She gets Tramadol every 8 hours which isn’t enough. Her hands are so swollen & deformed. To hear her crying & moaning & hyperventilating from the pain is torture for her & me & my siblings. The AL is in Suffolk County, NY. Any ideas on what can be done to help my mother.
Personally I would not recommend a pain management specialist because in my experience you will have to follow specific criteria, e.g. regular in person appointments, urine tests etc. They will likely be more conservative in their approach while palliative/hospice will be concerned about care and comfort above all.
Best of luck.
"tramadol alone or in combination with acetaminophen probably has no important benefit on mean pain or function in people with osteoarthritis …"
My Aunts hands were all narly from arthritis. She found that a paraffin wax soak helped. Here'd a machine. Maybe there is a cream that can be usedbon her hands.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=paraffin+wax+bath+for+arthritis&adgrpid=58884088067&hvadid=657246845467&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9003829&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=7942801939993321474&hvtargid=kwd-339322350149&hydadcr=461_1015123996&tag=hydsma-20&ref=pd_sl_41msf2yr3g_e
I think the POA needs to make it CLEAR that whether this is a case where Hospice or Palliative care is needed or not, it is NOT OK to allow this senior to spend her remaining time in torment.
I am so very sorry. It was all very needed and well meaning this "war on drugs" that caused this conundrum, but the fact is that abusers, often using pain clinics in the Southernmost states and illicit "pushers" are STILL getting their drugs, while real sufferers are left with things that are not good enough.
You are going to need to be one very squeaky wheel to get some oil going here. I am so sorry.