Morphine Withdrawl

[Elliemaejo]

I happened across this website this morning, and have been reading for hours.  I have had chronic pain on and off for years, first from a horsebackriding accident, then more recently breast cancer, and all the subsequent surgeries and radiation.

My doctor recently had me on 30 mg of MS Contin, twice daily.  I'm over it though.  Last week, I reduced it to 15 mg. twice daily, then 15 mg. once daily, after a few days.  Last night, I cut it to 7.5 mg.  Today, I have stopped.

I'm not feeling so bad, just the diarhea and sneezing?  Am I too optimistic that the withdrawl won't be so severe?  Or is it too soon.  Should I go back to the doc, and have him lower it slowly.  I have an appt. tomorrow.

Elliemaejo

[Marce4]

Sounds like you are doing great....You have awesome willpower to do the taper on your own....I agree with Scotquit that if you have gone 32 hours and you are dealing with this...better to stay off. However, If you are dealing with severe pain ...(I hate to even say it because any opiate can be addictive)....could it be that you are not an addict?! Sounds like you were following the prescribed dosage and now you have tapered to nothiing...God were I that strong!!!! If you are truly in that much pain, and things like Toradol, 800mg Ibupprofen, Naproxyn and NSAID don't help, maybe you should take the opiate on an AS NEEDED basis! I am afraid to suggest that on this forum but you sound like you are handling this beautifully! Maybe by talking to your doctor about your concerns, you can both come up with a plan.

Peace,
Marcie

[FLaddict]

dropping you dose the way you did payed off for you.. you are thru the worst it may not get better for a few days but it shouldn't get any worse.. and if you slept good.. then just hang in there. talk to your doc about your options. I am not too familiar with the choices of non narcotic pain meds.. they are out there. Please keep us posted on your progress and what the doc says..

[Elliemaejo]

I don't know if I'm an addict.  Sometimes I think so, when I hear peoples' comments of how they only needed to stay on their pain meds for two days after surgery, etc...

It's wierd.  I like to have a drink with friends, but rarely sit home and drink.  I like to smoke cigs, but sometimes the pack will go stale before I finish them, so I throw them away.  And won't smoke for days (no withdrawl) I wonder sometimes if it's like that with the meds.

Don't get me wrong, I gotten ahead of schedule on my meds before, but after a day of two of trying to feel good, I always end up cutting my dosage in half for a few days until I'm back on schedule.  I've never taken any meds from friends houses, where I'm sure in my neighbor hood they are plentiful.  I've never double dipped on more than one doctor at a time.  Yet, just because I'm taking such a strong medicine, I feel like the world will think I'm an addict, just because the drug is morphine.  Does that make any sense to anyone?

[FLaddict]

there is a line between being an addict and being a dependant person or pain meds.. addicts have behaviors that dependant people don't have.. riffling thru medicine cabinets, lying to friends so you can have their meds, doc shopping, etc. you may have crossed that line once or twice.. but you have gotten yourself back on track.. only you can decide if you are addicted.. no one can make that call for you..
My grandfather suffers chronic pain of various things... will always need something... he is a dependent person. He takes 5 Tramadol a day. 2 Darvoset. and sometimes percaset. He couldn't function with out them. some people need meds to have a normal exsistance...

[Elliemaejo]

FLAddict, you've been so helpful.  Thanks for taking your time to clear things up.  I think you're right, I'm a patient on chronic pain meds for a reason.  Maybe it's my own association in my mind with morphine and addiction, that makes me feel like I must be addict.  I've never taken anyone elses meds, or even gone searching for them.  When  running low in the past on my meds, Ive usually just cut the dosage to make the prescription last until my next doctor's visit.  Thanks to everyone for the imput.

[FLaddict]

Some people say the peak of symptoms start at the 24 hour mark. I would be prepared for the worst but hope for the best. How long have you been taking it?? That will also factor in..

Hi and welcome

[ScottQuit021907]

You can talk to the doc about tapering if you want, but probably you will be ok. As FLaddict said, you should definitely prepare for it to get worse because it probably will get much worse. The good news - you will feel much better in about a week!

[Elliemaejo]

Actually, I realized the last time I took it was yesterday morning, not last night.  It's been about 32 hours.  It's weird though.  Today has been the most productive day I've had around the house (I work from home) in months.  Even when I was on the meds.

I've been taking the MS Contin for about a year.  The doctor started me at 50 mg twice a day, and I had him reduce it to 50 / 30, then 30/30.  Now I've reduced it even more on my own.  I taken six immodium today, so far no help.  Maybe I cut it too low, to quickly.  Definitely going to have the doctor reduce the dosage tomorrow.

Mentally, I'm so ready to be off the stuff.  I'm just genuinely concerned about the pain.  I live in pretty chronic pain from the 4 surgeries and radiation surrounding my breast cancer.  Maybe there's something not addicting that works equally as well.

Any thoughts?

[FLaddict]

Pain is a terrible thing.. and it seems a though you have had your share.. If its been 32 hours it will more than likely not get any worse..If the Immodiaum isnt working try eating some bananas and some cheese.. they naturally help bind you some..
As far as your pain.. there are probably options your doc can discuss with you.. Once off the meds you may find your pain isn't what it once was..  when on opiates we don't get an accurate read of what are pain level really is.. this will be a learning process.

[ScottQuit021907]

If you're feeling pretty good at 32 hours, why not just try to stick with it? Your w/d symptoms should improve within another day or 2. Just my opinion of course.

[Elliemaejo]

I have read that the pain medicine can actually make the pain worse.  But, I do know that I will need something, hopefully non-addictive, for the days when I can hardly move from where they shot the radiation through my arm and chest.  My chest wall is sill fried.  This is also the same side where they removed the tumor, and the lmph nodes.  Now there's a treat.  Cut the nerve in my arm right in half.  Sometimes my son will just tap my arm in church to get my attention, and I want to scream out, it's soo painful.  That, is not the medicine.

I'm definitely going to meet with the doc tomorrow and let him know what I've done, and see what he recommends.  I think you are both right, that at 32 hours, I'm probably past the worst of it.  And to be honest, I slept the whole night through last night with a Benedryl, so there really hasn't even been a bad experience.  Maybe shrinking the dosage helped a lot.