|
Palliative care is the treatment of pain associated with
metastatic cancer. You should obtain specialist advice. If
you are unhappy with the advice you are getting you can get
a second opinion.
Call the Cancer Council on 131120 if you are not sure
how to get help.
Key Points
- In most cases, pain can be treated with drugs and other
methods of pain control
- Pain treatment should be offered to you throughout the
course of the disease to improve your quality of life and
control the symptoms of metastatic cancer. The treatment will
get stronger as the cancer progresses and you should not
hesitate to ask for assistance.
- You can take painkillers in a number of ways, including
as tablets by mouth, injections under the skin or patches
applied to your skin. You may also be able to have nerve
blocks for more serious pain.
- Generally you should be able to continue to live at home
for most of the time.
- There is a wealth of expertise which should allow you
to live relatively well with metastatic breast cancer. If
this is not happening, speak to your doctor or get a second
opinion.
- There are likely to be side effects from painkillers (such
as nausea, drowsiness and constipation). Most of these should
clear after a few days or can be controlled by other medication.
- Other symptoms can also be controlled.
|
