Time? Pain?

[AutumnMiller]

Hi everyone, I'm Krystal I'm 23 yrs old. Cancer runs in my family - my Grandmothers mom died from a GYN cancer (they don't know what is was bc it was a long time ago) my Grandmother is a breast cancer survivor, my aunt is a skin cancer (melanoma survivor) and my brother had a rare heart cancer that reoccurred and also melanoma skin cancer(clarks something??) well anyway. We found out in May of 2007my mom is battling non small cell lung cancer. In may they told her she has about two years with starting radiation and chemo asap. The radiation shrunk the tumors half the size ( not what the drs hoped for) and the chemo-- she tried maybe 6 outpatient and is now on the pill form traceva. She will more than likely take this til she dies. Another thing about her condition is that she  has a huge blood clot that goes from her chest.. like the center up to the back of her ear. The mediations she's taking right now.. are Traceva(chemo), Lovenox, oxycotin ( 40mg in the morning and night) percocet in between like every 2-3 hrs anywhere from 15-20mg. She is in a tremendous amount of pain. Just this past week she started having other problems with her throat/voice. She sounds horse ( she thinks the cancer is pressing up against her voice box ( she's at the drs now) ) when she coughs its sounds kinda distant in her chest-- I'm sorry idk how else to explain that. this is only been within the past week. My question is.. without flat out asking the dr or my mom- how much time do you think given her symptoms she has? I'm living everyday like its the last with her but given the symptoms she's having is it something that is in the normal cycle.
All of this is really hard on my family. My son (3) and myself moved in with my mom after his father and I split. My moms youngest daughter died of a drug od and her son has cancer.. Its also hard for her to accept what she's leaving behind.
I think we've tried everything for pain.. another thing she's taking is the fentunal patch 100mg. it has been working but making her get as sick as a dog with throwing up. I've made her try smoking marijuana to see if it will help. it has a little with sleeping and naesua. I'm just not sure what else I can do to try and make her comfy. I also give her massages on her upper back.. That is also an area that she is in pain.  I'm gonna call today to get benefits for a home heath nurse or hospice to see if they can do intervenes drugs. I hate to see her in pain like this.
We've tried heat/cold, massages, sleeping in diff positions, all the pain medication.. she's really int he most pain right after she wakes up. does anyone have any suggestions for me on the pain??? and also any idea on a timeframe. I really hate this stuff. I hate having to ask since I don['t know.. but I guess I have to be prepared

thank you everyone in advance

[AutumnMiller]

Thank you so much.I appreciate your getting back to me. We did try the Fentalytl patches. We actually have her on hospice since I last posted. She is on Methadone and Morphuine and her pain is definitely under control more. Thank you so much again.

[PaulMD]

Hi.

I'm sorry to learn about her present condition.  Other pain management techniques would involve Fentanyl patches that can give a steady stream of drugs.  Patient triggered machines can also be used.  This is what you see on television as an apparatus which the patient presses when she experiences pain.  All of these can be implemented by a pain specialist (anesthesiologist specializing in pain).  Median survival for her condition is around 7-9 months, however, these can be shorter if no specific treatment for the cancer is given.  Regards and God bless.