| | Joined: May 2007 Posts: 632 "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts) | OP  "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts)
Joined: May 2007 Posts: 632 | Well,
Just had phone call from Denise--my new GP is much better, she feels, and very 'on the ball'--but does NOT want to go down the 'patch' route for me yet--or give me regular anti-anxiety stuff.
So I can beg for the happy pills if I've a 'potentially stressful' appointment/situation coming up and can have them--well, a few, anyway, lowest dose).
Am being put on Sevredol--gonna look it up in a minute--have to keep notes over weekend, ring surgery on Monday, he'll 'recalculate' how much I've needed and convert it to twice a day MST????
Just gonna look all that up on the net right now!
D'ya think I might get pain patch and tranquilisers on last day of my life???
Oh boy--that great British 'stiff upper lip' stuff--must do it to stop bottom one quivering!!
Bren
Brenda in UK--Diagnosis 30/5/07--undifferentiated carcinoma in right jawbone and muscles. Stage 4
6/7/07--new diagnosis primary is in lung. Finished 4cycles of palliative carboplatin/gemcitabine
therapy September 07
Now dying to live!
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 1,940 "OCF across the pond" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | "OCF across the pond" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 1,940 | If my memory serves me correctly severedol is slow release morphine tablets,although i may be off beam there Bren.
Liz in the UK
Husband Robin aged 44 years Dx 8th Dec 2006 poorly differentiated SCC tongue with met to neck T1N2cM0 Surgery and Radiation.Finished TX April 2007
Recurrence June/07 died July 29th/07.
Never take your eye off the ball, it may just smack you in the mouth.
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 1,940 "OCF across the pond" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | "OCF across the pond" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 1,940 | I just re read your previous post and spotted you said you were a 3.The thing is bren YOU REGULATE YOUR PAIN SCALE!!!When they ask you what the pain score is on a 1-10 say its a 9 and see what happens then.You may have a high pain threshold but you are not superhuman,so tell the truth and shame the devil(joke).
You know where i am sweetheart.
love always liz
Liz in the UK
Husband Robin aged 44 years Dx 8th Dec 2006 poorly differentiated SCC tongue with met to neck T1N2cM0 Surgery and Radiation.Finished TX April 2007
Recurrence June/07 died July 29th/07.
Never take your eye off the ball, it may just smack you in the mouth.
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 510 "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 510 | Okay, Brenda...you've got ME blubbering now....please stop feeling around for more 'lumps'...
Just know that we all love you and wish you weren't ALL THE FREAKIN' WAY across the Atlantic Ocean....
Lois
CG to 77 y/o hubby;SCC Alveolar Ridge; Wake Forest Baptist Hosp surgery: 07/19/07; bi mod radical resection/jaw replacement;
T2 N2-B M0 Stage IV-A
28 IMRT +
6 Paclitaxel/Carboplatin
Getting stronger every day!
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2007 Posts: 29 "OCF Canuck" Contributing Member (25+ posts) | | "OCF Canuck" Contributing Member (25+ posts)
Joined: Nov 2007 Posts: 29 | This is silly...as a family doc, I would gladly give you a patch for your pain and some anti-anxiety meds. You should not have to suffer. Maybe it helps that I had to have an excision myself, and I was happy for my pain meds. I agree that you need to let your doc know that what you have is not enough...don't belittle your pain. | | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 718 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 718 | Brenda, I get so frustrated when I read your posts. Just what about your current situation does your medical team thinks isn't stressful??? I don't understand why they won't provide you with anti anxiety meds and really strong pain meds...like the patch. Is this typical in the UK, or is this specific to your team? Do you have something like ambien to help sleep at night? Do you have to make a fuss and jump up and down to get what you need? Fortunately, we didn't have the problems you are dealing with in regards to meds. I only had to jump up and down once when they put an IV in wrong and blew through a vein...causing his arm to blow up. But, everything else went pretty smoothly. It makes me sad that you have any discomfort. 
