“How ALS patients can pass comfortably” writes the late Yuri Hayashi, ALS patient

By Barrier Free Japan

August 31 2020

The Kyoto District Public Prosecutors Office on Thursday August 13 indicted two doctors for allegedly killing a woman with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), an intractable disease, at the victim’s request.

The deceased, a woman aged 51 named Yuri Hayashi, ran a blog and a Twitter account.

After the post on June 13 2019, Hayashi’s next post is on July 22nd 2019 and is titled “How ALS patients can pass comfortably”:

This post includes a web link which is no longer available, but it seemed to have to do with Hayashi looking for ways to reduce respiratory distress when undergoing palliative care in the hope of a “peaceful end.”

“I made the following tweet the other day.

There were replies from several doctors, so I hope you can refer to them.

Ask a palliative care doctor (or doctor) for questions

How about inhaling oxygen when my doctor has difficulty breathing (because I refuse to bypass)? Was recommended. By inhaling oxygen, my breathing becomes weak and CO2 narcosis tends to occur. What is the effect of this method (for quick and easy death)?

・The end of ALS will be CO2 Narcosis, and the end will be peaceful.

・Opioids, benzodiazepines and oxygen are sometimes needed to reduce respiratory distress

・Oxygen is useful as a symptomatic treatment, but it may cause respiratory depression. Since it is a pain to lower consciousness, preparation for symptom relief measures other than oxygen alone is necessary.

https://t.co/nXI0WrMWSc156

The experience of ALS

・Low dose oxygen has low risk of narcosis

・Oxygen helps relieve respiratory distress

・Morphine is essential like oxygen

・If there are many benzos, it is easy to suppress breathing depending on the situation.

Is a feeling. Oxygen is good, but morphine or opioids such as codeine are recommended if not immediately possible.

In order to intentionally make narcosis, there is a tendency to put a HOT (10L machine) that has a large flow as much as possible to complain of breathing → complain that it is painful and let the helper increase the flow → keep it calm. Sometimes the helper asks the nurse, and the disappointed doctor asks the attending doctor if he/she is disappointed. In an interview with your doctor, increase your oxygen levels to max because you don’t want to suffer, so make sure that you are responsible for the consequences.”