morphine dose and gp

suzster

hi all, i'm suffering at the moment so sorry for not being around.
basically i've been taking zomorph (morphine) tablets for about 2 and a half years, i've been taking the same dose which is 40mg twice a day (morning and evening) anyway my gp contacted me after i put in a repeat prescription saying that she's concerned i've been on the same quite high dose for so long and said i should ty lowering my dose slowly.
so the first week i dropped 10mg in the morning and it seemed ok then i dropped 10mg at night and for the first day or so i was ok but now my pain is getting bad again. i'm really noticing the difference. last night i had to take 3 doses of oramorph just to get some sleep as my back and shoulders were so painful.
obviously i can see why my gp is worried about me taking morphine long term and i to would like to stop taking it and i didn't think i would notice the drop in dose as i have been feeling alot better and so i thought that the mtxinjections were really working.
i just wondered how many of us take morphine and at what sort of dose?
i feel now that lowering my dose was a mistake, but am i being to hasty as i've only been on the lower dose for a week.
i'm just in so much pain again, my shoulders and wrists are agony, the pain seems to have been slowly building up since i lowered my ddose so it must be connected and right now i'm tired because i slept badly last night. i never sleep fantastically but last night after taking the amitriptyline that normally knock me out quick for a few hrs, i just couldn't get comfy and it took ages to settle to sleep.
sorry, i'm moaning aren't i?
i'm just fed up today and having to look after and pick up my little one fills me with dread, i know how painful it is to pick her up right now. luckily she is 2 yrs old and very relaxed and content, but i know i have to pick her up to change nappies ect as i can't get down to do it on the floor.
sue

nearlybionic

hi
I`m sorry that you are feeling so bad at the moment.If your gp wants you to reduce your morphine dose, is there anything else that he/she can prescribe to help with the pain?
I take 20mg morphine sulphate tablets morning and night, and have oromorph for breakthrough pain. I ahve been feeling that I am taking more oromorph lately, but am hoping that I will be in less pain after my hip replacement. I also take amitryptiline which helps with nerve type pain but it doesn`t knock me out, unfortunantely!!
I hope you get your pain sorted soon.
NB

suzster

thanks nb, i do also take anti imflams twice daily but where my pain was quite well controlled when i was taking 40mg of morphine day and night it now seems to have come back with avengence since lowering dose, i haven't had to take extra oramorh at night since my last flare up. it just seems daft to lower my zomorph tablets if i'm then taking more oromorph medicine!
i'm going to have to speak to gp again.
i just so wanted to lower my morphine as i am concerned about the long term effects. oh well!

michelle22

Hi sue sorry to hear that you are having such a bad time at the moment. I am only suggesting here but it sounds as if you have come down to quickly I would take more time to come off the high dose of Morphine and I would also say if you are only taking Dicolfanic for pain the pain will increase So you need to go to the docs and get something else along with the diclifanic (sp). I take Morphine but I also take Paracetamol, Diclofanic, Tramadol, and dihdrocodine so you can see the difference so I only take the Morphine as a break through but I would go and talk to your GP about other drugs that you can take while coming of the Morphine

Michelle