Home Palliative care

[marcusarelus]

If one was having a problem getting pain medication with Palliative care in the event of a painful terminal illness could you just move to Cambodia.  My wife speaks Khmer and has a home in Surin.  Could we just move across the border get an apartment and get meds from a doctor in Cambodia?

[Sheryl]

It isn't any easier in Cambodia in terms of heavy duty meds like morphine. I haveseveral times  tried and failed to get that for people dying at home with terminal cancer here. Codeine is sold over the counter but that and tramadol are all you can get outside of a hospital. 

 

You actually stand a better chance of getting outpatient oral morphine, fentanyl patches  and the like in Thailand than you do in Cambodia. Hel[ps if you get  under the care of a palliatiev specialist. The problem will come if/when you are no longer able to swallow oral medications. Can't get at home IV narcotics here.

 

I take it you have never crossed the border in Surin. The other side of that border is very rural and does not have apartments and it is quite a long way to the nearest halfway decent (actually make that 1/10 the way decent) medical facility.

[marcusarelus]

36 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

It isn't any easier in Cambodia in terms of heavy duty meds like morphine. I haveseveral times  tried and failed to get that for people dying at home with terminal cancer here. Codeine is sold over the counter but that and tramadol are all you can get outside of a hospital. 

 

You actually stand a better chance of getting outpatient oral morphine, fentanyl patches  and the like in Thailand than you do in Cambodia. Hel[ps if you get  under the care of a palliatiev specialist. The problem will come if/when you are no longer able to swallow oral medications. Can't get at home IV narcotics here.

 

I take it you have never crossed the border in Surin. The other side of that border is very rural and does not have apartments and it is quite a long way to the nearest halfway decent (actually make that 1/10 the way decent) medical facility.

Correct never been there.