When Pain Medication Stops Working

What Family Members Can Do

If your parent says "the medication isn't working anymore":

Action Specifically
Attend the next appointment together Help communicate to the doctor exactly how and when the medication stopped helping
Check how the medication is being taken Look for missed doses or self-reduced doses
Track symptom changes When did it stop working? Have other symptoms appeared?
Research next options together Read the relevant articles on this site together
Say: "You don't have to just live with it" Remind them that more options exist — and give them hope