How to take painkillers?

Happy new year to all and thanks for the morphine answers.
Father is now on tramadol and also / already? having bad dreams from
time to time...
But my question is:

Father used to take his paracetamol every 4 hours 1000mg.
At night he woke up with pain and
again took paracetamol when the 4 hours where finished.

Now he is taking tramadol and sleeps more.
Mom, having the pain-paracetamol experience
that father had to wake up with pain,
now wakes father up every 6 hours when he is asleep
to make sure the painkillers are taken punctually.

Is this the way of doing it,
or can you do like my brother says:
no need to wake people up when they are asleep.

(Brother nor mom are doctors)

SK
Happy new year from father at:
http://www.metastaticlivercancer.org

Talk to a pharmacist or Doctor, perhaps an extended release version of
the Paracetamol is in order, it seems like waking someone up is counter
productive.

On Jan 2, 5:44 am, "Hainan" <weeseekim...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Happy new year to all and thanks for the morphine answers.
> Father is now on tramadol and also / already? having bad dreams from
> time to time...
> But my question is:
>
> Father used to take his paracetamol every 4 hours 1000mg.
> At night he woke up with pain and
> again took paracetamol when the 4 hours where finished.
>
> Now he is taking tramadol and sleeps more.
> Mom, having the pain-paracetamol experience
> that father had to wake up with pain,
> now wakes father up every 6 hours when he is asleep
> to make sure the painkillers are taken punctually.
>
> Is this the way of doing it,
> or can you do like my brother says:
> no need to wake people up when they are asleep.
>
> (Brother nor mom are doctors)
>
> SK
> Happy new year from father at:http://www.metastaticlivercancer.org

Talk to a pharmacist or Doctor, perhaps an extended release version of
the Paracetamol is in order, it seems like waking someone up is counter
productive.


"Hainan" <weeseekim888@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1167734658.363959.264890@h40g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
> Happy new year to all and thanks for the morphine answers.
> Father is now on tramadol and also / already? having bad dreams from
> time to time...
> But my question is:
>
> Father used to take his paracetamol every 4 hours 1000mg.
> At night he woke up with pain and
> again took paracetamol when the 4 hours where finished.
>
> Now he is taking tramadol and sleeps more.
> Mom, having the pain-paracetamol experience
> that father had to wake up with pain,
> now wakes father up every 6 hours when he is asleep
> to make sure the painkillers are taken punctually.
>
> Is this the way of doing it,
> or can you do like my brother says:
> no need to wake people up when they are asleep.
>
> (Brother nor mom are doctors)
>
> SK
> Happy new year from father at:
> http://www.metastaticlivercancer.org
>

Hainan wrote:

> Happy new year to all and thanks for the morphine answers.
> Father is now on tramadol and also / already? having bad dreams from
> time to time...
> But my question is:
>
> Father used to take his paracetamol every 4 hours 1000mg.
> At night he woke up with pain and
> again took paracetamol when the 4 hours where finished.
>
> Now he is taking tramadol and sleeps more.
> Mom, having the pain-paracetamol experience
> that father had to wake up with pain,
> now wakes father up every 6 hours when he is asleep
> to make sure the painkillers are taken punctually.
>
> Is this the way of doing it,
> or can you do like my brother says:
> no need to wake people up when they are asleep.
>
> (Brother nor mom are doctors)
>
> SK
> Happy new year from father at:
> http://www.metastaticlivercancer.org

Hello,
When he's given the pill does he wake up and visit? And drink water?
And go to the bathroom? (we're not there to see what's going on).
Or is he sleeping all the time?
If that's him writing on the blog, he sounds coherent; just losing track
of days?
Nurses wake us up when sleeping to take temperature or other "maintenance"
issues.
I don't see a problem with waking him up for pain meds.
Just wondering if he's getting too strong a dose? On the other hand, he
may also be having "cancer fatigue" and might be sleeping a lot anyway, so
must be sure pain med is enough (but not too much).
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/d...r/a695011.html
Says there " Take tramadol exactly as directed."
So if they instructed every 6 hours, and it's working well for everyone, I
don't see a problem.

