[FranCat]

Exactly...when my Mom was diagnosed with the cancer that killed her, she said "I don't want to have to worry about getting addicted this stuff." The doctors, nurses and I all chimed in (in unison) "Lets make sure you live first; then we'll worry about getting you back off of them!"

[Zardoz]

Originally Posted by FranCat

Exactly...when my Mom was diagnosed with the cancer that killed her, she said "I don't want to have to worry about getting addicted this stuff." The doctors, nurses and I all chimed in (in unison) "Lets make sure you live first; then we'll worry about getting you back off of them!"

Pain mangaement is number one with cancer. Especially when you reach stage 4.

[FranCat]

she died two months after her diagnosis...we didn't have time to get a real regimen set up, even.

[Zardoz]

Originally Posted by FranCat

she died two months after her diagnosis...we didn't have time to get a real regimen set up, even.

But were those two months as good as they could be?

[FranCat]

she was still saying that the meds were working fine... she was only in pain after the second procedure. She didn't make it long enough to get real bad...her first chemo treatment caused a stroke and heart attack...she died from those. the procedures involved placing some kind of powder into the cavity between her lungs and her chest wall, so that they would stick together, and not let her collapse a lung. no surgeries, though.

[Zardoz]

Originally Posted by FranCat

she was still saying that the meds were working fine... she was only in pain after the second procedure. She didn't make it long enough to get real bad...her first chemo treatment caused a stroke and heart attack...she died from those. the procedures involved placing some kind of powder into the cavity between her lungs and her chest wall, so that they would stick together, and not let her collapse a lung. no surgeries, though.

Then it was a blessing of sorts. The end of cancer...is a horrid, horrid thing.

[MrQ1701]

Originally Posted by FranCat

she died two months after her diagnosis...we didn't have time to get a real regimen set up, even.

I'm sorry to hear your story, FranCat. You have my belated condolences.

I still believe pain medications serve a purpose. I do think some people are more likely to have an addictive personality than others. The temptation to take more dosage than is prescribed is one that every person deals with differently.

After my knee surgery my doctor gave me a prescription for 60 perks (is it "perkocet"?). The instructions I was given allowed for me to take the entire 60 pills over time. I ended up with about 40 pills left over when I stopped taking them.

[FranCat]

I know I am one of those who would become addicted, if not careful. That is why I usually only fill half of a prescirption, or only take one pill when the intructions ay to take two. the less of it I get into my system, the easier it is to control my actions.

[Zardoz]

Originally Posted by MrQ1701

I'm sorry to hear your story, FranCat. You have my belated condolences.

I still believe pain medications serve a purpose. I do think some people are more likely to have an addictive personality than others. The temptation to take more dosage than is prescribed is one that every person deals with differently.

After my knee surgery my doctor gave me a prescription for 60 perks (is it "perkocet"?). The instructions I was given allowed for me to take the entire 60 pills over time. I ended up with about 40 pills left over when I stopped taking them.

Well, we are a pill poping culture. Who would have thought we'd have TV ads for perscription meds, even 15 years ago? Many Docs over perscribe.

[MrQ1701]

Originally Posted by Zardoz

Well, we are a pill poping culture. Who would have thought we'd have TV ads for perscription meds, even 15 years ago? Many Docs over perscribe.

I think their is a conflict of interest when Doctors are allowed to own stakes in things like pharmaceutical companies or the local MRI machine. When they profit from prescribing medication or ordering unneeded tests, that is a problem. Not to go off on a tangent, but addressing these issues would be nice to see in healthcare reform.