![]() You will still be able to take intermittent dosing as pain can still be a problem with your daily activities and it is essential that you can control it so you can continue living well with your disease. This slow release tablet may be taken once or twice a day or you may have a patch that needs to be changed every 3 or 7 days, dependent on your clinical need. Once you have a documented regime that shows you would benefit from a slow release opioid, your practitioner will provide you with a new regime. Also your community pharmacist is an important resource in medication management and you may want to discuss the medication with them as well. It is essential that you contact them if you have any unwanted side effects to discuss as quickly as possible so an alternative can be sought for you. You will need to keep a record of when you take the medication and its effect on your pain and any other side effects, so you can show this to your practitioner at your review. Your medical or nurse practitioner will most likely start you on an intermittent regime of an opioid to take as you need it within certain time parameters. Opioids also have a role in managing severe diarrhoea and cough. They have also been found to be effective in managing shortness of breath and it may be that you are prescribed an opioid for pain and/or shortness of breath management. They come in different formulations such as tablets, patches or a liquid and your prescriber will discuss which one is best for you and your individual pain treatment. Opioids are medicines that are prescribed for strong or severe pain that is no longer responding to medications of lesser strength. It’s important to tell your doctor about all the medicines you are taking, including any over-the-counter, herbal and natural medicines, so you aren’t unintentionally prescribed a medicine that you are already taking or one that interacts with your current medicines. It may be that you have tried things yourself, it is helpful to communicate about whether or not these things have helped you to better direct the pain management plan. Non-pharmacological ways in which to relieve your pain may be explored first such as heat packs, positioning, physiotherapy, alternative therapies etc. Severity – How bad is the pain? (Pain scale 0-10 is often used or Abbey pain scale or Wong-Baker FACES® such as the adaption below)Ĭomparative pain scale chart (pain assessment tool) Non-Pharmacological Pain Management.Exacerbating/relieving factors – Does anything make the pain worse or better. ![]()
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