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My husband has sleep apnea. His cpap machine broke. He is ...


Sent to Health Experts June 05, 2006 6:46 a.m.

My husband has sleep apnea. His cpap machine broke. He is also recovering from surgery. He took a hydrocodone 5/500 about four hours ago. He keeps begging me to go to sleep, but I know the pain meds can suppress the respiratory centers of the brain and I don't know how long I should stay up with him? He says he's in so much pain that he'd never be able to go to sleep anyway. Help

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Male , Age: 36

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I've been sitting and watching him to make sure he's breathing, but I need sleep too. I feel like I'm going to throw up.
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Status: Closed   Value: $30   
Answer
June 05, 2006 7:00 a.m. (14 minutes and 14 seconds later)
REPLIED Check Mark

You should call his pulmonary doctor as the surgeon in regards to pain meds.Also call the company that bought the cpap machine,perhaps they can help you with one.
Karel1  -- Certified Respiratory Therapist -- 100% Positive Feedback on 77 Health Accepts
Have suffered with Narcolepsy a sleeping disorder over 30 years,specializes in asthma ,COPD
Reply to Karel1
Sent June 05, 2006 7:19 a.m. (18 minutes and 50 seconds later)

do you have any idea how much longer I should sit up with him?
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Answer
June 05, 2006 8:43 a.m. (1 hour and 23 minutes later)
ACCEPTED Check Mark

Karel no longer appears to be online. My name is Steve -- I also answer Health Questions here at JustAnswer.

Assuming that the dosage instructions on the hydrocodone are for every four to six hours -- the medication should have mostly worn off. So, it should be fine for you to get some needed sleep.

If your husband needs to take another hydrocodone before your husband's doctor's office is open -- you can call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 they should be able to help you determine what, if any, danger your husband is in from the hydrocodone.

Echoing Karel's advice about the C-PAP machine -- contact the company that supplied it and ask if they can pick up (or accept) your Husband's machine for a repair estimate -- and provide him with a loaner machine. If finances are a problem -- also ask them, and/or someone and the doctor's office, about community assistance organizations or other resources to help pay for a replacement machine.

Click any above Link(s) for additional information.

Let me know if you need more input. If not, thanks for the opportunity to assist you... Please honor my efforts by Clicking the green 'Accept' button (located within this post -- above-right). Adding a bonus -- should you wish to do so -- would be warmly welcomed.

Good Luck!

Steve


Edited by Oreport on June 5 2006 at 8:43am


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PictureSteve -- a.k.a. Oreport  -- Voc Rehab Counselor, M. Ed. -- 98% Positive Feedback on 469 Health Accepts
Disability/Rehab Consultant. Broad knowledge of many chronic and acute health problems.

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