I JUST HEARD SOMEONE DIED FROM OVERDOSING ON MORPHINE PATCHES...ANYONE USING PATCHES PLEASE READ!!!

[htp115]

my friend down in Orlando just called me, they are all into OC's, morphine, etc. well a good friend of hers just died last night from overdoing on morphine patches!!!! he was only 22 yrs old. he had 2 morphine patched that he cut open then put on, he passed out, obviously from the morphine. the large amount of morphine at one time made him sick and he vomitted while he was passed out, this caused him to choke/suffocate on his own vomit and die!!!!

i'm posting this cause i know there are some ppl here who are tapering off of the patches. and i remember a few posts from awhile back wondering about cutting them to taper.

PLEASE DONT EVER DO THAT!!!!! it is dangerous and can/will cause you to overdose....they are meant to wear for 2-3 days and slowly release into your system, cutting them will give you that entire dose at once. i dont personaly know the boy who died and feel for his family. i only wanted to make sure EVERYONE here is aware of how dangerous cutting them is. i would hate for anyone trying to taper and do the right thing to accidentally overdose in the process.

I luv you all,
tink  :)

[RBC3]

OMG! Well are you okay? that is crazy and sad I ;m sorry , I really dont no anything about patches  keri

[wyldefyre67]

I work in oncology and I know we use Fentynal patches all the time.  Of course I have heard of people chewing them.  They are used to distribute so many milligrams over 72 hours and if you chew them you ingest all in one doseage.  Morphine slows the respiratory rate dramatically and you have to be careful not to get to much to soon as you can aspirate and possibly die

[FLaddict]

Not to make light of the loss of your friend.. he was probably mis using them I assume.. there are people who put them on them apply a heating pad to make the med come out faster.. or chew them and such.. I am only stating this so the few here on patches aren't scared by this.. if they are using them as directed this should not happen

[htp115]

well he wasnt "my friend" but my friends, friend. i never met him, she called me upset about his death. and YES he was mis-using them. he was looking to get high. i didnt mean to scare anyone either. i just wanted ppl to know its not safe to cut them...

luv ya girl,
tink :)

[LadySundown]

I an on fentanyl patches, as most of you know. I should never have been put on them. It says right on the box "not for post op pain." My surgeon nor family dr. put me on them. A NP at the rehab facility I went to for inpatient PT is the one that did it.

Of course, I had educated myself as much as possible. My family dr. has been helping me taper off of them. I started at 100mcg/hr and I'm down to wearing  two 12mcg patches. Another cut this month. I never got high or abused fentanyl. I HATE it. There are so many things you can't do while on it. Fentanyl is 80-100 times stronger than morphine. Sure, people cut the patches open and drink the fentanyl, but I sure wouldn't want to try it.

I'm having a problem with w/d tonight over something stupid I did. Found out there is a reason my dr. is w/d'g me slow. bbl...have to take a friend home.
Hugs....LS