Comments on: Opiates, Dyspnea and Me

By: Rick Frea

Rick Frea — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 02:11:11 +0000

Thanks for writing this. I've been thinking about writing about this, and you just provided more wisdom on the topic than I could have provided. No, I don't take opiates. Yet I see it used a lot in hospitals, and not just for end of life breathlessness. Great post.

By: Susannah

Susannah — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 10:07:46 +0000

When Steve first told me about his being prescribed Ativan, I decided to discuss this with my lung docs who decided that seeing as it's not my stress or anxiety that causes my asthma, but my asthma that causes me such anxiety (!) I am now prescribed a tiny dose of Valium which seems to help me so I wont switch to Ativan just yet. The valium just helps me chill the minutest bit when I would otherwise be white knuckled by the SOB at times. I am not a tense or nervous person and tend to thrive off adrenaline so it was a catch 22 situation to try it.

Actually their only directive was to tell somebody close to me if I am needing to take it-just in case I suffered respiratory depression.

These kind of posts are eyeopening to those of us at the top end of the hardcore asthma scale. Thanks, Steve.

Sus xx

By: marsh

marsh — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 01:39:06 +0000

i can't believe that they give this stuff to you??? they look at me and sayNOPE YOU'LL FORGET TO BREATH sometimes i think they just like to see me in pain????? the strongest i get is tylenol and sometimes i sneak benyldril just to relax did i say that out load??? have a great day marsh

By: Stephen

Stephen — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:13:23 +0000

PS… Im working on getting the word-wrap problem fixed in the comments section.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:08:56 +0000

Hi Danielle, Thanks for that thoughtful response.

Yes, a lot of people are allergic to codeine for one reason or another, myself included.

Thankfully, I haven’t had a problem with respiratory depression while taking opiates.

By: Danielle

Danielle — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:39:38 +0000

Glad you decided to approach the subject. I find that most topics, even if there are reasons not to talk about them (like stigma, or wanting to be a responsible blogger)are worth talking about and this will decrease the taboo-ness of the subject in the long run. Way to go.

But I know what you mean about “responsible blogging” and not wanting to give people any wrong ideas about treatments that aren’t conventional. For example I get extremely nervous and hesitant when I post about my prednisone use.

Posting about all the different things that doctors try on us, sometimes while grasping at straws, just goes to show what a diverse disease asthma is, and how diverse we all are. Not that this is necessarily a good thing, but it’s good to underline this fact.

I have only used opiates once, following my tonsillectomy (just codeine), you might remember I had a severe asthma attack during that surgery. Anyway, the pain relief I was being administered did decrease my respiratory drive. I think I was probably also suppressing my cough because of the pain in my throat (or fear of the pain), but anyway all of these things combined led to some complications in the days following the surgery and I wasn’t clearing my secretions very effectively. When I switched to advil and finally got my antibiotics sorted out, I was much better off. One nurse even suggested I was “allergic” to codeine because I was asking for a neb shortly after I would be given codeine.

If opiates can reduce the dyspnea for you, then I’m glad. I hope you’ll let us know how the new plan works for you, and if it has an effect either way on your excercise tolerance.