What causes the rush of chest heaviness, etc. right after a dose of morphine?

I would think it would make most people drowsy.   I have a very high tolerance for pain meds since I am on them all the time.  I wear a fentynal patch and took percocet for years but since my recent abdominal surgeries for complications, I have been taking oral dilaudid since February - so it doesn't make me drowsy.  I drive with it.

im in SUCH agreeance.. i LOVE dilaudid and wish they could giev it out in prescriptions LOL 

I am on prescription dilaudid  tablets and have been since February.  It isn't given often but it does exist.

 well I know working for a hospice organization they give morphine for patients to relieve trouble breathing.   Helps make respirations easier. 

Lora, I wondering the same thing!  I didn't even realize it was morphine that I was given after my RNY, but the way you described that sensation - that was what I experienced every time they gave me my pain meds!  It actually freaked me out to the point that it would set off a mild panic attack, but I would prepare myself since I knew it was coming and would do some deep breathing and just tell myself it would pass..... and then the AAAAAAAAHHHH would come!

I'm suprised to here that you and many others experienced the chest heaviness after being given Morphine.  It is one of the medications that they give when someone comes in with chest pain.  They have a protocol called MONA which stands for Mophine, oxygen, nitro and aspirin.  I worked on a cardiac floor and I never had anyone describe it that way but everyone is different.

I always get it with morphine (it passes very quickly, of course... just 30 seconds, if that long).  My guess is that if someone is already having chest pain, they probably wouldn't notice it.

Lora

It's one of those odd things, just like that damn metallic taste!  :-p  Wish I knew how to stop it! 

My surgeons use IV dilaudid and in the pain box, they also use Dilaudid. It works much better than morphine and has no side effects.  The only thing that I can think of is that maybe the dose was too high for you.  I know when someone wants to end there life, they give very high doses of morphine to lower your respirations - mercy killing.