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My doctor seems to be behind in newer medicine, am almost ready for hospice and concerned that I will be comfortable I have copd and understand that morphine will make my breathing better.
Morphine does not make breathing easier, it can inhibit your breathing. Morphine will increase any kind of respiratory problems you may have: COPD, pneumonia, asthma, etc.
If you are on hospice, the hospice Dr. writes the prescriptions which go through the hospice nurse and this is done very efficiently and quickly.
Everishlass you are correct from the understanding of a general nurse. As a hospice nurse it is quickly learned that morphine actually prevents the patient from feeling they can't breath and the extreme anxiety and fatigue that accompanies that. This is the reason morphine is so widely used in hospice care. It is effective. cheap and easy to administer. In many hospice the patients own dr will in fact continue to see and oversee the patient's care with advice and requests from the hospice team. Most physicians are glad to have the day to day responsibility assumed by hospice which enables them to maintain a relationship with their patient. The patient's physician will continue to see and prescribe for the patient but the hospice Dr can also do this. Some physicians will even make house calls. As long as they are able the patient may continue to make visits to their personal Dr. Of course this does vary from area to area but this has been my experience. Patients can be reassured that they will only be given adequate medication to control their symptoms. Hospice nurses are very experienced in the types of drugs most likely to provide maximum comfort to the patient and will often advice the physician on a specific conbination which given the patient faster relief rather than a trial and error approach. Matpower if you feel you are "almost ready" for hospice my advice would be to contact them now. let them assess your needs and if they feel you are not ready you won't be admitted. Again if you don't like the way they are managing your care you are free to discharge yourself and can be readmitted at a later date. It is not mandated that you have to die within six months but that you have a stage of disease that makes it likely; As long as your health continues to decline even foe many months or even years you can remain under hospice care. It is far cheaper than constant hospital admissions. You will not be allowed to try expensive new treatments but no one can stop you leaving hospice to try something new. the hospice experience is patient driven. The staff may recommend certain things but it is up to you to agree. Morhine is not mandatory BUT there will come a time when you are very thankful it is available. You can still go out and about and do anything you are able for as long as you wish but you will be advised not to drive yourself. I hope hospice is a good experience for you.
Morphine does make your breathing better. YOU decide, as the patient, how much you need. Hospice writes the Rx and the visiting nurse will ask you how much you are taking and whether it helps and may suggest a little more or a little less.
You don't have to take morphine to make your breathing better with COPD. Morphine is almost a "last resort" med because it is so addicting. Who said you are close to going into hospice? Just because you are having trouble breathing, there are inhaled meds that can help (Spiriva comes to mind). Talk with your doctor, and if you have lost confidence in him/her, find another. Keep trying to find a doctor who will help you breath better.
One would hope this poor man has already been under a Dr's care and is recieving all medications usually prescribled for COPD including portable oxygen. As long as he is still able to drag himself to work he is unlikely to be approved for hosice at this time. He obviously has his reasons to continue working, at this young age probably financial. Athough as Ferris said morphine is addicting for some people but in the case of very severe COPD it provides a great deal of comfort. Addiction is not a concern because they are going to need this comfort medication for the remainder of their life along with all the prescribed medications available. If he leaves work SSDI is not automatic and however bad you are it may still take up to 2 years if you get it. Once he is approved it will be far less income probably than when he was working.
My brother in law has COPD and has been in and out of the hospital. He still works so he can keep his insurance, but he is so bad he shouldn't be working. Can he go on Hospice and what if he went into the hospital and can't pay for it? Some days he feels like he isn't going to last long. Very hard on the family and he's only 59 yrs. old.
Some of these statements , I don't understand. My dad lived with us and was on Hospice. He got pnuemonia (sp) once a month and and went to the hospital at least once a month. So, yes you can go to the hospital, also my dad's Hospice dr made a house call when I decided I wanted the dr himself to see my dad. They did everything that I asked. My only regret is that he was on so much morphine at the end that he stayed knocked out and we couldn't talk to him or vice versa. I knock without it, he would have been in great pain but I still wanted him to wake up for a little while.
Good Lord! This person is telling us s/he's going into Hospice and people are debating the effects of whether or not morphine will help him/her?
Quite frankly, Veronica's suggestion to call Hospice is best. What Hospice did ten years ago is not necessarily what Hospice does today.
And to the person who asked the question: I've seen many patient's survive longer than six months once in Hospice Care. You are going to meet a lot of really great people. Know that I will be thinking about you!
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
B.
APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
D.
If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
If you are on hospice, the hospice Dr. writes the prescriptions which go through the hospice nurse and this is done very efficiently and quickly.
Patients can be reassured that they will only be given adequate medication to control their symptoms. Hospice nurses are very experienced in the types of drugs most likely to provide maximum comfort to the patient and will often advice the physician on a specific conbination which given the patient faster relief rather than a trial and error approach.
Matpower if you feel you are "almost ready" for hospice my advice would be to contact them now. let them assess your needs and if they feel you are not ready you won't be admitted. Again if you don't like the way they are managing your care you are free to discharge yourself and can be readmitted at a later date. It is not mandated that you have to die within six months but that you have a stage of disease that makes it likely; As long as your health continues to decline even foe many months or even years you can remain under hospice care. It is far cheaper than constant hospital admissions. You will not be allowed to try expensive new treatments but no one can stop you leaving hospice to try something new. the hospice experience is patient driven. The staff may recommend certain things but it is up to you to agree. Morhine is not mandatory BUT there will come a time when you are very thankful it is available. You can still go out and about and do anything you are able for as long as you wish but you will be advised not to drive yourself. I hope hospice is a good experience for you.
better, you could hear his anxiety going down and his breaths evening out
As long as he is still able to drag himself to work he is unlikely to be approved for hosice at this time. He obviously has his reasons to continue working, at this young age probably financial. Athough as Ferris said morphine is addicting for some people but in the case of very severe COPD it provides a great deal of comfort. Addiction is not a concern because they are going to need this comfort medication for the remainder of their life along with all the prescribed medications available. If he leaves work SSDI is not automatic and however bad you are it may still take up to 2 years if you get it. Once he is approved it will be far less income probably than when he was working.
Quite frankly, Veronica's suggestion to call Hospice is best. What Hospice did ten years ago is not necessarily what Hospice does today.
And to the person who asked the question: I've seen many patient's survive longer than six months once in Hospice Care. You are going to meet a lot of really great people. Know that I will be thinking about you!
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