Morphine: Before or After?

[BrentW]

I am to have a zap of radiation to my sacrum sometime soon. I am told there may be breakout pain. Should I wait for that pain before increasing my morphine intake (currently 10 mg per day)? I should I increase it beforehand? What has been others' experiences?

[Tall_Allen]

Breakout pain, is by definition, extraordinary pain. If you're lucky, it won't be more painful. It isn't always.

[Kaliber]

What tall_allen said and another case I know of when I take my pain meds “ before “ I actually have the pain. I suspect there are numerous other examples , this is my personal example. Its when you “ know “ the pan is coming. Every month I know I’ll have 5 - 8 days , more or less, of extreme bone pain the first week of the month. I get Zometa infusions the first week and Zometa causes me to break out in severe discomfort and ugly bone pain every time I get the infusion. 26 of them so far.

My oncologist told me to start taking my pain meds a few hours before I get the infusion. That “ getting out ahead “ of the pain is better than waiting to catch up .... plus it spares me a couple of hours of actual intense pain I don’t have to experience while I wait for the meds to catch up. I’ve only been doing this “ pre-medicating “ 4-5 months and in my opinion it’s an excellent piece of advice. You might discuss this with your doctor and see if he thinks your procedure is likely to produce some severe pain. If so, getting out ahead of it might be beneficial, either way no harm is done. Have this conversation with your doctor and see what his advice is IMHO.

Anything that increases your QOL is a good thing .. just say’in

💪💪💪❤️❤️❤️

[Hidden in reply to Kaliber]

Well written and food for thought, thank you.

[Kaliber in reply to Hidden]

💪❤️

[Scoofer33]

Here's anecdotal information to add to your research. I had palliative radiation to my sacrum and I didn't feel any additional pain. In a couple of weeks the bone pain I had dealt with for the last year had entirely disappeared! However five years later the pain was such that I began wondering if I shouldn't try it again!