Re: newcomer question/pain meds

[Guest guest]

Dear Carol,

I'm sorry to hear that your son has been having such a time with

it with his pancreatitis. It does sound as though he has become

chronic.

Has he been instructed by his gastroenterologist to follow a low

fat diet, abstain from any alcohol, and perhaps been given a

prescription for pancreas enzyme supplements? Both the diet

and the enzyme supplement do a great deal to reduce his pain

episodes. You will find that most of our attacks are food related,

and high fat foods and proteins are difficult for the damaged

pancreas to digest as the amylase and lipase enzymes that do

the digestive work are damaged by our condition. And no matter

what the cause of a person's initial attack, the continuance of

use of alcohol damages the pancreas even more by creating a

sludge that blocks the ducts.

There are many different pain medications that we use. Different

medications affect an individual in different patterns, so what

works for one person may not be the appropriate medication for

someone else. Some medications used are Oxycontin,

Oxycontin MS, Dilaudid, Morphine, Hydrocodone, Percocet,

Lortab, and Vicodin. Some are to be used for long term relief,

and others for short term, such as 4-6 hours. For the last ten

months I've been using a duragesic patch, which is a patch that

contains Fentanyl and releases the drug transdermally for up to

72 hours. It's changed every 2-3 days. Then I use Percocet 10

for breakthrough pain. Breakthrough pain is pain that so severe

that it overcomes the long term medication a patient is already

using, and the breakthrough meds usually last 4-6 hours and

usually aren't taken on a daily, continual basis.

Doctors usually prescribe whatever medication they feel most

comfortable with. Many doctors are unfamiliar with all the

different narcotics and prefer to refer their patients to a pain clinic

when the patient's needs require medication on a 24/7 basis.

They feel the pain clinic doctors are more familiar with all the

different narcotics, their side effects, and what is most effective

for each individual.

A few of our members use pain pumps, and I hope that some of

them that do will post and tell you about their experience with a

pain pump.

Kimber is our California and Southwest Representative,

and if she has any doctor's information that she thinks may help

your son, I'm sure she'll post.

Please let us know how else we can help you.

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina

SC & SE Regional Rep.

PAI, Intl.

Note: All comments and advice are personal opinion only, and

should not be substituted for professional medical consultation.

" What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters

compared to what lies within us. " - Ralph Waldo Emerson

> I've lurked on this list before, unjoined and rejoined. My son

has

> pancreatitis and has been in and out of the hospital for the

past six

> weeks. This last time they sent him home with a nighttime IV,

and, as

> usual, vicodan for pain. That doesn't work, so last night he

went

> back into the hospital where they give him demerol for the pain.

That

> seems to work. DIL told me they're now talking about a pump

for pain

> med. Seems to me there should be a better way to handle the

pain than

> vicodan. Does anybody have anything better? Also, he's at

Long Beach

> Memorial Hospital, Long Beach CA. I don't know anything

about

> gastroenterologists - he's seen at least two so far, but they

don't

> have anything to say except that they can do pain control and

that's

> all. Anybody know who THE ONE is in this area?

>

> Thanks for any help, advice, etc.

>

> Carol

[Guest guest]

Carol,

I am the California State Representative. I'm afraid I don't have a

recommendation at this time for your location, but I'll send out an

email to all the California members and see if anyone else can recommend

someone in the Long Beach area. Most of my current recommendations are

in the LA area or the SF Bay Area. I'll let you know in a few days if I

hear anything thing.

Kimber

--

Kimber

Vallejo, CA

hominid2@...

Note: All advice given is personal opinion, not equal to that of a licensed

physician or health care professional.

[Guest guest]

I have been told the best CP help in at Loma .

Sandy

California

Kimber wrote:

> Carol,

> I am the California State Representative. I'm afraid I don't have a

> recommendation at this time for your location, but I'll send out an

> email to all the California members and see if anyone else can recommend

> someone in the Long Beach area. Most of my current recommendations are

> in the LA area or the SF Bay Area. I'll let you know in a few days if I

> hear anything thing.

> Kimber

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you Kimber. I really appreciate your efforts.

Carol

Kimber wrote:

> Carol,

> I am the California State Representative. I'm afraid I don't have a

> recommendation at this time for your location, but I'll send out an

> email to all the California members