Opiates + Cannabis = respiratory depression?

[danceofdays]

Just to clarify, can smoking weed while under the influence of opiates increase their respiratory depressant effect? Lately I've been taking my daily dose of codeine or sometimes oxycodone, and I'll be totally comfortable until I smoke a joint and get really high. This potentiates the opiate which is useful, but lately I've been noticing my breathing seems to slow and even stop if I don't focus on it. It definitely could be my mind playing tricks on me, since I'm prone to anxiety and it manifests as panic w/physical symptoms.

I usually drink ~200mg of codeine a day as 'maintenance' and have been doing anywhere 0-40mg of oxy a day for the last week or so. Today I snorted 20mg of oxycodone at once from baseline, the most I've done in a very long time, and got decently high until I blazed. I kept getting this weird "jolt" sensation and dizziness which deep breaths quickly fixed, so I figured I'd solve this mystery once and for all. Considering I'm not even nodding, I think I know what the answer is...

 

[TheLostBoys]

First month I too a vicodin, I was with a friend & he passed the bong but I havent smoked in years & decided to see how it mixed since I heard it potentiates the opiates. I took a toke & I was gone. It felt like I couldnt breathe & I was about to call an ambulance.

Also felt like my blood pressure was erratic or something but the mix for me was too much but I eventually overcame it after laying down for a while. I always mix Soma with vicodins & like the result very much but the weed was way too much for me to handle.

 

[STEROIDS4kids]

I think/know that weed + "reasonable doses" of opiates are just fine, some take small doses of pseudoephedrine to make breathing easier and the experience a little more enjoyable. I take one benadryl plus with my codeine, but i don't use codeine that often.

 

[NeighborhoodThreat]

I'm actually interested in this as well. Good thread.

High doses of cannabis can certainly have a sedative effect, although I'm not sure how much depression is actually going on. TheLostBoys, I've had experiences similar to yours, all of which happened when I first started taking opiates [I was no stranger to cannabis by that point]. I'm wondering if your reaction was mostly psychological, or if there was something else going on...

 

[laCster]

i don't take opiates without weed....i smoke every day so idk hahahah
i also dont enjoy opiates as much without benzos :3
but to answer your question, yes THC is a depressant, but it really doesnt affect the respitory system that much

 

[kokaino]

Opiates + cannabis is a very, very popular combo and it is very common to smoke and use opiates at the same time. I don't believe there is an increased risk to ones respiration when the two are mixed because I don't think that THC has any significant effect on respiration. If it did have an effect on respiration, it would be minor and I think the effect would be an increase in the rate of respiration as apposed to a decreased rate.

I don't believe the risk of respiratory depression is increased by the use of cannabis in addition to any opiate.

Yes, THC is a depressant but that doesn't mean it will have depressant effects across the board. Diphenhydramine is a sedative aswell, but it increases the heartrate and blood pressure.

 

[Treefa]

Man i dont even plan on droppin some sizzurp if i cant smoke on it.
I Usually take appx~280 mg of cod and about 140 mg promethazine and smoke a nice joint of some piff that shit gets me in a very nice state of mind.

I never have anxiety with either of these drugs but do sober. Try smoking slightly less as codeine has no anxiety related effectes except completley eleminating it.
Peace

 

[danceofdays]

Thanks everyone.

I guess my next question would be, is it possible to suffer potentially dangerous respiratory depression on opiates, especially oxycodone, without being in a nod or all that "fucked up"? Like if I did twice as much oxy as I usually do, and it got me high but I was able to read, play video games competently, make food, etc, is there any way me breathing could slow to a dangerous level without me realizing it?

 

[grrr8Dane]

THC does produce bronchodilation and this would be at least moderately beneficial in reducing the airway resistance that accompanies respiratory depression caused by opiates, were it not for the bronchial irritation caused by smoking.

I read a study a while back on Cannador as an adjunct second to IR Oxycodone for the treatment of postoperative pain that determined there was no more of a risk of increased respiratory depression associated with co-administration of Cannador and IR Oxycodone than there was with IR Oxycodone alone. A quick google search just now didn't turn it up, but I'm sure I could find it again if anyone is interested in reading it.

In contrast, this study conducted on anaesthetized rats suggests that THC can cause significant respiratory depression, but that tolerance to this develops within 14 days of sustained use.

danceofdays, do you smoke cigarettes or pot frequently? Symptoms of COPD can occur from time to time in chronic smokers even if they do not have COPD and I'd wager that opiates could totally augment such symptoms. Is this a possible explanation for what you are experiencing?

I rarely smoke weed, but when I smoke weed when I'm on opiates, it totally cashes my lungs - much more than just weed alone. Perhaps, if you rarely smoke, this is what's going on?

 

[K'd-OUT-in-AZ]

I have never read anywhere or heard of cannabis causing respiratory depression when combined with opiates. So as far as I know, no, cannabis doesn't cause increased respiratory depression when combined with an opiate.

 

[danceofdays]

grrr8Dane, I've been smoking pot basically every day for the last 3 years, and anywhere from zero to a pack and a half of cigarettes a day for the last 2 years (I'd say it probably averages out to 3-5 a day). I don't notice problems breathing when I'm not on opiates, and when I do notice that something's up when I am on them, it's almost always a breath that I've taken in that I'm not expelling normally, rather than breathing out and failing to take a new breath in.

Gonna do some research into COPD, thanks.