Guest guest Posted March 5, 2007 Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 Good morning. I have a patient with ALS who is declining quickly. Morphine is the only drug that they can use to treat SOB - oxygen has been explored but is not an option because it causes a CO2 build up. The constipation drugs are not tolerated. She has a good mind but her mobility is very limited and her breathing capacity is below 50% and dropping. Castor oil and senna daily is helping the constipation but it is a very difficult problem still and the demand for morphine has been increasing. A good pharmacist confirmed that morphine is used for the sensatin of SOB and usually does not increase the risk of stopping breathing. I've just started acupuncture. Does anyone have any experience that they could share for either constipation or SOB w/ ALS? Thanks. Karen Brown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 5, 2007 Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 For constip. I would recommend beet juice. Some ppl hate beets, of course, but it is quite effective. May be able to find it in health food stores in bottles, which is probably equally effective as the freshly expressed form, and therefore a bit more convenient, and that is an issue for a problem that could be ongoing. Has she already tried Magnesium citrate? There are so many things, but I like to try these first before moving on to a rhubarb formula, for which ITM has a convenient tableted one. That latter would be gentler than the CO/senna. Or she could use the juice as above and/or the Mg.Cit. and see if she can get on with less of the harsher senna. I had an AIDS Pt. back before the " cocktail " was introduced who was virtually paralyzed from the waste down. I got him to use the beet juice to good effect, in preference to the senna-type laxatives. ann Good morning. I have a patient with ALS who is declining quickly. Morphine is the only drug that they can use to treat SOB - oxygen has been explored but is not an option because it causes a CO2 build up. The constipation drugs are not tolerated. She has a good mind but her mobility is very limited and her breathing capacity is below 50% and dropping. Castor oil and senna daily is helping the constipation but it is a very difficult problem still and the demand for morphine has been increasing. A good pharmacist confirmed that morphine is used for the sensatin of SOB and usually does not increase the risk of stopping breathing. I've just started acupuncture. Does anyone have any experience that they could share for either constipation or SOB w/ ALS? Thanks. Karen Brown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 5, 2007 Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 Hi Karen, When I was doing my internship at San Diego Hospice, we treated many patients who suffered from constipation from their medications and declining condition. What we used most was the auricular area for constipation. We would use needles while we were there, and often leave seeds in place until our next visit. We would also treat Ren-17 for SOB. Karen <karenb wrote: Good morning. I have a patient with ALS who is declining quickly. Morphine is the only drug that they can use to treat SOB - oxygen has been explored but is not an option because it causes a CO2 build up. The constipation drugs are not tolerated. She has a good mind but her mobility is very limited and her breathing capacity is below 50% and dropping. Castor oil and senna daily is helping the constipation but it is a very difficult problem still and the demand for morphine has been increasing. A good pharmacist confirmed that morphine is used for the sensatin of SOB and usually does not increase the risk of stopping breathing. I've just started acupuncture. Does anyone have any experience that they could share for either constipation or SOB w/ ALS? Thanks. Karen Brown Food fight? Enjoy some healthy debate in the Answers Food & Drink Q & A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 5, 2007 Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 If beet is used, of course, tell the patient, family and health care workers about urine and stool turning red. doug , <snakeoil.works wrote: > > For constip. I would recommend beet juice. Some ppl hate beets, of course, but it is quite effective. May be able to find it in health food stores in bottles, which is probably equally effective as the freshly expressed form, and therefore a bit more convenient, and that is an issue for a problem that could be ongoing. Has she already tried Magnesium citrate? There are so many things, but I like to try these first before moving on to a rhubarb formula, for which ITM has a convenient tableted one. That latter would be gentler than the CO/senna. Or she could use the juice as above and/or the Mg.Cit. and see if she can get on with less of the harsher senna. I had an AIDS Pt. back before the " cocktail " was introduced who was virtually paralyzed from the waste down. I got him to use the beet juice to good effect, in preference to the senna-type laxatives. > > ann > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 5, 2007 Report Share Posted March 5, 2007 oh, right. There is that. If you use it straight, ie. not diluted with carrot juice, for example, than I'd recommend starting with 4 oz. at a time, slowly building up the dose (or dialing it down) as needed. ann If beet is used, of course, tell the patient, family and health care workers about urine and stool turning red. doug , <snakeoil.works wrote: > > For constip. I would recommend beet juice. Some ppl hate beets, of course, but it is quite effective. May be able to find it in health food stores in bottles, which is probably equally effective as the freshly expressed form, and therefore a bit more convenient, and that is an issue for a problem that could be ongoing. Has she already tried Magnesium citrate? There are so many things, but I like to try these first before moving on to a rhubarb formula, for which ITM has a convenient tableted one. That latter would be gentler than the CO/senna. Or she could use the juice as above and/or the Mg.Cit. and see if she can get on with less of the harsher senna. I had an AIDS Pt. back before the " cocktail " was introduced who was virtually paralyzed from the waste down. I got him to use the beet juice to good effect, in preference to the senna-type laxatives. > > ann > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 7, 2007 Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 Thanks Ann and Doug. I appreciate the suggestions. We've started the ear acupuncture so I'm happy to hear that it works. K , <snakeoil.works wrote: > > oh, right. There is that. > > If you use it straight, ie. not diluted with carrot juice, for example, than I'd recommend starting with 4 oz. at a time, slowly building up the dose (or dialing it down) as needed. > ann > > > > > If beet is used, of course, tell the patient, family and health care workers about urine and > stool turning red. > doug > > , <snakeoil.works@> wrote: > > > > For constip. I would recommend beet juice. Some ppl hate beets, of course, but it is quite > effective. May be able to find it in health food stores in bottles, which is probably equally > effective as the freshly expressed form, and therefore a bit more convenient, and that is an > issue for a problem that could be ongoing. Has she already tried Magnesium citrate? There > are so many things, but I like to try these first before moving on to a rhubarb formula, for > which ITM has a convenient tableted one. That latter would be gentler than the CO/ senna. Or > she could use the juice as above and/or the Mg.Cit. and see if she can get on with less of the > harsher senna. I had an AIDS Pt. back before the " cocktail " was introduced who was virtually > paralyzed from the waste down. I got him to use the beet juice to good effect, in preference > to the senna-type laxatives. > > > > ann > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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