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I admitted a patient yesterday with COPD. She is 45 years old and has been diagnosed terminal. :o She is on steroids, Xopenex breathing tx's. Wears a CPAP at night. O2 cont. I got her started on Guaifenesin yesterday for thick secretions. My question is............What more can I do for her symptoms? Now and when she has a exacerbation? I want to be able to control her symptoms and I know y'all will have wonderful tips and meds that other hospices are using. I know we use Ativan gel some for SOB but I just wanted to know what everyone else was doing? Thanks in advance! :)

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Dyspnea article, including nebulized morphine

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12171&highlight=nebulized+morphine

Hope this helps.

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If the Guaifenesin isn't effective then Mucomyst may be. Best thing for relief of dyspnea though is low dose sublingual morphine. Sometimes you can just visibly see the relief within minutes.

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Specializes in ICU/CCU/MICU/SICU/CTICU.

I agree with the liquid morphine...... sometimes Roxinol is the only thing that will help when the patient is "air hungry"

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Thanks, I knew I could get some suggestions from y'all. I just want to be able to control her symptoms as best as I can if the need arises!

:)

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