Opiates And Low Bp

[mkoven]

So i've been posting a lot recently about my recent ncs flare. It kicked up last week with my period and, though that's over, my ncs has yet to settle down. i'm still pretty unstable. My pcp has yet to call in a prescription for midodrine. He seems reluctant.

In all the ncs commotion, I got a nasty migraine last night which got much worse today mid-morning. (My bp was all over the map yesterday, from 84/44 to 140/93. I kept struggling for breath, tight chest, poundy head, put my head down or feet up, feel better, repeat). I have an appointment in early january to see a headache specialist in Chicago (thank you, doctorguest), but in the interim am sort of on my own. At my disposal I currently have ibuprofen and darvocet (prescribed for eds pain, to take as needed. I usually only take it a couple times a month after a dislocation). I hadn't taken darvocet in a while, but did when I just couldn't get the head pain to relent.

Well this has never happened before with darvocet, which I usually tolerate well, but man do I feel woozy. I feel so much closer to fainting and all kinds of blood pressure rollercoaster effects. I'm wondering if in my current bp disequilibrium, I just couldn't handle the darvocet. it did help the head pain, but i keep feeling like i'm sinking, sliding down a hill out of control. It's 2.5 hours since I took it, so I hope it starts to wear off.

Is it a known side effect that darvocet or other opiates can mess with blood pressure? I hope darvocet isn't off the table for me, as it's one of the few pain meds I've been able to take. (But I desperately want off this ncs rollercoaster. It feels like &*$. And each time I feel like I'm about to go under, I get a huge surge of adrenaline and/or anxiety. And this can go on all day. Enough!!!)

[persephone]

Opioid drugs are known to cause hypotension. It's a question of risk and benefit for most people. There are times when I need codeine based drugs to help with pain- and unless my bp is really low, I more often than not will have to take them. I just try to be sensible and judge wisely.

I'm not sure what the US equivalent is, but in the UK all doctors and pharmacists consult the BNF- British National Formulary- which you can log onto (just set up a username and password)

https://www.medicinescomplete.com/mc/bnf/cu...nf%2Fcurrent%2F

This tells you about the side effects for all licensed drugs in Britain, but I guess some of the drug names you mention will be lost in translation.

Maybe an American resource like this would be useful for you? I know I feel more on top of things if I have knowledge about what I'm taking and what to expect.

Sounds to me (not that I'm a doctor) like your hypotension has flared due to the opioid nature of the drug you took, but it should fade. Have you tried extra salt and water to counter it? Hope you are all right!

[mkoven]

Thanks, Persephone. Once the darvocet wore off, the faintness improved-- though I'm still in a bad ncs flare overall.

[Sunfish]

definitely. as persephone already replied, hypotension is a very common side effect of narcotic/ opiate meds. as is dizziness. and a myriad of other things. as with most things different people are bothered more/ less. and as you've now learned the effect can be different for an individual at different times.

for whatever reason i've not had any trouble with my BP dropping/ increased dizziness in recent years with the various narcotics i've been on but have certainly run into problems wherein my pain hasn't been treated b/c of others' fears about what meds might do to me. i can't say i blame them or that i'd have really wanted them to take the risk b/c the situations i'm referring to were times that a lower BP truly could have been life threatening for me (i.e. BP hovering at 50/20 even with IV vasoconstrictive meds & loads of IV fluids) but septic shock/ pancreatitis is NOT a good time for "no pain meds allowed". but i digress....

glad you're feeling a bit better from the med but sorry you're still in a rough spot.

i know it's often easier said that done but hang in there,

melissa

[mkoven]

Thanks, Persephone and Melissa!

[Donna F]

I wanted to add im on 3 diff narcotic pain relievers, which im suppose to take daily, but I suffer a lot, only one that helps is demerol, and however i do know that the only way I will take it is if my bp is over 100/60, it will lower it, but one thing i noticed, but dont help me, but i do have various severe pain,but seems lortab dont lower bp as much as opiate based meds, so talk to doc about that

Good luck

donna F