What's new
By:
Filters
Cystic Fibrosis Forum (EXP)

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Codeine

K

katyf13

New member
Mike asked me to write this as he is lying on the couch very uncomfortable. Lately he has been in a lot of pain and the only thing that seems to help the tight chest feeling is Tylenol # 3 (with codeine). He takes 2 once a day in the evening when he starts to feel really tight. They ease the pain and make him sleepy. Usually, he stays away from stuff that is addictive or makes him feel weird (ambien, vicodin, that sort of thing). He nebs saline, tobi, and pulmozime and we do manual chest pt. He was told to stop taking ibuprofen because he will be transplanted soon and that increases the risk of bleeding during surgery. So his question is: is it bad to take codeine every day for pain? I know it can be addictive (and I am also very careful about addiction) but at this point it is the only thing that gives him relief. It was prescribed to him because the PICC team totally messed up his arm but he's continued to take it for lung pain. Anyone have any experiences with codeine? Or knowledge about it?
 
K

katyf13

New member
Mike asked me to write this as he is lying on the couch very uncomfortable. Lately he has been in a lot of pain and the only thing that seems to help the tight chest feeling is Tylenol # 3 (with codeine). He takes 2 once a day in the evening when he starts to feel really tight. They ease the pain and make him sleepy. Usually, he stays away from stuff that is addictive or makes him feel weird (ambien, vicodin, that sort of thing). He nebs saline, tobi, and pulmozime and we do manual chest pt. He was told to stop taking ibuprofen because he will be transplanted soon and that increases the risk of bleeding during surgery. So his question is: is it bad to take codeine every day for pain? I know it can be addictive (and I am also very careful about addiction) but at this point it is the only thing that gives him relief. It was prescribed to him because the PICC team totally messed up his arm but he's continued to take it for lung pain. Anyone have any experiences with codeine? Or knowledge about it?
 
K

katyf13

New member
Mike asked me to write this as he is lying on the couch very uncomfortable. Lately he has been in a lot of pain and the only thing that seems to help the tight chest feeling is Tylenol # 3 (with codeine). He takes 2 once a day in the evening when he starts to feel really tight. They ease the pain and make him sleepy. Usually, he stays away from stuff that is addictive or makes him feel weird (ambien, vicodin, that sort of thing). He nebs saline, tobi, and pulmozime and we do manual chest pt. He was told to stop taking ibuprofen because he will be transplanted soon and that increases the risk of bleeding during surgery. So his question is: is it bad to take codeine every day for pain? I know it can be addictive (and I am also very careful about addiction) but at this point it is the only thing that gives him relief. It was prescribed to him because the PICC team totally messed up his arm but he's continued to take it for lung pain. Anyone have any experiences with codeine? Or knowledge about it?
 
A

Allie

New member
Continue to take it. The addiction thing, though worth thinking about, is no reason NOT to take something that makes you more comfortable, and your life easier. Ry was on medication for chronic pain at that PFt too, and I never even thought of him not taking it just to avoid addiction. good luck <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
A

Allie

New member
Continue to take it. The addiction thing, though worth thinking about, is no reason NOT to take something that makes you more comfortable, and your life easier. Ry was on medication for chronic pain at that PFt too, and I never even thought of him not taking it just to avoid addiction. good luck <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
A

Allie

New member
Continue to take it. The addiction thing, though worth thinking about, is no reason NOT to take something that makes you more comfortable, and your life easier. Ry was on medication for chronic pain at that PFt too, and I never even thought of him not taking it just to avoid addiction. good luck <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
F

fr3ak

Guest
only other bad side effect of codeine is bad constipation due to the the codeine making things sluggish...

So if taking codeine every day I would be taking something to keep the bowels moving or at least monitor that side of things

The other thing I found really helpful pre tx was the use of a T.E.N.S machine, I got to the point I would sleep with it on and it did make ease my pain...

I also used the TENS machine post transplant for pain... Its another option that is often overlooked or not even suggested

good luck
 
F

fr3ak

Guest
only other bad side effect of codeine is bad constipation due to the the codeine making things sluggish...

So if taking codeine every day I would be taking something to keep the bowels moving or at least monitor that side of things

The other thing I found really helpful pre tx was the use of a T.E.N.S machine, I got to the point I would sleep with it on and it did make ease my pain...

I also used the TENS machine post transplant for pain... Its another option that is often overlooked or not even suggested

good luck
 
F

fr3ak

Guest
only other bad side effect of codeine is bad constipation due to the the codeine making things sluggish...

So if taking codeine every day I would be taking something to keep the bowels moving or at least monitor that side of things

The other thing I found really helpful pre tx was the use of a T.E.N.S machine, I got to the point I would sleep with it on and it did make ease my pain...

I also used the TENS machine post transplant for pain... Its another option that is often overlooked or not even suggested

good luck
 
S

Shoshanna

Guest
Yes, the only drawback I heard was about the constipation, too. If Mike has a feeding tube he can easily take some Milk of Magnasia etc and clear the problem w/o having to taste the stuff everyday.

When I go in for clean-outs I do saline treatments through the oxygen machine instead of a nebulizer. It really makes my lungs wet/misty and loosens all the crap much better than thru a neb. Does Mike do the saline through O2 or a neb?

Sometimes steam showers help and believe it or not, massages are great. Sometimes a massage or just when my husband presses a certain spot on my lungs and holds it for a minute or two can make me cough more than manual chest PT.

My FEV1 is about 32% and I feel like crap everyday. I can't even imagine how much worse it is for Mike. I've had those days when I can't move mucus and my chest hurst and I feel like I'm suffocating. They're the worst. I've even gone so far as to lie over the whole side of the bed, upside down, to drain...you just become desperate and will try anything.

