$Unique_ID{BRK01636}
$Pretitle{Ill Defined Symptoms and Rare Diseases}
$Title{Suggestions About Prescriptions}
$Subject{pain medications aging}
$Volume{N-23}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1991   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


Suggestions About Prescriptions


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QUESTION:  Everytime I visit my folks, who are getting on in age now, my Dad
fusses about all his many pains, and complains that the medication he is
taking does nothing to help.  With all the new pills we hear about, surely
there must be something that can be given to help him?  Can you give me any
suggestions about prescriptions that might be given to provide my Father with
some relief?  I would like to take your answer to show his doctor, for I know
better than to try to get the medicines on my own.

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ANSWER:  Prescribing medicines for pain in cases such as you present is
difficult enough without having to listen to some newspaper columnist.  And my
own routine is a pretty complicated one, for there are a number of factors
that are important to consider.  It is most important to know as much as
possible about the condition causing the pain, for different diagnoses may
require different kinds of medications to get to the cause of the pain.  What
pain killers is your father taking now, and how much help are they?  It might
be a question of insufficient dosage.  Just what kind of pain is he
experiencing, mild, moderate or genuinely severe?  For mild forms, it may well
be that the use of heat, cold, massage or exercise may be enough to deal with
the situation.  I would also need a full rundown of your father's current
medical conditions, as well as a listing of all the other medications he may
be on.  Calculating the effects of any interactions between medications is an
important step in considering the choice of any new medication.  And a last,
but no less important concern is the mental status of your Dad.  In some
cases, a depressive state may be increasing the appreciation of pain.  Not
until all these points have been reviewed can a physician begin to consider
the choice or even the need for new medication.  The effects of many
medications change in the older patients as their metabolism changes with age.
And they also tend to be more prone to some of the unwanted side effects that
can occur.  With all of these many factors to consider, you can appreciate
that just prescribing another pain killer may be the worst plan of action.  I
know you want to help your father, and you are within your rights to discuss
his situation with his doctor.  Ask the doctor (nicely) to review your
father's history and chart.  I am sure that he will be able to determine the
correct course to take, to help alleviate your father's distress.  If he won't
or can't you might consider checking with another physician.
ÿ
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
