Expert: Paula Damgaard - 7/30/2009

Question
Hello, Paula. My mother, aged 90, was recently diagnosed with Alzheimers, although she has always had good recognition and has been well aware of her surroundings until just the past couple of weeks. She has suffered acute leg pain for many years. She recently has been under in-home live-in hospice care. In the past week or so, her leg pain has become so acute that she was screaming out in pain constantly, around the clock. She has recently started receiving morphine by eye-dropper for the leg pain. She is still constantly screaming out in pain, although the hospice care givers maintain that this is common in Alzheimer's patients, and that she is actually not aware of the pain and not aware that she is even screaming out. Does this sound accurate to you? It's really heart-wrenching to hear her. Thanks, Paula. Jim Sherman

Answer
Hi Jim, I don't think so!  They can very well experience pain.  Maybe they should increase the morphine dose.  No one knows why she is having this pain??  Is she walking?  Bedridden?  If she is bedridden perhaps the position they have her in is causing the pain, maybe she needs to be massaged in that area.  Maybe some heat to the leg would be a comfort to her.  Maybe just a soft voice and stroking her head would calm her down.  

What does the doctor say about her pain?  This just doesn't make sense to me.  I would want more answers.  

I hope you get them.  Keep me posted.  Paula