Terminally ill cancer patient and only painkiller prescribed so far is Co-Codamol - is this right?

[PussinJimmyChoos]

My Grandad is terminally ill with cancer. Lung cancer that has spread to the bone. He is becoming weaker by the day and at present, only weighs 5st 5lb.

We haven't found that the Drs or the Mac nurses have been much help. He was prescribed 40mg of Propanol (sp!) but this was decreased to 10mg as it caused his pulse rate to drop to 50

The only pain killer he's been given so far is Co-Codamol...not sure what strength, but I do know its in the higher ranges.

Gdad HATES the co-codamol with a passion as he says its doping him up too much and instead of taking two every four hours, he's only taking one. He's now complaning of aching in the arm and sore coxcyxx (sp!). He has a pressure cushion but we are now ordering him a special coxcyxx cushion

Is there any other pain killer available that could help without knocking him out too much and why is he only being prescribed co-codamol??

Any help would be appreciated.

TIA

Puss

[CMOTdibbler]

I would def ask for a referral to the palliative care team and the hospice. They are really good at looking at the patient and family holistically, and managing all aspects of their care.

As Thingone says, hospices aren't so much there for dying, they are there to make living good. A friend went to one for three years, and they made all the difference to her