Renal Cell Carcinoma (Kidney Cancer) Support Group
Renal cell carcinoma, also known by a gurnistical tumor, is the most common form of kidney cancer arising from the renal tubule. It is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults. Initial therapy is with surgery. It is notoriously resistant to radiation therapy and chemotherapy, although some cases respond to immunotherapy.
My husband has had his pain meds increased to 30mg of morphine sulfate continuous release 2x per day. He's extremely fatigued. There was also a new tumor discovered. How much of the fatigue is likely due to the increase in pain meds? Any way to deal with the fatigue?
the increase in your husband pain meds will definately make him much more sleepier which causes lack of energy with doing anything.. Tim is on a high dose 40mg of oxyconton and he takes two 15 mg's of of oxycodone at least twice a day for break thru pain and thats alot of pain meds and he sleeps a real lot, he doesn't want to do anything at all.. I think in your husbands case it's a mixture of the cancer and the pain meds he isn't on any treatments right now am i right?? I couldn't remember what you said about that the last time we talked, because the treatments cause the worst of fatigue.. Where Tim is not on treatment anymore, and we won't know anything about growth till the next catscan at the end of June..(such a trying time for us all)
All i can tell you is 40 mg of morphine would give your husband alot of fatigue and especially lack of interest in doing things, i know everybody is different but all i can do is pass on whjat i am seeing in Tim and i hope this helps you to understand the fatique better.. I also hope the increase is helping your husbands pain level, right now Tim is comfortable and his pain is under control, which i am so releived..
I am here for you anytime you need to talk Karen, please take care..
Love,
Becca
D takes 60mg of slow release morphine 2x a day, plus other painkillers. He's very very tired - needing to sleep in the daytime for a good few hours. This is one of the positive things about his being off work now - he has time to do this during the day, and also to lie in in the mornings, without feeling that it's eating into his quality/social time, and the time that we get to spend together in the evenings is much happier. If he doesn't sleep in the day for a couple of days running, he definitely has a big slump. When he gets really tired, he gets emotional, and the pain tends to affect him more. If your husband is still at work full-time, it's hard to fit a 3 hour sleep into the day, I know, but doing it is the only thing that really helps.
In a way though, getting the pain relief levels right, and increasing the dose seemed to improve the fatigue, as being constantly in pain is very draining.
I wonder also what your husband's haemoglobin levels are? D has had 2 blood transfusions due to low counts, and they, especially the second one, noticeably increased his strength, energy, and will to do things.
I think of you and your husband a lot dear Karen, and pray that his days will become easier
my love, Meriel