I am curious about dementia and pain management. What meds are they on and at what doses? What type of pain clinic and Dr. is being seen?

I would definitely take her to a pain management doctor. They are trained in the latest technology and they will test her to see what is really going on. That is so important for proper treatment.

My dad was on gabapentin for neuropathy and a doctor took him off and what a difference in his cognition. He now uses tylenol and is more with it. Not saying that your wife would see similar benefits.

Let us know how it goes with the pain management.

I have no first hand experience with it but many people on the forum has mentioned pain patches, - the deliver medication to a targeted area so there is better control with fewer side effects.

My mom is on Lyrica & fentanyl pain patch for nerve damage in her spine. She had a very bad back & then nerves were damaged in surgery, leaving her unable to walk. She’s in the nursing home now & I’ve forgotten her dosage. Mom was on gabapentin 1st & it just didn’t work well enough for her. She was also on hydrocodone before the fentanyl patch & it would wear off but wouldn’t be time for another dose. The fentanyl patch works great for my mom. It gets changed out every three days & keeps a relatively steady dosage going but makes her a little sleepy the 1st day she gets it. No worrying about what time pills were taken & when she could have another one.

Thankfully, we had a wonderful, small- town, family physician who trusted my mom & I and has been our Dr. for a number of years.

I hope you can find something that works & a Dr. that will help you! My mom was a very tough lady & it broke my heart to see her unable to do anything but sit & cry.

Hi Robert,

I am so very sorry for what you and your wife are going through. Caregiving is difficult enough without having to witness so much suffering. However, I don’t believe there is a person on this forum who will offer dosing advice. It’s neither appropriate nor legal. My understanding is that your wife suffers from chronic back pain that has recently gotten much worse. In my opinion that will require an evaluation, either at the dr’s office or an emergency room. Any change of condition should be followed up with the doctor. It could be something simple like a UTI but there could be something else more significant happening. I had a friend with chronic back issues that had a sudden worsening of her pain. An ER visit revealed a herniated disc in her lower back that occurred spontaneously from her very poor bone density. With the right diagnosis, she was able to get the right treatment.

Looking further up the road, you may want to keep hospice in mind. When her quality of life has diminished and she can no longer tolerate the never ending drs, tests, and treatments, it is a compassionate consideration. Their view on pain management is much more liberal and less liability conscious than the pain management clinics.

No matter what you opt to do, I pray for relief and comfort for both of you. Please keep us posted.

I think that Dementia people react to pain like children. A little pain becomes a BIG pain. My Mom would act like she was was in pain when the took her BP.