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End-of-life care: Pain control carries risk of being called a killer
AMA News ^ | April 16, 2012 | Kevin B. O'Reilly

Posted on 04/29/2012 4:46:29 PM PDT by Brian Kopp DPM

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To: Dr. Brian Kopp

Well I can see no disagreements between us. I only advocate dc-ing fluids when it becomes harmful to the pt. Never before.
Roxanol is a SL form of morphine that Is immediate release and is administered along the mucous membrane of the gums. Don’t have to swallow it.

I am so sorry for what happened to your loved one. I have a similar horror story regarding a family member from within the hospital I’ll share another time. Dying and taking care of your loved ones is such an emotional state to be in. That’s why I’m so burned out.
And I absolutely fear where our government is taking health care. I’m just ready to pull myself completely out of the medical industry and learn the benefits of Chinese herbal medicine.


141 posted on 04/30/2012 1:56:53 PM PDT by Lil Flower (American by birth. Southern by the Grace of God! ROLL TIDE!!)
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To: trisham

You misunderstand. I don’t take what you think personally. I just asked a question and would appreciate and answer. That is all.


142 posted on 04/30/2012 2:06:59 PM PDT by Lil Flower (American by birth. Southern by the Grace of God! ROLL TIDE!!)
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To: Lil Flower

This isn’t about me. It isn’t about you.


143 posted on 04/30/2012 2:10:18 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: Lurker

> Or if that choice is to smoke an unapproved plant of some kind.<

I would argue some drugs such as zocor and prozac are more dangerous than any plant you could smoke, or drink for that matter.
But that is personal opinion, not medical.


144 posted on 04/30/2012 2:14:54 PM PDT by Lil Flower (American by birth. Southern by the Grace of God! ROLL TIDE!!)
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To: Lurker

> Or if that choice is to smoke an unapproved plant of some kind.<

I would argue some drugs such as zocor and prozac are more dangerous than any plant you could smoke, or drink for that matter.
But that is personal opinion, not medical.


145 posted on 04/30/2012 2:15:30 PM PDT by Lil Flower (American by birth. Southern by the Grace of God! ROLL TIDE!!)
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To: trisham

Look you posted to me first and obviously have some sort of problem with my “anecdotal” evidence as you called it. You also obviously don’t have any experience in nursing or Hospice or else you would have said so. I simply offered my experience to add to the debate.
I prefer to believe my own experiences first hand with this subject vs something someone else may put in a book or article.
Have a nice day.


146 posted on 04/30/2012 2:23:17 PM PDT by Lil Flower (American by birth. Southern by the Grace of God! ROLL TIDE!!)
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To: Dr. Brian Kopp; Lil Flower

And If the pain is too great, or the delirium / dementia is so severe, the person can’t serve or worship.

My religious beliefs are different from yours. Your statement would nullify any conversation with a good Baptist or an atheist.

The medicine and compassion are for the patient. A godd reason for the doctor - or the hospice nurse - to discuss end of life religious wishes with the patient before hand.


147 posted on 04/30/2012 2:28:07 PM PDT by hocndoc (WingRight.org Have mustard seed, not afraid to use it. Hold R's to promises, don't watch O keep his.)
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To: Lil Flower
Have a nice day.

***************************

You too!

148 posted on 04/30/2012 2:32:28 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: Dr. Brian Kopp

>have had lengthy conversations with Ron Panzer at Hospice Patients Alliance as well as the administrators, medical directors, and pastoral staff of a number of hospices in this region.<

I also wanted to comment that these people you list, esp. Administrators and medical directors never step near a bedside.
What field do you specialize in Dr. Kopp?


149 posted on 04/30/2012 2:40:21 PM PDT by Lil Flower (American by birth. Southern by the Grace of God! ROLL TIDE!!)
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To: Lil Flower

I am just a small town Podiatrist but I am in the process of opening a prolife Catholic home hospice care office and assisting in opening another.

Ron Panzer of the Hospice Patients Alliance spent many years as a hospice nurse. The founder of the Catholic hospice for which we will be a sub chapter worked for many years as a hospice nurse prior to opening her own Catholic Hospice.

So my primary sources have several decades of hands on hospice nursing care between them.


