anyone used/using morphine for OA pain relief?

evabuk

I've been diagnosed with OA relatively recently,and because I started off with severe pain I went very quickly up through the different meds, tramadol, codeine etc to Oramorph and MST continus.

I've had one lot of facet joint injections which didn't give me any relief, and am seeing a different pain specialist (consultant anaesthetist) on thursday for further investigate with image intensification to see if he can locate more precisely where exactly the pain is coming from...and hopefully inject in the right place to give me some relief.

I've already been told that morphine is not a long-term solution, which I knew anyway, and hopefully won't need it anyway if this procedure works.

Just wondered, though, how many of you have been or are prescribed morphine, pills or liquid, and how you find it works. The liquid in particular seems very ineffective to me!

I'd love to hear any experiences.

debatat

Hi I take mst as well as gabapentin, tramadol and amitriptyline. At the moment it barely takes the edge off my pain and I am going to have to go back to gp to get referral to pain clinic. I have been told I need surgery though. I am maxed out on pain killers and still in pain. It is amazing what you can cope with!!

Hope they get you sorted soon.

Deb

evabuk

debatat wrote:

Hi I take mst as well as gabapentin, tramadol and amitriptyline. At the moment it barely takes the edge off my pain and I am going to have to go back to gp to get referral to pain clinic. I have been told I need surgery though. I am maxed out on pain killers and still in pain. It is amazing what you can cope with!!

Hope they get you sorted soon.

Deb

hi Deb,

thanks for your response. my word, that's quite a mix as well. I also take diclofenac plus paracetamol, and am also tapering off of diazepam (which is a horrible drug I got addicted to and you can to come off really slowly)....which of course isn't helping.

I can't believe how many drugs we can consume and still be in pain :shock:

I've been referred to pain clinic as well, but of course these things take time....

Where abouts is your OA, if you don't mind me asking?

and don't you find all the meds give you dreadful constipation? I'm really finding it a problem, even with the lactulose prescribed by the GP.

Eva

debatat

Hi, diazepam must be tough to taper off. I take robaxin for the muscle spasms.

I have lupus and RA, cervical spondylosis, scoliosis and end stage OA in sacrum and degenerative disc disease and lumbar stenosis!! My spine is pressing on my spinal cord and sciaitic nerve basically!

Not much fun, where is your OA? Sorry if you have already said, :oops:

I hate taking meds but I can't manage without my painkillers! Do you take steroids, they help with the pain as well. Although the side effects are no fun.

Deb

evabuk

debatat wrote:

Hi, diazepam must be tough to taper off. I take robaxin for the muscle spasms.

I have lupus and RA, cervical spondylosis, scoliosis and end stage OA in sacrum and degenerative disc disease and lumbar stenosis!! My spine is pressing on my spinal cord and sciaitic nerve basically!

Not much fun, where is your OA? Sorry if you have already said, :oops:

I hate taking meds but I can't manage without my painkillers! Do you take steroids, they help with the pain as well. Although the side effects are no fun.

Deb

you actually make me feel quite ashamed of myself...I've been feeling really sory for myself, but compared to you I'm really lucky. I have 3 dodgy vertebrae & discs in the neck, with a subluxation, which I can sort of live with...the worst (and newly discovered) area is lower lumbar...degenerated disc and arthritic spurs on L4/5 and L5/Sl. can't sit in any position, or even lie flat a lot of the time unless drugged up completely.

but it really is pretty minor compared to what you have to deal with. I'm so sorry.

Eva

debatat

Hi Eva, don't feel like that. I have probs with L5/S1, it does hurt!! Because of the stenosis though I can't walk or stand, I have to sit to relieve the pain. It is so frustrating. I will be interested to see if it helps you on Thurs. I have only just found out about all my back and neck probs, so am awaiting referral. The doc said I would need surgery on L5/S1. Which I don't fancy!!!

Let me know how you get on Thurs. I really hope it works for you and you get some relief!!

Deb x

mash65

hi,im on morphine too.slow release zomorphx2,oramorph,ibuprofen,cocodomol ,amptripylene 50 ml.
3 diferent sorts of antisickness tablets(1 to swallow,if it dont stay down different 1 under gum,if that dislodges the other goes up,2 much imformation there)
most of us suffer with constipation im afraid that comes with the meds.the lactulose gives me cronic stomach cramps if i use it regularly,so i eat rivitas that seems to do the trick most of the time.
plenty of fruit,veg & fibre should help so ive been told.
that reminds me i forgot fruit juice shopping :roll:
take care all,luv debsx

evabuk

thanks debs and pixy - I'm surprised there are so many people on the morphine, frankly, the amount of fuss that I've heard made about it, I thought doctors would hardly ever prescribe..

thanks for the suggestion re movicol - will try that because the lactulose is giving me cramps as well as not working particularly well!

honestly, what subjects we're reduced to discussing :oops:

bionic

evabuk wrote:

I've been diagnosed with OA relatively recently,and because I started off with severe pain I went very quickly up through the different meds, tramadol, codeine etc to Oramorph and MST continus.

I've had one lot of facet joint injections which didn't give me any relief, and am seeing a different pain specialist (consultant anaesthetist) on thursday for further investigate with image intensification to see if he can locate more precisely where exactly the pain is coming from...and hopefully inject in the right place to give me some relief.

I've already been told that morphine is not a long-term solution, which I knew anyway, and hopefully won't need it anyway if this procedure works.

Just wondered, though, how many of you have been or are prescribed morphine, pills or liquid, and how you find it works. The liquid in particular seems very ineffective to me!

I'd love to hear any experiences.

Hi I have had morphine patches but they didn't help at all.

Rosie

woodbon

Hi, I'm on tramadol, but the doc has said that the next step up will be morphine and I don't want that yet, I'd like to keep something in reserve. The pain clinic have changed my tramadol to slow releasing tablets, so I have the same dose but only 2 a day and they give a more even pain relief, only just started, but they do seem a bit better.
Hope your pain can be helped. Have you been to a Pain Clinic? Next week is my second visit. They are arranging for me to go to see a special spinal physio at the hospital, but no appointment yet! :? Love Sue

essie49

I'm new and there is so much I want to join in with. Please bare with me. I started with a menisectomy and second arthroscopy may lead to unicompartmental knee replacement or TKR. I was given morphine and tramadol. Tramadol messes with my head (I also suffer from bipolar and take many meds for that), it also gives me chronic headaches and sickness so I take co-codamol and naproxen. Diazepam is part of my bipolar. Interested that amitryptiline is prescribed as it is an old antidepressant and wonder whether the new ones have the same affect? I also am under the pain management team for multiple problems in my spine. Have had my facet joints injected but it didn't work. In October they are going to add to the injections and then at a later date give me some other injection to stop pain. Eventually may have to have L2/3 operated on. I am pretty desperate trying to cope with all three problems. If I could get down on my knees I would probably plead for replacement! Sorry for going on so much to discuss.

debatat

Hi Essie, welcome to the site. It is friendly with loads of great advice. Sorry you have to battle with 'arthur' it isn't much fun!

I wonder if you would like to start your own post introducing yourself then you will get more response and a much larger welcome. You won't get lost in another post then!

I hope the next lot of injections help you, I am awaiting an appt from the pain clinic, they have upped my morphine in the meantime, I have been a bit manic today!!

Take care

Deb x