My view

Tom Barlow 1322 - 1322 • Published 23 Apr 2009 16:04

DURING the tragic illness of the late Jade Goody, a lot of readers around irvine were asking me questions about why she was pictured being taken from her home to a hospice - apparently sucking a lollipop as she conducted an argument with her next door neighbour.

Their curiosity concerned the "sweet" she was sucking - which was actually a 21st century piece of essential medication for her condition.

Fentanyl lollipops - as they are known - are given as a top up measure to those on regular painkillers such as morphine but who are suffering "breakthrough pain", a sudden burst of severe discomfort.

Whilst giving a drug directly into the vein is the fastest way to get it into the system, it is not always the most convenient method.

The lollipop is the next fastest and the most convenient way to get the drug into the body.

The drug is quickly absorbed by the buccal muccosa - the lining of the mouth - and works within minutes.

The lollipops contain fentanyl, which is eighty times stronger than morphine.

They are both opiates - painkilllers which block the pain messages which are sent to the brain.

Fentanyl cannot be given as a pill because the gastric juices in the stomach would deactivate it, so it is given as a lollipop, lozenge or patch.

The lollies and lozenges also contain glucose to give them a pleasant taste.

The patches can sometimes take upto 24 hours to work, but have a longer lasting effect - up to 72 hours.

Fentanyl is so strong that it is only available on prescription or from a hospital.

Side effects are constipation, nausea and drowsiness, but the flexibility of application can mena that it can be easily prescribed at accidents to control pain and shock.

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