propoxyphene (davocet) questions

[merc11292]

my great grand mother shes in her early 80's is looking into a hip replacement surgery,but is weary cause there dangerous for older people anyway, apart from this she is in very good health.

she went to her doctor and he gave her a script for propxyphene and acetaminophen. I remember reading about darvocets on the internet and was under the impression they're quite dangerous. I think it said like the therapeutic dose and the overdose doses are very close and a lot of people have OD'd on them. When she told me the name of the medication i freaked out and told her not to take them, and so she hasn't but she is in a great deal of pain. So i need some advice in anyones opinion are they very dangerous for someone elderly like her, she has by the way never had opiates in her life before, and i'm weary to let her take these. Could someone give me back info on darvocets, or should i just have the doctor change the script to codeine, hydrocodone, or oxycodone?

any input would be greatly appreciated

[rocksmokinmachine]

Propoxyphene in combination with acetaminophen (co-proxomol) is not particularly dangerous. The same as any opioid for that matter (when used correctly). The thereputic doses are quite small, as in most opiate/acetaminophen preperations. The recreational doses are somewhere between 250mg-400mg so I think your grandmother will be quite safe. I havn't heard of any complications with gereatric patients.

I don't think it would be necessary to change your grandmothers medication to a stronger, more powerful opiate. I think a weaker one has been prescribed because these are likely to cause problems with older patients, such as heart problems, respiritory depression. I hope this helped.

[merc11292]

alright thanks for the help, i was under the impression that although its weaker its more dangerous, in terms of accidental overdose.