Hi Baboo,
Welcome to the Pain Mangement Forum Your grandmother is fortunate to have your concern and support.
Fentanyl was the only drug that relieved my step-fathers suffering. It can be an effective pain management medication. Every one's systems are different and therefore we all respond differently to medications.
At ninety one our metabolism slows, making it more difficult to process, utilize and excrete medication, all medications. She may benefit from the implantation of a morphine pump that will deliver the medications more directly. I do not think that the pump is too invasive for her or the PMP would not have recommended it. I would follow his directives. I do not know your grandmothers general health. I would beleive her PMP has taken this into consideration.
Best of luck to you and your grandmother. Please let us know how she is doing. We will watch for your updates.
Take Care,
Tuck
The pain pump is the way to go in my opinion. I know that with the pump you need ALOT LESS pain medication than you would need normally. The reason for this is that the medication is delivered directly into the spinal column, as well as other areas where it's needed. I think the benefits of the pump far outweigh the negatives.
First of all and I am not a doctor she is weak and exhausted from the fentanyl pain patch. It the strongest medication there is. I was on it for spine surgeries when I was in my early 40's and all I did was sleep, I was so depressed, I couldn't eat or function. I would ask that she be weened off it and be put on something like oxycontin. I am not aware of the effect of oxycontin on someone her age but I cannot imagine it would be worse than the patch. In fact it might improve her energy. And I absolutely would not put her through a pain pump. I have heard so many stories of infection and doctors having to go back in to adjust. She can't take all of that. It was suggested to me and I would put that off as long as I could.
So please try to talk to the doctor about other options. Fentanyl patches side effects are loss of appetite, constant exhaustion, depressed mood. I also couldn't taste normally. Sweets were all I could manage to eat.
The pump is too invasive for her at this point.
This is all my humble opinion and things I would not use myself or NEVER allow my grandmother to use. I know how hard this must be to see her in pain. I would question the doctors and be direct and tell them you want her to have quality of life and just because she is 91 you don't want her in a vegetative state. There are other things for pain she can be on that don't make her feel this exhausted all the time and you don't want her having any surgeries that aren't absolutely necessary.
Vicodin is good for short term use but it's not enough. She needs something more but less than what she is on. Again in my opinion and based on years of chronic pain and having used the patch and being on just about every pain medication you can think of.
The very best to you and your grandmother.