Prescribing Injections/Injectable drugs

[Fantasian]

SWIM is still having serious problems with Chronic acute pain and feels like he is running out of options. He is tired of going to hospital week after week with nurses and doctors administering large amounts of opiates, sedatives, traqulizers etc intravenously.

Can doctors in the UK prescribe Home IV use? Or Home IM use?

Im interested in this particularly with sedatives and opiates as they are my main form of pain relief but it would be interesting to know just in general.

Thanks (i hope i got this in the right forum as it's a little grey)

I really feel lost for an answer atm, and sublingual just doesnt cut it. With the hospital taking so long to get me through, A+E etc i have to suffer 1-2 hours of excruciating pain every week. Sometimes im lucky and get a doctor that im familar with as things can speed up but those are only some of my luckier days.

[Forthesevenlakes]

this may be a question best discussed with swiy's care provider or doctor. if swiy is suffering from pain to the point where swiy has to go to the hospital all the time, perhaps its time to switch to a pain management specialist instead of a conventional doctor, these specialists are usually more understanding of situations consisting of both chronic and acute pain and so might be able to be of more help. best of luck to swiy, swim hopes they can help since he's known a few people with that situation, and knows how frustrating it can be.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Good advice, Thanks for the input

[Fantasian]

Thanks for the reply it was most welcome, Im waiting to see a pain specialist but as usual with anything at the NHS it takes ages to see someone. I occasionally manage to see a consultant on my regular hospital visits but it just seems like everyone wants to pass me on. I tried dicussing it with my GP but he avoided the questions and said he couldnt prescribe anything stronger or faster acting the Temgesic and Oromorph. I think it will be some months yet before i reach a pain specialist as i dont really have the cash to afford it privately being a student and all. It's messing up my life though

[altern8]

yeah, specialist will ask for loads of money, so better be prepared financially b4 consultin one!

[Psych0naut]

What about asking for slow-release fentanyl patches?They do a very good job as a painkiller and they work very, very long.
Though I can imagine they won't prescribe those easy, and they might give problems in some situations, like peeling of when you're sweating or when they get wet.

[Fantasian]

^^ I know where your coming from with the Fentanyl patches but my pain only lasts for 8-12 hours and is very acute and needs rapid administration hence the injecting. I would imagine the uptake of a patch is pretty slow as well as far too long lasting.

[Psych0naut]

The fentanyl lollipops then(Actiq), they work very rapid and a doctor would prescribe those much easier then self-injectable medication.
Here's some info from Wikipedia:

Actiq, by Cephalon, is a recently-developed solid formulation of fentanyl citrate on a stick that dissolves slowly in the mouth for transmucosal absorption.
Actiq is intended for opiate-tolerant individuals and is effective in treating breakthrough cancer pain.
It is also useful for breakthrough pain for those suffering bone injuries, severe back pain, neuropathy, arthritis, and some other examples of chronic nonmalignant pain.
The unit is a berry-flavored lozenge on a stick which is swabbed on the mucosal surfaces inside the mouth - under and on the tongue and gums to release the fentanyl quickly into the system.
It is most effective when the lozenge is consumed in 15 minutes.
The drug is less effective if swallowed, absorption from the alimentary tract being poor.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Good information that I will put to use

[Fantasian]

^^ Thanks Psychonaut SWIF will look into that, still doesnt seem like my question has been answered, do doctors prescribed self injectable medicaiton at all?

[Forthesevenlakes]

unfortunately swim has never heard of any doctor prescribing self injectable medication, at least for pain. even people swim has seen with years of chronic pain still usually get a combination of pills, actiq, and duragesic patches. swim suspects that IV painkillers are only administered directly by medical personell. things may be different in the UK, but swim has just never heard of an IV prescription happening.

[Psych0naut]

SWIM knows pretty sure that there's only one type of self-injectable medicine that patients can inject themselves, and that's the stuff diabetics use.

[Abrad]

Not sure how true this is but SWIM has been told that in the UK, if you can afford it, there are private doctors with a license to prescribe diamorphine.

[old hippie 56]

About the only way here in the US, is thru a home health agency that has been given approval by the state to do IV infusions. Have you mentioned implated pumps? Friend of swim had one for spinal cord pain due to cancer.

[Red_Baran]

Before swims relative passed away from cancer, she had lines straight to her heart. We had to clean them out every day, and pump her meds through them, witch included pain, and other medications.

So if your in the last stages of cancer, and they have to put a line to your heart for fast meds, the answer is yes they can perscribe IV for outpatient.