Interview 41- Chronic pain

Age at interview: 73

Brief Outline:

Back and shoulder pain following fall at home in 1999. Spinal osteoarthritis. Treatments - Epidural steroid injections. TENS. Physiotherapy. Current medication - oxycodone (Oxycontin) Past medication - gabapentin.

Background:

Retired health visitor; divorced; 3 children.

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Was at first unhappy about taking opioids in case she needed them for increased pain or terminal illness but her GP reassured her.

 When it was first suggested to me that I took opioids, I was not happy because one thinks of a) of addiction and b) of something much worse coming up later on. If you're going to get something that really is painful, like terminal cancer, when you're going to need all the pain relief that you can get, then is it wise to become dependent to some extent on strong pain relief now? What would there be left if it became essential, you know, for pain relief in a real terminal illness?

 

My GP talked to me and said “If you need pain relief, you need pain relief and have the one that's going to work for you and if it came to needing pain relief for something like terminal cancer, then it would not be denied”. They would still find some way of making sure that you had adequate pain relief then. So, I sort of did an about turn I suppose from no I don't want it, to yes I'll give it a try. 

 

So I'm trying it, an increased dose. I'm still not too sure whether it's enough. Today it certainly isn't enough to take the pain away, yesterday it was, see what tomorrow brings.