150 posted on 04/30/2012 2:59:09 PM PDT by Brian Kopp DPM
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To: jacquej

I’m sorry for your recent loss. Your experience is very similar to ours when we lost my MIL 2 years ago. She had Parkinson’s. Her doctor suggested Hospice about 5 months before she passed, not to shorten her life, but because there were additional benefits she received that helped her live longer. The Hospice nurses did daily massages, helped feed her when she could no longer lift a spoon, got her an inflatable air mattress that was on a timer, which inflated different sections in sequence to stop bed sores from forming. She did well for a few months, but at the end, we had been warned she would no longer be able to swallow, and that’s what happened. Her DNR read no feeding tubes, no feeding through IV, so we knew it was time. The nurses showed us how to use the mouth swabs, but we couldn’t even use ice chips for fear she would aspirate and start choking, not even able to cough. They gave her minimal amounts of morphine, as she was unable to swallow, just what little could be dissolved under the tongue, nothing by IV or injection. She was with us another 5 days, before she passed. She slept a lot, but when she was awake, her eyes were clear, and she’d listen to Hubby and me talk to her. Not once did I hear anyone from Hospice suggest she should be given more morphine or other meds to speed the process up.

It saddens me that others have had more traumatic experiences, especially during such trying times in their lives.


151 posted on 04/30/2012 3:08:38 PM PDT by Hoffer Rand (There ARE two Americas: "God's children" and the tax payers)
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To: Dr. Brian Kopp

So you are fixing to open an assisted living center and Hospice? I think that is fantastic! Your in for a lot of hard work and virtually no time off but do what’s in your heart.
I’m assuming you’ll be following Medicare guidelines but will you be able to run it without taking Medicare/ Medicaid pts?
I worked for a not for Hospice once but they still received Medicare benefits. Wasn’t sure how that worked.

So the guy who was nurse for years witnessed this li.d of abuse towards pts? I can’t imagine it. Maybe I’ve been fortunate being in the South. The rare times I’ve dealt with abuse was neglect by families.


152 posted on 04/30/2012 3:18:56 PM PDT by Lil Flower (American by birth. Southern by the Grace of God! ROLL TIDE!!)
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To: hocndoc

Absolutely you always find out the pts religious beliefs at the beginning of care. My point was that people, if they are believers, make their peace with God while they’re still lucid and pain control does not effect that.


153 posted on 04/30/2012 3:31:48 PM PDT by Lil Flower (American by birth. Southern by the Grace of God! ROLL TIDE!!)
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To: Lil Flower

This will just be home hospice care, not inpatient or assisted living. We will contract with local assisted living and nursing homes as well as the local hospital for respite care. Someday is we are successful, we’ll build a free standing hospice unit.

We will be a participating provider with Medicare and all the major insurances. Non profit or for profit status does not affect Medicare or insurance participation.


154 posted on 04/30/2012 3:51:58 PM PDT by Brian Kopp DPM
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To: Dr. Brian Kopp
Hospice companies are paid on a per diem rate. The longer the patient lives, the more money the company makes. Hospice companies, especially for-profit ones, are incentivized to keep their patients alive.

If your loved one has COPD, is 83 and is being admitted to the hospital for the 4th time in 6 months, should heroic life-saving measures be considered appropriate or simply delaying the inevitable?

Finally, there are studies that show patients who are on hospice actually live longer than patients with similar prognoses not on hospice.

Lots of uninformed nonsense in this thread.

155 posted on 04/30/2012 4:03:29 PM PDT by the808bass
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To: trisham

There are plenty of people posting their anecdotal experience on this thread, Dr. Kropp among them. I’ll not you did not denote his anecdotal posts as such. Even it up and you’ll have more credibility.


156 posted on 04/30/2012 4:13:13 PM PDT by the808bass
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To: trisham

There are plenty of people posting their anecdotal experience on this thread, Dr. Kropp among them. I’ll not you did not denote his anecdotal posts as such. Even it up and you’ll have more credibility.


157 posted on 04/30/2012 4:13:46 PM PDT by the808bass
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To: the808bass

Thank you for your opinion.


158 posted on 04/30/2012 4:15:58 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: sockmonkey

You have been misinformed by someone. Hospice has no deadline, only requalification points. If a patient is still terminal at the qualification date, hospice care continues.


159 posted on 04/30/2012 4:23:53 PM PDT by the808bass
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To: trisham

You are quite welcome.


160 posted on 04/30/2012 4:26:08 PM PDT by the808bass
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