J

Quote Nurses wake us up when sleeping to take temperature or other
"maintenance"
> issues.


Nurses are taught NOT to wake patients up unless it is absolutely needed.
Either you are visiting nursing units were the acuity of the patient demands
that the patient can't sleep or they are provided sub standard care.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medi...p?newsid=57117

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/444428_10

http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/42896/

The nursing units I frequent have signs informing visitors to be quiet and
not wake up patients. Medication schedules are developed around sleep. Of
course there are times that need for giving a medication or procedure
dictate ,

Best to ask a health care professional involved in your Dad's care the best
of action. They may offer a simple solution.

Hi J, Thanks all for the replies,

Father still has his alert moments. He has less energy for sure and his
blog updates are tye outs of what he records in memorecorder,
especially at night when he wakes up and every body else is asleep.

He also has his confused moments, which he is aware of and makes him
angry.

What is cancer fatigue? Is it the cancer kindof eating your food in
order for it to grow itself?
Or is it toxics produced by the failing liver or ... well, I just asked
so better not start answering what I dont know .

Thanks,

SK
How politicians should spend the taxpayers money on the taxpayers
health at:
http://www.metastaticlivercancer.org

J wrote:
> Hainan wrote:
>
> > Happy new year to all and thanks for the morphine answers.
> > Father is now on tramadol and also / already? having bad dreams from
> > time to time...
> > But my question is:
> >
> > Father used to take his paracetamol every 4 hours 1000mg.
> > At night he woke up with pain and
> > again took paracetamol when the 4 hours where finished.
> >
> > Now he is taking tramadol and sleeps more.
> > Mom, having the pain-paracetamol experience
> > that father had to wake up with pain,
> > now wakes father up every 6 hours when he is asleep
> > to make sure the painkillers are taken punctually.
> >
> > Is this the way of doing it,
> > or can you do like my brother says:
> > no need to wake people up when they are asleep.
> >
> > (Brother nor mom are doctors)
> >
> > SK
> > Happy new year from father at:
> > http://www.metastaticlivercancer.org
>
> Hello,
> When he's given the pill does he wake up and visit? And drink water?
> And go to the bathroom? (we're not there to see what's going on).
> Or is he sleeping all the time?
> If that's him writing on the blog, he sounds coherent; just losing track
> of days?
> Nurses wake us up when sleeping to take temperature or other "maintenance"
> issues.
> I don't see a problem with waking him up for pain meds.
> Just wondering if he's getting too strong a dose? On the other hand, he
> may also be having "cancer fatigue" and might be sleeping a lot anyway, so
> must be sure pain med is enough (but not too much).
> http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/d...r/a695011.html
> Says there " Take tramadol exactly as directed."
> So if they instructed every 6 hours, and it's working well for everyone, I
> don't see a problem.
>
> J

"> What is cancer fatigue? Is it the cancer kindof eating your food in
> order for it to grow itself?
> Or is it toxics produced by the failing liver or ... well, I just asked
> so better not start answering what I dont know .

http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/de...asp?page=10272

alex wrote:
> http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/de...asp?page=10272

Thanks Alex, very usefull, and kindof eye-opener still. We just don't
get father to do any exercises, so any idea to get him moving more is
most welcome.

SK
http://www.metastaticlivercancer.org

> Happy new year to all and thanks for the morphine answers.
> Father is now on tramadol and also / already? having bad dreams from
> time to time...
> But my question is:
>
> Father used to take his paracetamol every 4 hours 1000mg.
> At night he woke up with pain and
> again took paracetamol when the 4 hours where finished.
>
> Now he is taking tramadol and sleeps more.
> Mom, having the pain-paracetamol experience
> that father had to wake up with pain,
> now wakes father up every 6 hours when he is asleep
> to make sure the painkillers are taken punctually.
>
> Is this the way of doing it,
> or can you do like my brother says:
> no need to wake people up when they are asleep.
>
> (Brother nor mom are doctors)
>
> SK
> Happy new year from father at:

If pain is a constant companion then there are slow release formulations of
all analgesics that require the dose to be administred 12 hourly
(paracetamol 8 hourly) so there should never be a need to wake patients to
give analgaesics.
MIKE