stomach flu and meds [Archive] - HealthBoards Message Boards

tina76

01-06-2006, 10:36 AM

Hey guys... I was hit pretty hard last night with this terrible stomach flu that is going around. So far I seem to be throwing up my methadone doses. I tried calling my PM doc (the only one in our clinic) and she is out for the whole weekend + Monday. I'm not quite sure what I should do? Stick to my normal dosing and hope for the best is what I've been doing. If I throw up after taking it, should I take another? I don't want to end up in pain OR in w/d..... ARGH!!! My mom had this flu last week and it lasted about 5 days... It looks like I am in for a rough weekend and need some advice.

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Shoreline

01-06-2006, 12:13 PM

Hi Tina, take smaller more frequent doses, so if you loose it, you haven't lost it all. Meth is pretty forgiving because of the long half life. WD doesn't really get bad untill after the 5th day when you have no meth in your system. If pain/WD does become an issue, Methadone can be used rectally but is more potent so I would cut back on the dose if you had to do this. Your not the one taking liquid meth are ya? It does get confusing.

If you throw a dose up imediately, within 5 minutes and can see the pill, If you feel like you can get one down an hour later, try too. I wouldn't count the one you threw up.It's wasted but using smaller more frequent dosing it should be as big a waste.

Sorry, I know it's everyone fear. Do you have any Visterill or phenergan around the house, It will help some, once you get past the initial projectile stage.
Good luck, Dave

tina76

01-06-2006, 12:25 PM

Thanks for the tips Shore. I do have some phenergan at home and I tried taking some this mornign with no luck. Too soon I guess! This might sound like a dumb question... but if it comes down to it and I had to use the meds rectally (right now I have ten mg methadose tablets) how does one do that and how much should I use? I'm hoping that I don't have to go that path... but if things get too bad tonight or tomorrow in the middle of the night I might have to give it a try... Would I use like a quarter tablet or something at first? Why does it become more potent that way? Just curious. I've never had to do anything liek that before... I guess it makes a lot of sense if you aren't keepign down what you swallow!!!

Another thing... Can you take ANY med rectullly if you are throwing it all up? For example, could I take my nausea meds that way too if necessary?

Director

01-06-2006, 01:25 PM

Hey Tina: I know this won't do you any good now, but years ago I was on Methadone for a period of time and the doc I had at The University of Oregon Health Sciences Center was treating me. He wrote a script for me for injectable Meth to have on hand for this very problem. All the years I've been on Meth (in the 80's and now) I only remember having this happen to me once. In fact I don't have any now, so maybe I should talk to my doc when I see him.

I hope you're feeling better soon. As far as what doseage to use if you have to go rectally, I'm not positive, but I would think 50% would be ok. Shoreline Dave?

Fabrashamx

01-06-2006, 03:21 PM

What I have been told is that you need to 1/2 the dose rectally, and rectal delivery compares to snorting a drug as far as how fast it is absorbed by the body (MUCH quicker than oral doses) Makes sense, both areas of the body are mucous membranes. I have never actually had to do it, but I have read and heard about it being very effective. Best of luck sweetie and I hope your tummy is better soon, or at least you can get some pain relief. Hugs, Fabby :wave:

tina76

01-06-2006, 03:24 PM

Thanks everybody! I just actually tried it. I've kept nothing down since last night. I only did a quarter dose though just to see how it goes at first... I'm hoping this all works out okay. Does anyone know if you can take other meds that way? Like nausea meds or anxiety meds (like lorazapam). I take the lorazapam to help me relax at night so I can sleep and i threw that up last night too. I was wondering if those could go rectally as well?

Director

01-06-2006, 05:51 PM

Hey Tina: As far as I know, you can take just about anything rectally (half dose), except something that is coated for timed release, like Oxycontin. Good luck and I hope you're feeling better real soon.

tina76

01-06-2006, 06:00 PM

Thanks guys! It seemed to work a little. Hard to focus when my stomach is so upset. I might try and do the nausea meds after work tonight... Hopefully I have some success. I called the Nurse On Call thru my clinic and they told me if it persists to go the ER for some IV anti-nausea meds and fluids. Concerned I'll get too dehydrated I guess. We'll see how crummy I feel. That always takes so darn long. Not sure if I have the energy to spend 9 hours at the ER for some nausea meds.... Hopfully the other way will work tonight and I'll be feeling at least a little better in the next day or so. At least I get to lay in bed tomorrow and Sunday. Maybe that will help with the flu AND the pain.

Director

01-06-2006, 06:09 PM

Tina: You mentioned you took a quarter dose of your Methadone (Methadose) earlier. Don't forget to take as close to the normal dose as you can when doing it that way. Also, you have that damn Methadose, so you need to really make sure you're getting your "normal" Meth. I'm sure that'll make you feel somewhat better too.

