He said it was to help slow her breathing and help expel carbon monoxide from her lungs and body. She has end stage emphysema - when she had pain in her chest he put her on morphine - is this the only medication to treat it...she is now having trouble finishing sentences and is loopy and wobbly ... I'm afraid it is too high a dose ...she is 75 and quit smoking too late but did quit in her late 50s
I THANKED that gracious dr and he said "I just gave him comfort", Did he OD dad on morphine? I couldn't swear to it, but it is highly unusual for drs to administer actual pain relievers.
This kind of thing happens all the time. I was aware of the drs intent and I kept my mouth shut. Dad had suffered enough. His dr was an oncologist and he eventually loses all his patients. I think trust in your dr is paramount.
To the OP, yes, I would definitely take your questions to the Dr, but I expect that you will get much the same answers. My Mother died very comfortably with a lot of morphine on board, but she was in a significant amount of pain from Cancer, and her body was shutting down. When my own MIL, was in Hospital with Pneumonia, complications from Severe COPD, the Drs and staff, gave her Morphine to ease her breathing, and she did pass away. COPD, is a very difficult disease to watch a loved one to die from, and its very difficult to watch them struggle to breathe. You should not at all be worried about addiction, but relieved to see her breathing easier, even if they are loopy and or asleep a lot of the time. It takes them so much effort to breathe, that they are often exhausted anyways. Please do everything you can do to keep her comfortable, despite your being uncomfortable with the drug. Ask Her how she feels, and if she is breathing more easier on it, and then go to the Dr with your concerns. Good luck and God bless you and your Mom!
I do know that a person can be chatting really weill with the reles that have just got in from overseas, and much hilarity and 'life' happening in the room.. then family decide to go for a meal, the person has a rest, and wham bam, go in to see that all is OK, to find them in their final breaths, and semi comatose. In one case the family had reunited that afternoon, so since everything seemed great they went out to a restaurant for dinner. I called the daughter about 7pm to say Hey dad isnt so great but could come out of it he might just be very exhausted.. then call them at 8.10 to say sorry but he has passed away. So they all trooped back up to the hospital. I can say that he wasnt given anything I was the only RN on and I had the keys to the medicine cabinet.
For those with breathing problems like increased phlegm. tightness then its 2-5mg depending on size of patient.
Did you meet with the team after to voice your concerns, and maybe get an explanation as to why that nurse gave it , and exactly how much.
This is end-stage COPD we're talking about. Addiction isn't a worry. Keeping the patient comfortable is all they're doing. BTW, My SIL hallucinates on 200 mgs of IBUPROFEN, so everyone's ability to stand drugs is very, very different.
We hear "morphine" and freak out--it's a terrific drug at doing to do what it's meant. All my daddy "ate" the last week of his life was two cherry popsicles and constant morphine drops. Thank goodness he was out of pain, is all I can say.
Second. how much does she weigh and has she been on morphine for some time. third... you are worried, but why.. is it because its morphine ??? or what its doing to her
I used to do palliative and long term care for a few years.
Morphine is great stuff, and forget the movies where its used to knock folk off, it has many uses
1. it relaxes the breathing muscles including the bronchii, which means instead of needing a steam engine to get the air out, it will fall out with just a tricycle of effort, by opening them.. it relaxes the skeletal muscles used for breathing, hence it will allow her to drop her shoulders, let her straighten up, and get some sleep
2. it will sedate her but usually after a week most patients get used to it and start waking up for longer spells
3 if she has cardiac problems to go along with her COPD then it also relaxes the main branch supply vessels and eases the work of the poor pump.
so yes that is why morphine in a dose that is tolerated is given.
the bad things are constipation as mentioned.. giving too much and going from relaxing to reducing respiratory action.
then the usual nausea, vomiting and confusion.... they are controlled by reduction in amount etc
I was often horrified how relatives would scream what on morphine when we started it.. they thought I was about to knock off their relative there and then.. and so much time was wasted in explaining that it has it uses. as well as its abuses.!!!
so work out what your worry is all about, and go from there
Now 95% of the COPD cases Ive cared for in their final months would all say, relieve my breathing. they have no QOL they have no interests as its a case of them focusing on their breathing both in and out........ not a life at all. So put aside your fears/worries....... and look at your mother, is she better for it.
Were you concerned when she smoked with the 35 chemicals that were all killers??
Morphine wont cure her, but it will make her days better
I , BTW am highly allergic to the stuff, so not selling it as such only the idea that it can help
I agree, drs are being so stingy with pain meds that they are finding that people are just living with unbearable, yet treatable pain now. Trust the dr. Ask more questions, we aren't getting enough info from you to really make any helpful comments.