SFangel
09-06-2003, 10:00 PM
Hi,
I have asthma and I use narcotic painkillers for control of the severe chronic pain I have in my left knee/leg and in my neck. I would like to know if narcotics can cause asthma attacks or cause asthmatics to have trouble breathing.
Thanks.
I have asthma and I use narcotic painkillers for control of the severe chronic pain I have in my left knee/leg and in my neck. I would like to know if narcotics can cause asthma attacks or cause asthmatics to have trouble breathing.
Thanks.
Sponsor
scb411
09-07-2003, 12:02 AM
Some narcotics can suppress the respiratory system, so yes, it would cause respiratory problems. What med(s) are you on?
wrin
09-07-2003, 12:06 AM
Well, they don't cause asthma *attacks* per se, but really really high doses of opioids (narcotics) can suppress the drive to breathe within your brain. But sticking to the dosage the doctoer gave ya should mean that this isn't a problem.
But they shouldn't make it seem harder to breathe -- in fact, they sometimes give it by inhalation to people with severe respiratory failure to kill the panicky-can't-breathe feeling they get.
But they shouldn't make it seem harder to breathe -- in fact, they sometimes give it by inhalation to people with severe respiratory failure to kill the panicky-can't-breathe feeling they get.
SFangel
09-07-2003, 03:51 AM
Hi, everybody
I did not know some narcotics could suppress the respiratory system or the drive to breathe within the brain. How would I know if this is happening and what should I do if this happens?
Scb411, the 3 narcotic painkillers I commonly use are Duragesic, Vicodin, and Tylenol with codeine #3 or #4.
Wrin, the doses of the narcotics I am on are not really really high but I am taking a low amount of different narcotics (the ones listed above). I never use more of these narcotics than ordered by my doctor.
I did not know some narcotics could suppress the respiratory system or the drive to breathe within the brain. How would I know if this is happening and what should I do if this happens?
Scb411, the 3 narcotic painkillers I commonly use are Duragesic, Vicodin, and Tylenol with codeine #3 or #4.
Wrin, the doses of the narcotics I am on are not really really high but I am taking a low amount of different narcotics (the ones listed above). I never use more of these narcotics than ordered by my doctor.
scb411
09-07-2003, 08:10 AM
I am allergic to codeine and also vicodin, but I had tried them before. It took me a while to develop an allergy to it. I noticed that my breathing was being suppressed not by the way I felt or by the way I breathed, but because one day I went to do my hair and my lips were blue. That kinda' scared the living daylights out of me. Remember, cyanosis=ED (politically correct term for emergency room...emergency department). An increased amount of the times you take your inhaler/neb treatments is a large key that your respiratory system is being affected.
SFangel
09-07-2003, 05:44 PM
Hi, scb411
Thanks for the information.
The first few times I took Duragesic, I noticed that I could not breathe deep. Could this be a sign of respiratory depression?
I will watch out for cyanosis by looking at the color of my lips and nails.
Thanks.
Thanks for the information.
The first few times I took Duragesic, I noticed that I could not breathe deep. Could this be a sign of respiratory depression?
I will watch out for cyanosis by looking at the color of my lips and nails.
Thanks.
scb411
09-08-2003, 02:36 AM
To be honest, I never am able to breathe deeply... ;) But, I would encourage you to talk to your doctor about it!
SFangel
09-08-2003, 04:09 AM
Scb411, I am afraid that if I talk to my doctor and she thinks Duragesic is responsible for my not being able to breathe deeply at times, she will take Duragesic away from me. I really do not want to lose the pain relief given to me by Duragesic.
scb411
09-08-2003, 03:30 PM
Well...Then, I guess you may have to live without deep breaths. B-) I don't know what to tell you. Maybe (s)he'll try another one....
SFangel
09-09-2003, 12:53 AM
You are right, I will have to live without deep breaths. It is better for me than to lose pain relief because my doctor took Duragesic away from me.
I do not think she will switch me to anything else because she is afraid that I might try to abuse narcotic painkillers that come in tablet or capsule form (these are often considered as "street drugs" that are easier to abuse than Duragesic because it is in a patch form). I am not a drug abuser and she knows that but she is still afraid.
I do not think she will switch me to anything else because she is afraid that I might try to abuse narcotic painkillers that come in tablet or capsule form (these are often considered as "street drugs" that are easier to abuse than Duragesic because it is in a patch form). I am not a drug abuser and she knows that but she is still afraid.
wrin
09-11-2003, 10:37 PM
If you never take more than your doctor prescribes, it shouldn't be a problem. Depression of the respiratory drive is not usually an issue unless high doses are given for pain control in the hospital -- kind of a postop thing, where they're watching you closely anyway.
valjo
03-13-2005, 08:22 AM
I have been on morphine now for over a year for my back and joint degeneration. I've had asthma since birth, I'm 46 now. With me I have no problem with just the pain killer alone at my recomended dosage aggravating my asthma, but if I take it with a few flexrils (muscle relaxants) and try to sleep... forget it, I will wake up starved for lung function at times. The only thing worse than that was when I was a younger adult (drinking age) beer or liquor would always severely impare my ability to breath. I gave up social drinking very fast. : )