morphine, who takes it?!

suzster

hi all, i'm just curious as to how many of us take morphine daily?
i'm trying to lower my dose because my gp is concerned that i've been on it for so long and she say's my RA is better controlled now so i shouldn't need it.
but i'm finding the pain is much more obvious now i've lowered my dose and i am having to take oramorph more often, this is meant for breakthrough or flare ups but as the amount of morphine in my system lowers the pain has got worse. i need the oramorph for when i walk any where otherwise i just hurt to much.
so are other people on morphine long term or not? i would be interested to know! thanks!!
sue

c4thyg

As mentioned in the other thread, I have been on morphine patches long term. I have also used pethidine tablets for 3 days every month for many many years.

I would like to say though that I'm not a wimp to pain. Childbirth is about 6-7 out of 10 on my pain scale and without pain meds. That was much easier than constant pain that lasts for months or years.

debatat

Hi I take mst which is slow release morphine tablets. I still get breakthrough pain on this and tramadol. I do not envy you having to cut down. I know I could not do this at the moment and I am concerned as to how long I will have to take this level of pain relief, but I am flaring at the moment and my steroids have been upped.

I too don't consider myself a wimp for pain, I gave birth without pain relief and usually would prefer to put up with pain rather than reach for a tablet. I found though that the relentless grind of day to day pain of Ra and cervical spondylosis was just too much to cope with and it was making me grumpy and miserable, which wasn't fair on my family.

Are you under a pain clinic? Maybe they could help to sort out your pain relief. Let me know how you get on.
Take care
Deb
Let

granter

suzster wrote:

hi all, i'm just curious as to how many of us take morphine daily?
i'm trying to lower my dose because my gp is concerned that i've been on it for so long and she say's my RA is better controlled now so i shouldn't need it.
but i'm finding the pain is much more obvious now i've lowered my dose and i am having to take oramorph more often, this is meant for breakthrough or flare ups but as the amount of morphine in my system lowers the pain has got worse. i need the oramorph for when i walk any where otherwise i just hurt to much.
so are other people on morphine long term or not? i would be interested to know! thanks!!
sue

I was on morphine patches but the dose was going up and up so I came off it. Now I just go on them when I have a flare and that seems to work quite well. I'm not happy to be on them long term any more. I'm finding Tramadol slow release seems to help at night. You can even take those alongside the morphine patches if you are in a bad way. As we all are sometimes.

suzster

thanks, i to gave birth without pain relief (although i had an epidural put in but it failed to work, so drug free wasn't my 1st choice!) so yes this pain is worse and like you've said grinds you donw.
i have an appointment with my rheumy next week so i'll discuss this with her, mean while any other input from you all is much appreciated!
sue

debatat

Hi I hope your rheumy appt goes well next week. It would be interesting to see what she says. Ask for a referral to the pain clinic. Let me know how you get on.

Deb

mash65

hi,i too am on morphine,i started on the patches & they made me so sick everyday & i lost alot of weight.in febuary my gp changed me to 10mg zomorph (slow release) twice a day & have oramorph for break through pain,plus i take my normal cocodomol,ibuprofen & amtripyline.
so i rattle well my pain is still there & im waiting for pain clinic,my gp suggested gabitan(sp)but wants me to see pain clinic for a full reveiw of my meds.
i dont want to be taking morphine forever.but needs must i suppose. debsx

debatat

Hi Sue, I had a thought. I don't know how long you have had RA and whetther you have any joint damage. I happened to phone the helpline yest to ask about DMARDS and she explained I am in pain because I am flaring and my joints are inflamed. Over time the inflammation causes damage and the pain stays and becomes chronic due to damage and inflammation. So in that case although you have well controlled RA if you have any damage you will still be in pain. It might be an idea to discuss this further with the rheumy as he is the specialist. Hope this helps and sorry if I am tellling you something you already know.

DEb

suzster

i've had RA for 2 and a half years, my hands, knees and feet are worst affected and very painful. i'm noticing this more since lowering my dose. i feel really fragile today, if that makes sense? my little one accidently hit my knee and oh the pain. i'm going to try to speak to my gp today but i end up feeling like a fraud or worse and addict, sounds daft but i find myself thinking maybe it's not that bad, but if gp could see me now she'd now it is.
do other people ever feel like that? like they are always moaning or questioning how bad things really are? it only since lowering the dose a bit more this week that i've realised i am still in pain, i guess the morphine covers alot up.
sue

debatat

Sue, I do feel like that, I know exactly what you mean. I don't envy you trying to cope with little ones as well. Maybe you are in a flare, what is the gp basing the fact that your RA is well controlled on? I don't mean to push in, but if you are in that much pain I wouldn't try to lower the dose until you have seen the rheumy. A few days aren't going to hurt, and they are the specialists, they know how much pain RA causes and they can help more. They also know how the pain is so hard to cope with. Please don't try and lower your dose anymore. Put it back and speak to the rheumy. Sorry for being bossy!!!! Let me know how you get on.

Deb x

joyful164

c4thyg wrote:

As mentioned in the other thread, I have been on morphine patches long term. I have also used pethidine tablets for 3 days every month for many many years.

I would like to say though that I'm not a wimp to pain. Childbirth is about 6-7 out of 10 on my pain scale and without pain meds. That was much easier than constant pain that lasts for months or years.

I quite agree with you there. Long time ago for me though, but first time was so quick, had a home birth, but second time around was in hospital and awful. My daughter had a 32 hour labour, so I don't think she would agree with you on this one, except she is beginning to have a lot of neck problems and back problems from the time she was in a car accident about 17 years ago.
I was on buprenorphine patches and some other ones, forgetthe name of them now. When I went to the Pain Clinic he told me to stop using them straight away asthey were not doing me any good. The pain was dreadful. Put me on to Clonazepam which I hate taking. Now I am on Tramadol I think they are called.
This is a horrible grinding on and on and on . If it stops awhile, you know it is going to come back again and again and again. Mind you, depends on how many times you have babies :roll:

joyful

suzster

hi, well i saw my rheumy and she said i should go back to the 20mg morning and night and stay on it, i'm quite stable at the moment, so she says!!!
so i'm back to that dose now, feeling better already!!

debatat

I am pleased for you, at least you will be pain free.

Deb

mistywillow

debatat wrote:

I am pleased for you, at least you will be pain free.

Deb

Hi
I know that doctors always want you to be on the lowest dose possible, but sometimes you cant actually get on with your life unless you take the meds. For the past few years my rheumy has suggested i try and lower my dose of mxt and pred. I did so awhile back and just continued to deteriorate to such an extent I could barely do anything. He increased my doses again on my last visit a few months ago and I am so much better. I know which way I would rather be even if I am rattling with pills. I was never able to take morpine as it just causes me to be violently sick but I do find slow release tramadol with top up of the normal tramadol very good.
Gillx