Dear Barbara, Will you discuss palliative sedation?
Palliative sedation is a term used by hospice, palliative care, and medical professionals to describe giving large doses of sleep-inducing medications to induce unconsciousness. It is a pain management technique used when all other pain management options have been unsuccessful. It is not routinely used. I would even say it is seldom used.
The National Cancer Institute defines palliative sedation as: “The use of special drugs called sedatives to relieve extreme suffering by making a patient calm, unaware, or unconscious. This may be done for patients who have symptoms that cannot be controlled with other treatments. Palliative sedation may be used in patients who are near the end of life to make them more comfortable. It is not meant to shorten life or cause death.”
I found many other definitions (I love the internet), but this one was the easiest to understand and said what the others were saying but in much less technical detail.
When the terminal illness, the disease progression, has been a pain-filled experience and all comfort management options have been unsuccessful, then sleep is our friend. Sleep, created by regulated, supervised medications, is a compassionate alternative to uncontrollable suffering.
Covid taught us the benefit of “putting a person to sleep” as their body heals. That same technique can also be used as end of life approaches. Not to accelerate the end of life process, but to provide comfort until death comes.
Something More… about Using Palliative Sedation At End of Life
With today’s medical advancements there is no reason for a person to die in uncontrolled pain. If we are in extreme pain and suffering we cannot relax and peacefully leave our bodies. Reading Pain At End of Life helps families understand all the ways that a hospice team can ease pain with the dying.
17 comments
This was used for my father and it was a blessing for him. He was in horrible agony up until that point. After palliative sedation, the tension and pain finally left his face. When he died, he did so in peace. Thank you for all the work you do Barbara.
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BK Books replied:
Thank you Margaret for sharing your experience. The key to getting out of our bodies is to relax. Medications can often provide that relaxation. Blessings! Barbara
I just want to thank you for the work you are doing!!
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BK Books replied:
Diane, you’re welcome. Blessings! Barbara
Personally I find this concept atrocious and unconscionable. You might as well be dead. In fact better off for all involved if you were. Big pharma and corporate medicine is not robbing your family of quality time which is not even in the conversation any longer and they are not robbing the heirs by spending the patient’s money on days – weeks of hospitalization and/or hospice resources needed for those who still have life to live and love their families in. Just my tuppence. PERSONAL AUTONOMY OVER LIFE AND DEATH. IT IS THE HUMANE THING TO DO!!!
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BK Books replied:
Hi Tracy, thank you for sharing your opinion. Blessings! Barbara
Hospice offered this to my husband in his last stages. I am so grateful to them. He was in terrible pain and agitated state. We couldn’t make him comfortable. This was best solution.
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BK Books replied:
Hi Bree, thank you for sharing your experience with Palliative Sedation. Others reading this may find comfort in your expereince. Blessings! Barbara
Are the booklets available in Australia? The postage is around $43 twice as much as the booklets cost.
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BK Books replied:
Hi Jan,
You can get the digital version of_ The_ End of Life Guideline Series by Barbara Karnes on the Australian Amazon at this link… https://www.amazon.com.au/End-Life-Guideline-Compilation-Booklets/dp/0983784140/ref=sr_1_1?crid=198A31Q37AJ8U&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.MZftFJok8r4nfILmX6lzPu1DWtaLjjQOr7PBhqrwI0VChmaJ1WtPp5iuA4DyWCWGlnQxbVkaGz4as6EIt_zeCq_JW32Izvv9Dtl1LgUnYuc_htHsAGOjyLHlAti55kfgEy0xiH7lh9Z4tm9XYzF1-I5nm_8TbYXU2xGtVpsXy2_3mtv8FcJfMFXzgS9p3Lfiago1m3ATlxxjK05zI7GSlXSOcoX6ZYyEGzOeAu-te-NMZ_2RNmx5ZGDGzCOlvKqZmXNKdtXTj9CIQ3YOZ2UsxtYwUMimIElwynfjfpt0rOc.vdsEFuqtsUKaRHWzydC1N-pLA9T5I4puUYsHf4h5GTE&dib_tag=se&keywords=end+of+life+guideline+series&qid=1718237808&sprefix=end+of+life+guideline+series%2Caps%2C77&sr=8-1
That would be the most cost effective way to get the books in Australia. 😊
Warmly, BK Team
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