Are you working with the flu? You're a tougher person than I would be, I'll tell you that!!

tina76

01-06-2006, 06:17 PM

I have no choice. I can't afford to be off work. And since I am alone in my office almost all day I can look as cruddy as I want and puke as loud as I want. I've been half asleep all day. But just so I am here if the phone happens to ring between 8-5 I get paid! I guess I'm lucky. I sure do wish I was at home though. About 45 more minutes and i'll be on my way!!! I just wish I didn't feel so darn sick!!! I hate nausea like this. The uncontrollable kind...

surgicaldisaster

01-06-2006, 06:51 PM

Hi there, and sorry to hear you are so ill ! I too have been wondering if this hits me what to do? I work at a school and this is running rampant there...major amount of teachers and kids throwing up uncontrollably. I do take oxy and would not know what to do...any suggestions in case I get this? (It sure would not be surprising if I do!) Thanks in advance and I really do hope you feel better REAL soon!!! Take care of yourself....Surgical Disaster :wave:

Director

01-06-2006, 07:08 PM

Hi SD: The only things that comes to mind right away is Oxycodone. That and the injectable Methadone I was talking about before. They make plain Oxy (no apap) in 5, 15, and 30 mg tablets. As we were talking about in earlier posts, you can use tabs rectally, if you have to because of the flu and not being able to hold anything down. Doseage would be about one half. You can't break or cut the Oxycontin because of the time release factor, but you could always have your doc write you a script for some plain Oxycodone, just in case.

feelbad

01-07-2006, 10:51 AM

Just an FYI,when my son was sick and throwing up his transplant meds(this was fun) his transplant co ordinator told me that as long as his meds have been in his system and the stomach and you cannot see them in the vomit,the full contents would probably all be in the actual system within an hour.but if he couldn't hold them down for at least an hour,he would have to be admitted and given them IV til he could tolerate them.just a thought here though.you could possibly speed up the absorbtion(unless your bottle states otherwise)by actually cutting the pills up into smaller pieces or even crsh them and just put it into a small amount of water am swallowing that.just a thought.this would speed up the actual breakdown process quite a bit.i am kinda concerned about dehydration problems you may already have or get soon if you cannot hold down fluids.this really really messes with alot of your body systems and could actually cause renal shut down.your heart rhythems can also be affected.If you have not been abnle to keep wany fluids down over 24 hours you most likely need to start rehydration with normal saline in an ER.you can tell if you are becomming dehydrated in a couple ways.the darkness of your urine,really dark yellow,the amount you are actully peeing,and the tenting test.take the skin on the top of your hand and pinch it for a couple seconds and then let go,if it stays that way at all or espescially if it takes more than just a couple seconds for it to go back,you ARE in need of supplimental fluids and need to go asap to the ER.i am hoping that you are feeling better.despite the fact that you are vomiting,you need to keep trying to drink water as some of it WILL be absorbed before you throw it all up again.plus,who really wants the dry heaves,ick.I DO hope you feel better now.Keep us all posted on your condition.if you are up to it.Marcia

Sammiejoe

01-07-2006, 01:34 PM

Hi and sorry your feeling bad. This is also, my worst fear because the stomach flu always seems to get me. From my childhood until now, I get this darn stomach virus at least once a year and it's just awful. I'd rather have anything else, even when I had pneumonia it wasn't as bad as the stomach bug, and most of these viruses bring a fever and body aches which just adds to your pain. I know for me the best way to treat this is to refrain from any foods or liquids until vomiting has stopped for at least 1-2 hours, then very slowly start sipping flat soda or water and freeze pops work well too. I don't go back to eating until I haven't thrown up for at least 8 hours no matter how hungry I am, and then I gradually start with crackers and dry toast.This makes it really difficult when you need to take pain meds regularly. I've never used my pain meds rectally, although I've used tigan suppositories. This is the first time I've heard of using a pill rectally, so can anybody just clarify for anyone needing to resort to using meds rectally how you go about this? Sorry to be gross, :o but, do you just insert a half of your regular dose inside the rectum, or do you crush it up and put it in a plain enema? How far do you insert it? Again, sorry to be blunt, :o
but, I don't want to see anyone trying to do this in the wrong way and I know, God forbid I get this darn bug, I'd like to be able to use this method if necessary.
Thanks and I hope everyone has a low pain weekend.

tina76

01-10-2006, 10:58 AM

Hey everybody... Just wanted to update. My stomach flu got worse and worse Friday evening thru Saturday evening. Called my clinic's on call nurse and she told me I had to go the ER. Got there with vomiting AND a horrible migraine because I had become SOOO dehydrated. They pumped me full of IV fluids, nausea meds, and my pain meds and sent me home. I guess the flu has been REALLY bad here. They told me if I was still vomiting the next day I had to come back in. Which I was, so I ended up back there at noon on Sunday, extremely dehydrated again. The nurse said she could barely get my IV in. Ended up having to stay over. They wouldn't let me leave until I could keep both food AND my meds down. Finally got out last night at about 8. Feeling a lot better. Just tired. I'm back to work of course because I couldn't even afford to have yesterday off! Now I'll have to work a full day Saturday to make up the time on my paycheck so it isn't short. I go to my pain management group appt on Thursday so I'm going to ask about what to do if this happens again, if they can give me something injectable etc... I doubt they will do that because they seem really strict etc... don't want to take any chances on anyone. Which I do understand. I guess it sucks to have to go the ER but at least I did get some relief from the throwing up etc... They gave me compazine suppositories to come home with just in case it starts up again. Hopefully it won't!!!

Thank you to everyone for your advice and for your concern! Hopefully I'm over the hump here and will be feeling better soon!