Cold turkey

[adamw74]

I want to stop taking morphine cold turkey, but here is the problem. I have been taking 1000mg, and sometime`s more of morphine everyday for over a week. I have been abusing pain pill`s for 10 year`s now, and I want to stop! My body is shutting down. The reason I say this is because my feet, and leg`s are swollen all the time becasue my liver, and or kidney`s are not filtering the drug`s like they should because of the extremely high amount`s I am taking, and it`s understandable. I can not believe my body has lasted this long. 10 year`s of ANY kind of abuse is 10 year`s to much! The body is a amazing machine, but like all machine`s that are not taken care of correctly, that machine will fail! I am ready to stop, but like I said, is cold trukey after so long of doing VERY high amount`s of morphine life threatening? Has anybody ever know somebody like me that did large amount`s of pain pill`s, and stopped cold turkey?

[J T Junig, MD PhD]

Morphine causes release of histamine.  When people take very large amounts, the histamine can act as a venodilator, causing fluid to accumulate in dependent areas like the legs.  I've had patients with painful swollen legs recover dramatically once they either get off opioids or at least change to a different opioid.

We've talked about the standard treatment options here many times-- but with your high dose of morphine, it is unlikely that you will maintain motivation long enough to get all the way through a taper or a cold turkey withdrawal.  You can try... but if it doesn't work, get to an addiction doc, and either go to detox or get on buprenorphine, or even methadone.

[acesmom]

I think i commend to your question under the post for expert or md. Sorry... But all the same keep reading post on here for advice and support

[acesmom]

You are doing the first step. That is wanting to stop. Keep reading the post on here. There is so much info that will help you from people who have been thru similar situations. It will be tough. But if you want it bad enuf you can and will find a way. Like i said there are members on here that can offer yiug lots of great advice and support.... Stay strong