Morphine patch

Farmerswife
Farmerswife Member Posts: 5
edited 1. Jun 2023, 14:21 in Living with arthritis

Hi, osteoA in hands, shoulders, AnkSpond in spine, 62 years old, GP prescribed morphine patches and codeine over a year ago, now increased the morphine but feeling dreadful. Is anyone else on this combo? Will I feel better? Or should I ask for something different, thank you

Comments

  • Lorraine_24
    Lorraine_24 Member Posts: 34

    Hi @Farmerswife , I have osteoarthritis in both hips and waiting on hip replacements, I have been on same as you and have reached highest level of morphine patches, been on them over a year and now they don't work for me at all, I have been told by consultants nothing will help my pain now except new hips, I do advise asking if your patches dosage can be increased all I can say is you have to keep at gp and see what they will give you, I've been referred to pain clinic 6 months ago and still haven't heard from them, it's tough at moment with the way NHS is

  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,764

    Hi,

    Regardless of the OA elsewhwee (I know. If only!) has your rheumatologist not prescribed a DMARD or biologic for the AS? That would be my first port of call before going down the route of morphine patches. We develop a tolerance to strong pain relief so we need more and more to achieve less and less. I've had two THRs and so has my husband and neither of us resorted to morphine patches. Have you both tried the hip exercises on here? They really do help. Start very slowly and build up. Mr SW bought an exercise bike when he could no longer play golf or go on long walks. He hated it but built up from one three minute session daily to three twenty minute sessions before his ops.

    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • Lorraine_24
    Lorraine_24 Member Posts: 34

    Hi @stickywicket I do try and do some kind of exercise but for me it's near impossible, I can't walk, can only manage a couple of steps with aids, my hips are bone on bone and bone, and both as bad as each other any movement for me is excruciating but I try my best, you so right about the patches as I've said they no longer work for me

  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 30,048
    https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/707958#Comment_707958

    I am with Sticky here @Farmerswife

    It's not only about pain relief is it with Ankylosing Spond??

    There are other options some of us take meds which are oddly enough anti epilepsy drugs like gabapentin. Have a chat with your Rheumatologist maybe? Or GP if you don't have one.

    These VA exercises are designed for us lot with poor mobility@Lorraine_24 It's not 'normal' exercises like able people do, they are tailored for us and some are lying down ones you can do in bed:

    https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/exercising-with-arthritis/exercises-for-healthy-joints/exercises-for-the-hips/

    I have also used patches and got used to them very quickly indeed so weaned myself off of them.

    Take care both

    Toni x

  • Lorraine_24
    Lorraine_24 Member Posts: 34

    Thanks @frogmorton will have a better look around for the exercises that I can do lying down, would try anything at this stage that may help me

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