Pancreatic cancer pain

[Lushmetender]

DF has terminal pancreatic cancer. He’s been independent up to now. At ours but this is the first day he hasn’t got out of bed due to pain and feeling unwell. Any advice on how he can get on top of pain? He’s taken oral morphine for the first time during the day. Up to now he’s taken morphine only at night. Is this likely to be the start of the decline? We are due to take him for a few days away so hoping he’ll be fit enough.

This brings back dreadful memories for me. My Mum was diagnosed in mid August but already quite advanced as difficult to diagnose. By mid September she was in hospital. She came home the third week of September and had a morphine driver fitted so that it pumped small amounts of morphine in her arm all the time. It did help with the pain but made her sleepy too. By beginning of October she could not eat anything and she died on October 14th after 2 weeks of just sipping water. It is a dreadful aggressive disease and it progresses very rapidly. Pain management and medication to stop vomitting is all they can do. Try to get your DH aware he won't have much time left with his Dad and anything he needs to say do it before it is too late.

In my experience with my DF it was the beginning of the quite rapid decline. I would concentrate on making him comfortable at home unless the pain is caused by something quite specific that can be managed by other means. With my DF he had fluid building up in his abdomen that was able to be drained to relieve pressure and decrease pain relief for a short while but it wasn’t a long term solution. Ultimately the morphine intake increased, sleep increased and he became less and less coherent so I would agree that any conversations you want to have should happen soon. I’m very sorry you’re going through this.

I assume he is under a palliative care team? They should be advising on how to get on top off his pain. From what you have described, he isn't taking a lot of analgesia and there is definitely scope to get his pain much better controlled.

Please call them tomorrow (or tonight if he is struggling)

@Flyingbymypants

I assume he is under a palliative care team? They should be advising on how to get on top off his pain. From what you have described, he isn't taking a lot of analgesia and there is definitely scope to get his pain much better controlled.

Please call them tomorrow (or tonight if he is struggling)

This.

Failing this ring your local hospice and explain the situation and if nothing else they should be able to tell you who to contact to get help.

My mum was on a mixture of fentanyl patches and oral morphine and the patches can be increased quite a bit. Eventually she had a syringe driver. I’m really sorry you’re going through this.