stage 4 cancer

[AussieF]

Hello
My mum has stage 4 cancer. She is currently at home, but her pal care nurse and her GP have said that she is getting close to needing to have medicine intravenously continually as her pain management is not under control. Could someone please explain exactly what it's called, and will it be morphine? Also, does that mean that she is close to death? Her GP and pal care nurse both said she won't see next Christmas. Thank you in advance.

I’m really sorry to hear about your mum, has her cancer spread? she’s had any treatments? chemo? etc ,usually when on morphine intravenously it’s palliative care, from my experience it was very quick ( 1 week) rather than months ❤️ but everyone is different

It's usually syringe driver that is used, where a needle is put under the skin, not IV. It provides a continuous dose of morphine & whatever other drugs she might need (for example midazolam, or something to dry up secretions, or for nausea). I would say it's not usually done until quite late on. How is she in herself?

Hello, I am sorry to read this.

Previous poster is correct, it'll be a syringe driver which is sub-cut and not IV.
It'll be morphine sulphate or oxycodone for pain. Plus there are other medications they can give for other symptoms she may experience.

This can be managed in the community and no need necessarily for her to be anywhere else. District nurses can also come in and give 'just in case' or 'breakthrough' doses via sub-cut injection. If they have to give lots of these , then they can adjust the syringe driver to make her more comfortable.

Here if you need to know anything else.

Take care of yourself xx

It's really hard to say whether it means she is imminently close to the end. Even when I nurse people in their last days it's so hard to say.

I've know people have a syringe driver in for weeks, some times it's a couple of days.

Please ask her care providers for some guidance on this. They can't answer the question of exactly how long but they will provide reassurance and will recognise the signs xx

Syringe driver into sub cut not iv; and will be filled with whatever she needs. So pain

Relief or Anti sickness, or a drug to dry up her chest secretions. It depends on what she needs. She will be assessed and re assessed for it x

My mum has had a syringe driver for 6 months. I don't think she was expected to live this long when she initially got it. Her doctor also thought that she had stopped metabolising/ absorbing oral medication during to the nature of her cancer. She's very near the end now but hasn't been in any real pain since she's had it which is a blessing.. Her's delivers pain relief (morphine), anti sickness drugs, sometimes a steroid.... depends on her needs. It's been very effective in relieving pain and also relieving the anxiety about possible future pain.