginning with 25. As the pain increased, he would increase the patch by 25. This usually increased every 72 hours when the patch had to be changed. As the pain increased, he also went to two Vicodin then the next strength Vicodin. After the Vicodin wasn't effective he changed to dilaudid (morphine) beginning with 2 mg. He is now on 4 mg with Fentanyl at 125. I guess my point is that you really have to mix and match until you find the right combo for you.
In my own pain experience and in helping Paul, we've found it's best to take your meds even if you think they won't be needed. Once the pain begins, it's much harder to get under control.
Diane-wife to Paul, age 55
DX 9/17/12
HPV/SCC/BOT Stage 4a
Non-smoker/casual drinker
Otherwise healthy
9/24/12 Cisplatin, Taxotere,5-FU - 3x
12/3/12 Rad x 35/Carboplatin x 3
1/15/13 DVT upper thigh
Passed away 1/23/13
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2013 Posts: 1,291 Likes: 1 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Jan 2013 Posts: 1,291 Likes: 1 | Jay,
Did you folks try any 420 options? I am looking at the vaporizer options as an alternate to going with the heavy prescribed meds.
Don
Don Male, 57 - Great health except C Dec '12 DX: BOT SCC T2N2bMx, Stage 4a, HPV+, multiple nodes 1 tooth out Jan '13 2nd tooth out Tumor Board -induction TPF (3 cycles), seq CRT 4-6/2013 CRT 70gr 2x35, weekly carbo150 ended 5/29,6/4 All the details, join at http://beatdown.cognacom.com | | | | | Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 | Katie B
If you only have pain when you swallow, then the "magic mouthwash" should help. It usually has lidocaine in it and you just swish it and spit it out and it numbs the throat.
Personally, I could not handle it as it made me more nauseous but it works for a lot of people
Charm
65 yr Old Frack
Stage IV BOT T3N2M0 HPV 16+
2007:72GY IMRT(40) 8 ERBITUX No PEG
2008:CANCER BACK Salvage Surgery
25GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin
Apaghia /G button
2012: CANCER BACK -left tonsilar fossa
40GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin
Passed away 4-29-13
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