Need Help Taking Meds

[Marie Mallory]

So far, I've been able to take meds by mouth, although it is getting harder to swallow the pills,
Jake is doing fine with care but seems like I'm going to need to have shots instead of trying to swallow the meds.

 

[Mary Stetler]

So far, I've been able to take meds by mouth, although it is getting harder to swallow the pills,
Jake is doing fine with care but seems like I'm going to need to have shots instead of trying to swallow the meds.

When I volunteered for hospice, although years ago, we had a county nurse who could come to homes for that. You might need to check for resources.

 

[Marie Mallory]

When I volunteered for hospice, although years ago, we had a county nurse who could come to homes for that. You might need to check for resources.

I checked some on Visiting Angel, although I don't see they coming every 4 hours.

 

[Mary Stetler]

I checked some on Visiting Angel, althou I don't see they coming every 4 hours.

Maybe they can teach the skill? Inter muscular is easy but learning to give a good shot into the veins is tricky. I know a LOT of nurses don't even really have the skill. Some can give a shot and you can barely feel it but many don't.

 

[Marie Miller]

Have you checked with your physician if you can get the medications compounded?

 

[Marie Mallory]

Have you checked with your physician if you can get the medications compounded?

No Marie maybe they can, but I take tylenol, morphine, zanex.

 

[Krystal Shay]

So far, I've been able to take meds by mouth, although it is getting harder to swallow the pills,
Jake is doing fine with care but seems like I'm going to need to have shots instead of trying to swallow the meds.

We had liquid pain meds perscribed for my parents. We gave them x amount of drops under the tongue, when needed.

 

[Marie Mallory]

We had liquid pain meds perscribed for my parents. We gave them x amount of drops under the tongue, when needed.

Maybe I can ask for those.Thanks

 

[Marie Miller]

No Marie maybe they can, but I take tylenol, morphine, zanex.

Talk to your physician please. Our cat has nothing to do with pills. She holds the Guinness Record of far spitting them. So they get compounded into cream or liquid.

 

[Don Alaska]

@Marie Mallory you could talk with your physician and Jake and see if he could give you the meds by injection. It is fairly simple to do IM and sub-Q injections. I probably wouldn't do this with IV stuff, but I was giving IM injections to my mother when I was twelve years old. It may also be possible to get a pill crusher and mix that into a liquid that you can tolerate. You could also self-inject if you have the ability, but not all can do what many diabetics do on a daily basis.

 

[Marie Mallory]

@Marie Mallory you could talk with your physician and Jake and see if he could give you the meds by injection. It is fairly simple to do IM and sub-Q injections. I probably wouldn't do this with IV stuff, but I was giving IM injections to my mother when I was twelve years old. It may also be possible to get a pill crusher and mix that into a liquid that you can tolerate. You could also self-inject if you have the ability, but not all can do what many diabetics do on a daily basis.

Thanks Don, That's a good idea. I have a pill crusher for the Tylenol. But the others are too small to crush, but still too big to swallow so now I mix them with food.

 

[John Brunner]

@Marie Mallory you could talk with your physician and Jake and see if he could give you the meds by injection. It is fairly simple to do IM and sub-Q injections. I probably wouldn't do this with IV stuff, but I was giving IM injections to my mother when I was twelve years old. It may also be possible to get a pill crusher and mix that into a liquid that you can tolerate. You could also self-inject if you have the ability, but not all can do what many diabetics do on a daily basis.

I mentioned that my older brother and I gave our father shots of Demerol when he had cancer. I was 19-20 years old. It's real easy to do. The visiting nurse taught us by practicing on an orange. I doubt that anything is done intravenously...the shots would be in your upper thigh. And needle technology has advanced greatly.

Before the days of the auto-pens used for Epinephrine, I carried a kit that had the drug in a standard syringe to inject myself with (although I never needed to.) That's how it used to be done for anyone with severe allergies. Self-injecting (or having someone at home do it) is not breaking new ground

 

[Beth Gallagher]

Marie--Tylenol comes in liquid form; it's available on Amazon (and some generic brands, too). Ask your doctor or pharmacist if the other two medicines you are taking can be given in liquid or powdered form. If they can be powdered you can add them to juice or something.

You mentioned "every 4 hours" so that would be a lot of shots. I would avoid that if at all possible.

 

[Marie Mallory]

Marie--Tylenol comes in liquid form; it's available on Amazon (and some generic brands, too). Ask your doctor or pharmacist if the other two medicines you are taking can be given in liquid or powdered form. If they can be powdered you can add them to juice or something.

You mentioned "every 4 hours" so that would be a lot of shots. I would avoid that if at all possible.

Thanks Beth! This is true too.
It's very nice having y'all to help with this.

 

[Don Alaska]

I don't know why you would need shots every 4 hours. What meds require that frequency @Marie Mallory ? Except in cases of very acute issues, I haven't heard of giving shots that often.

 

[Marie Mallory]

I don't know why you would need shots every 4 hours. What meds require that frequency @Marie Mallory ? Except in cases of very acute issues, I haven't heard of giving shots that often.

DON the thing is I NEED THE MED EVERY 4 HOURS FOR THE PAIN. It is severe now.I think it is true bout taking the liquid.
They said pain will only get worse as I get closer to the end.

 

[Don Alaska]

DON the thing is I NEED THE MED EVERY 4 HOURS FOR THE PAIN. It is severe now.I think it is true bout taking the liquid.
They said pain will only get worse as I get closer to the end.

The meds can get stronger too, or larger doses. Meds can change too. There are some protocols that can only be used near death, as they may speed the process. If it is oral meds of any kind, 4 hour intervals are not uncommon. Talk to your providers about the issues. As you mentioned, some may be available in liquid form.

 

[Marie Mallory]

The meds can get stronger too, or larger doses. Meds can change too. There are some protocols that can only be used near death, as they may speed the process. If it is oral meds of any kind, 4 hour intervals are not uncommon. Talk to your providers about the issues. As you mentioned, some may be available in liquid form.

Don. I have two list of times of day I take them. One for the road and one here on table.

June 2. woke 9:30am, tylenol 325mg, 1/2 Zanex
121/2 mg, 10:50am 1/2 morphine 7mg, 1:45 tylenol.

 

[Marie Mallory]

Sometimes I go 16 hours or more and not take anything for pain, and just Zanex when I need it fo anxity.

 

[Faye Fox]

DON the thing is I NEED THE MED EVERY 4 HOURS FOR THE PAIN. It is severe now.I think it is true bout taking the liquid.
They said pain will only get worse as I get closer to the end.

That is true. I watched my dad and great uncles die from cancer. Big strong men reduced to skin covered bones, in severe pain during times they didn't want to be drugged into a coma like state. Makes me cry remembering it! One of the few reasons I stay in Oregon, is our right to die with dignity. If the doc ever gives me the time line, I will go into hospice where when the time is right, I will say my goodbyes, take a final pain med, and go in peace.