Hope you and Mike are able to dual list.

Thinking of you
Shoshanna
 
S

Shoshanna

Guest
Yes, the only drawback I heard was about the constipation, too. If Mike has a feeding tube he can easily take some Milk of Magnasia etc and clear the problem w/o having to taste the stuff everyday.

When I go in for clean-outs I do saline treatments through the oxygen machine instead of a nebulizer. It really makes my lungs wet/misty and loosens all the crap much better than thru a neb. Does Mike do the saline through O2 or a neb?

Sometimes steam showers help and believe it or not, massages are great. Sometimes a massage or just when my husband presses a certain spot on my lungs and holds it for a minute or two can make me cough more than manual chest PT.

My FEV1 is about 32% and I feel like crap everyday. I can't even imagine how much worse it is for Mike. I've had those days when I can't move mucus and my chest hurst and I feel like I'm suffocating. They're the worst. I've even gone so far as to lie over the whole side of the bed, upside down, to drain...you just become desperate and will try anything.

Hope you and Mike are able to dual list.

Thinking of you
Shoshanna
 
S

Shoshanna

Guest
Yes, the only drawback I heard was about the constipation, too. If Mike has a feeding tube he can easily take some Milk of Magnasia etc and clear the problem w/o having to taste the stuff everyday.

When I go in for clean-outs I do saline treatments through the oxygen machine instead of a nebulizer. It really makes my lungs wet/misty and loosens all the crap much better than thru a neb. Does Mike do the saline through O2 or a neb?

Sometimes steam showers help and believe it or not, massages are great. Sometimes a massage or just when my husband presses a certain spot on my lungs and holds it for a minute or two can make me cough more than manual chest PT.

My FEV1 is about 32% and I feel like crap everyday. I can't even imagine how much worse it is for Mike. I've had those days when I can't move mucus and my chest hurst and I feel like I'm suffocating. They're the worst. I've even gone so far as to lie over the whole side of the bed, upside down, to drain...you just become desperate and will try anything.

Hope you and Mike are able to dual list.

Thinking of you
Shoshanna
 
S

Shoshanna

Guest
Katy,
I wanted to post one more thought...

The "standard" for manual chest PT is 2 1/2 minutes per position. I don't know about Mike, but that's just not enough for me to move anything. I have my therapist do each position for 3 or 4 minutes, sometimes even 5 and even then I still don't get everything. I'd ask for more time, but I know my therapist has to get her kids off to school...Anyway... when my husband does it at night we can spend up to 10 minutes on a particular spot. It takes a lot of time to move the stuff when our lungs have so much progression of the disease. I don't feel it's fair that the standard for all CFers is 2 1/2 minutes (according to my therapy company) because someone with an FEV1 of 70% certainly needs a different type of treatment then someone with an FEV1 of 20%.

Mike may want to consider asking his therapist to spend more time on each position. Also, I know it sounds sexist, but unless you get a really strong woman, men are much better at really banging you to get the stuff out...just my experience. I'm very big on chest PT and believe it is the biggest thing that has kept me alive all this time (I'm about to be 33). I NEVER miss a treatment and I try to get someone who can give me the time/attention I need. I know it's not always practical, but if the chest PT is done right and for long enough it can really move the crap.
 
S

Shoshanna

Guest
Katy,
I wanted to post one more thought...

The "standard" for manual chest PT is 2 1/2 minutes per position. I don't know about Mike, but that's just not enough for me to move anything. I have my therapist do each position for 3 or 4 minutes, sometimes even 5 and even then I still don't get everything. I'd ask for more time, but I know my therapist has to get her kids off to school...Anyway... when my husband does it at night we can spend up to 10 minutes on a particular spot. It takes a lot of time to move the stuff when our lungs have so much progression of the disease. I don't feel it's fair that the standard for all CFers is 2 1/2 minutes (according to my therapy company) because someone with an FEV1 of 70% certainly needs a different type of treatment then someone with an FEV1 of 20%.

Mike may want to consider asking his therapist to spend more time on each position. Also, I know it sounds sexist, but unless you get a really strong woman, men are much better at really banging you to get the stuff out...just my experience. I'm very big on chest PT and believe it is the biggest thing that has kept me alive all this time (I'm about to be 33). I NEVER miss a treatment and I try to get someone who can give me the time/attention I need. I know it's not always practical, but if the chest PT is done right and for long enough it can really move the crap.
 
S

Shoshanna

Guest
Katy,
I wanted to post one more thought...

The "standard" for manual chest PT is 2 1/2 minutes per position. I don't know about Mike, but that's just not enough for me to move anything. I have my therapist do each position for 3 or 4 minutes, sometimes even 5 and even then I still don't get everything. I'd ask for more time, but I know my therapist has to get her kids off to school...Anyway... when my husband does it at night we can spend up to 10 minutes on a particular spot. It takes a lot of time to move the stuff when our lungs have so much progression of the disease. I don't feel it's fair that the standard for all CFers is 2 1/2 minutes (according to my therapy company) because someone with an FEV1 of 70% certainly needs a different type of treatment then someone with an FEV1 of 20%.

Mike may want to consider asking his therapist to spend more time on each position. Also, I know it sounds sexist, but unless you get a really strong woman, men are much better at really banging you to get the stuff out...just my experience. I'm very big on chest PT and believe it is the biggest thing that has kept me alive all this time (I'm about to be 33). I NEVER miss a treatment and I try to get someone who can give me the time/attention I need. I know it's not always practical, but if the chest PT is done right and for long enough it can really move the crap.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top