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How much oramorph is safe

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User
Posted 03 Jun 2021 at 19:30

My partner has started getting quite nasty sciatica-type pain, as well as leg twitching - it seems as though the twitching then sets off the pain. He has mets in his bones, and we're assuming it's the pelvis that's pressing on a nerve - he had a spinal cord compression 7 months ago, but has only recently started getting pain again. The GP has prescribed oramorph (previously he was taking codeine when needed), and I'm not sure how much I can give him if he's still in pain. The prescription says 2.5 to 5 mls for breakthrough pain - tho he's not actually on any slow-release at present. So how much is safe, how often? I plan to ring the surgery tomorrow, and probably the hospice nurses as well, to check on all this; it's how much I can give him between now and then - I'm scared of overdosing him when he's only just started on the stuff.

User
Posted 03 Jun 2021 at 22:01

Maybe call 111 and get advice from a doctor?  That way you'd be sure you're getting the right information.

User
Posted 04 Jun 2021 at 09:48

He was OK overnight, so today I'll get onto the surgery and/or hospice nurses.

User
Posted 04 Jun 2021 at 11:30
Ask about a scan too, it may be he can have further spot treatment with RT
User
Posted 04 Jun 2021 at 11:58
Artyfriend, the hospice nurses will be more expert on this stuff than the GP - I would want their advice.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 04 Jun 2021 at 13:48

He's wondered about that - he had one dose of RT on his pelvis a couple of months ago, whether he can have more to that area we don't know. He has an appointment with oncology on the 22nd June.

User
Posted 04 Jun 2021 at 13:55

The GP was very helpful, reckons he should be on paracetamol 4 times a day (he's not been taking it regularly, only for headaches etc), and to top that up with the oramorph when needed. The 2.5 to 5 mls can be every 2 to 4 hours, and if/when he's taking it regularly to 20mg a day they can switch him to the slow-release version.

One thing we don't really understand is how the leg twitching triggers the pain, which is how it seems to him - we understand the twitching is from nerve damage caused by the spinal compression....I guess maybe in truth the same thing, "something" pressing on his sciatic nerve, causes both.

 
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