Pain medications work differently for different people.  Some people get relief right away from pain medications, while it takes a bit longer for other people to get relief.  While you are being treated for your pain, tell your hospice team how you feel and if the medications help.  The information you give them will help them to find the best medicines and doses taken at the best times to help you get the best pain relief.

Type of Medication and Type of Pain

Many different types of medicines are used to treat pain and your doctor and hospice team may give you one or more of them to take.  The type of medicine that may be suggested for you depends upon the type of pain that you are having.  Ask your doctor or nurse to tell you more about the medicine you are taking.

Choosing Pain Medication

Your hospice team and doctors will work very hard to find the best pain medicine for you.  You can help by talking with them about:

• Pain medicines you have taken in the past and how well they have worked for you.
• Medicines (including health foods, vitamins, and other non-medical treatments) you are taking now. This is important because some treatments and medicines do not work well together.  Your doctors and nurses can find medicines that can be taken together.
• Techniques and treatments that you have tried in the past or are using now and how well they work for you. This may include many different techniques such as relaxation, imagery, massage, humor, exercise, and prayer.
• Fears and concerns that you have about the medicine or the treatment. Talk to your Hospice team members about your fears and concerns.  They can answer your questions and help you to understand your pain treatment.

How and When to Take Your Pain Medications

To help your pain medicine work best:

• Before taking your pain medication, make sure you have the right medication, the right dose, and that you are taking it at the right time.
• Take your medicine as directed. It is usually recommended that you take your medicine on a regular schedule (by the clock).  Taking medicine regularly and as your doctor and Hospice team suggest helps to keep pain under control.
• Do not skip a dose of medicine or wait for the pain to get worse or come back before taking your medicine. The best way to control pain is to prevent it.
• Ask your Hospice nurse or doctor how and when to take extra medicine. If some activities make your pain worse (for example, riding in a car), you may need to take an extra dose of pain medicine before these activities or as soon as possible after these activities.  The goal is to PREVENT the pain.  Once you feel the pain, it is harder to get it under control.

Treating pain is important, and there are many medicines and treatments that can be used.  If one medicine or treatment does not work, there is another one that can be tried.  Also, if a schedule or way that you are taking the medicine does not work for you, changes can be made.  Talk to your Hospice doctor or nurse so they can work with you to find the pain medicine and treatments that may help you the most.

Medication Side Effects

All medicines can have some side effects.  Not all people get side effects from their medications, and some people have different side effects than others.  Most side effects can be easily managed.

Many side effects happen in the first few hours of treatment and gradually go away.  Do not stop taking your pain medicines.  Do call your Hospice nurse if you have these side effects, because many things can be done to help prevent or treat them.  Some of the most common side effects of pain medicines are:

• Constipation (not being able to have a bowel movement). The best way to prevent constipation is to drink as much water, juice, and other liquids as possible, and eat more fruits and vegetables if you are able.  Your doctor and Hospice nurse may also recommend a stool softener and a laxative.  It is important to take stool softeners and laxatives as prescribed to prevent and treat constipation.
• Nausea and vomiting. When this happens, it usually only lasts for the first day or two while the body adjusts to the medication.
• Sleepiness. Some people who take pain medicines may feel drowsy or sleepy when they first take the medicine.  This usually only lasts two to three days while the body adjusts to the new medication.

More serious side effects of pain medicines are rare.

To help prevent serious side effects, the amount of medicine that will be ordered will depend upon your age, height, and weight as well as how much pain you are having and what other medicines you are taking.  Serious side effects are rare and usually happen in the first few hours of treatment.  Some of the serious side effects include:

• Rashes or hives
• Tightening in chest and throat and difficulty breathing

If you have any of these side effects, you should call your doctor or Hospice nurse right away.  Your Hospice team can help you to manage or prevent side effects.

Please feel free to call your Suburban Hospice, Inc. team at 833-888-7222 any time for questions or concerns you may have about your pain medications.  Your Hospice team wants to be responsive to your needs and concerns.