Hi Deano,

So sorry to read about your Mam's condition.

My Mam also had a syringe driver towards the end, it was explained to us that it is just a means of administering painkillers and other medications at a steady rate to avoid having to keep injecting her with needles.

It won't be keeping her alive, but it will be helping manage her pain.

All the best
Dave

Thanks for your reply dave, much appreciated. Take care

hello

my dad asks for a driver because he was struggling to take tablets and to be honest he was sick of taking them, the doctor said it was too soon but my dad demanded it, i was caring for him at home so it made my daily battle to get his tablets down him go away ... he didnt even notice it was in his arm, it should never run out and if it does then ring your district nursing team who are looking after your mum to come and sort it asap 

the driver helped my dads last days to be painless as possible he had to be given other drugs but they just put them into the port on the driver so dad didnt have to have injections 

my dad passed away a week after having the driver fitted and i know it doesnt make them go sooner i think because they are pain free as much as possible it makes it easier to let go and stop fighting, i also know that they only put drivers in when the end is coming ( or thats what they told us ) 

hope you get to spend as much time with your mum as possible 

L x 

Hi Deano my dad also had a syringe driver with Fentynal in to manage his pain as they were stabbing him all the time to try and find a vein and his arms were a mess and bruised. The rattle you hear is saliva building up in your mums throat as I doubt she is drinking much and probably not swallowing or coughing to well. I’ve just been through it with my dad and was told it’s more distressing for us than them you could ask the nurse to give your mum a tablet which my dad had to dry up the saliva. Also they gave my dad Midazolam which helped if he felt agitated...

much love  

hey

im sorry to learn your news.i lost my beautiful mum on friday to lung cancer also.

my mum become weaker and weaker over a period of days,initially we put the drive up so could continuously  have pain reliefe,she was sleeping alot and would refused the tablets.

within a day or so my mum developed this all mighy ‘rattle’ which is common,however my mums was causeinf her extrem distress due to wanting to cough. As it was also mentioned she may have pnumonia. But normaly a slight rattle/moan when breathing is not distressing for the patient

! iv worked in this kind of filed for ten years so i new i was able to request a medicin that can halp dry up some of the secretions (rattle)

sadly from the time the ‘rattle’ started to mum passing it was just 3 days! i was always lead to believe that the ‘rattle can last from hours-24hrs before death occurs. with help from the driver it was very  peaceful!

mine loss is still very fresh and raw and the small bit of advise i can give is..be kind to you!

thinking of u x

Dear C-kinsella,

I'm very sory for your loss. My thoughts are with you.

Warmly,

Northern