Margaret
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C/G: Husband, 48 (at time of dx)
Dx 5/18/07 SCC, BOT, lymph node involvement. T1N2BM0. (Stage 4a, G2/3)
Tx 6/18 - 8/3/07, IMRT x 33 Cisplatin x3 (stopped after 1st dose due to hearing issues). Weekly Erbitux started 6/27/07 completed 8/6/07.
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Brenda:
I will keep you in my prayers. Im hope you will be getting the medication to make you feel calmer and less pain.
You are a true inspiration to everyone. What you are going thru and dealing with it with such grace is absolutely amazing.
Last edited by ChristineB; 01-19-2008 01:34 AM. Reason: wrong info
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive  | | | | | Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,671 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,671 |
Anne-Marie
CG to son, Paul (age 33, non-smoker) SCC Stage 2, Surgery 9/21/06, 1/6 tongue Rt.side removed, +48 lymph nodes neck. IMRTx28 completed 12/19/06. CT scan 7/8/10 Cancer-free! ("spot" on lung from scar tissue related to Pneumonia.)
| | | | | Joined: May 2007 Posts: 632 "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts) | | OP "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts)
Joined: May 2007 Posts: 632 | Thanks all--I AM feeling much calmer today!
The sevredol is morphine sulphate, 10mg., every 4 hours.
Waited til the last moment to take the first one last night expecting an instant 'pass-out'--an hour later I was still awake and in pain and took a co-codamol!
Slept then til 5.30a.m., took the next one and did actually go back to sleep fairly quickly until 8.30,got up, then took the next one at 9a.m.
Felt very sleepy and lay down--instant side pain again, so sat up and took an Ibuprofen at 10a.m.
Got onto the net to look it all up--found an excellent Scottish site which gave brilliant explanations of how it all works--apparently it takes up to 22 hours to reach maximum effect, which is then maintained with the 4-hourly doses.
Tablet number 4 at 1p.m. did start to work much more quickly!
Apparently when I report back to the doc, he takes the total 24-hour dosage that's been effective, splits in 2 and I then get 2, slow-release MST per day. I shall make sure I give him the numbers starting from tonight, and include any additional meds I have to take.
The patch seems to be, in some cases, only given if patients can't take oral medication because of swallowing or nausea issues, although Denise the MacMillan nurse says this isn't the case, it's just that I have to go through every step of the 'pain ladder' starting at the bottom when it comes to Stage 3--opiates.
However, as I say--'Always look on the bright side.....' etc and I have become more comfortable and calm as the day has worn on.
I also think it did me good to bawl for most of the day yesterday--got it out of my system!
My sister, who's been a brick, rang and she got upset as she realised that I was, and that things were beginning to look more hopeless.
However, with new descent of calmness late this afternoon, have emailed the twins and told them that any problems they've had/have now/may have in the future can now be blamed on their mother being an official drug addict!!--LOL!
Also, don't have to use 'chemo-brain' anymore as excuse for typos/forgetting things--brain now buggered from hard drugs!
Hope you're all having a good weekend!
Brenda
Brenda in UK--Diagnosis 30/5/07--undifferentiated carcinoma in right jawbone and muscles. Stage 4
6/7/07--new diagnosis primary is in lung. Finished 4cycles of palliative carboplatin/gemcitabine
therapy September 07
Now dying to live!
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 510 "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 510 | brain now buggered from hard drugs!
------------------------------------
Last night you had me crying...today I laugh out loud as your post and my recent 'English' lessons immediately brought to mind OUR Southern slang comment...she's f**** up!
Sorry, moderators....I just couldn't help myself!
Lois
CG to 77 y/o hubby;SCC Alveolar Ridge; Wake Forest Baptist Hosp surgery: 07/19/07; bi mod radical resection/jaw replacement;
T2 N2-B M0 Stage IV-A
28 IMRT +
6 Paclitaxel/Carboplatin
Getting stronger every day!
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