Struggling get off morphine

[hooked90]

I have only been on morphine for 4 months and now I have had surgery I no longer need it for the pain.  I was on 90mg MST twice daily plus liquid morphine for break through and I have managed to drop to 30mg without too much trouble.  I am now not taking any of the MST tablets and just trying to use the Oramorph and drop to 10mg every 4 hours and now I am struggling.  I have a permanent tightness in my chest and barely feel strong enough to stand for longer than a few minutes. I have regular headaches and cant sleep and I get a wierd feeling in my left arm which I can't describe other than it feels like my arm is stressed and I wont to rip it off.  As I am writing this I am having a hot flush and yet my hands are freezing cold.  Does anyone have any tips on how to take the edge off, I have tried to sleep through as much as I can but my body won't let me.

[hooked90]

Thanks guys, I have a Doctors Appointment tomorrow, i can't sleep at the moment because my arm is driving me crazy!

[riversandparks]

yes.. would agree with Chico.. Thx.

[chico1969]

If you are having pains in your chest I think you should go to hospital.  The weird feeling in your left arm may be a sign of heart distress too - go to hospital.  I see you are int he UK so you too have free health care I believe (I am in Canada).  Please do yourself a favour and get checked out - you dont' have to mention the meds if you don't want to - just tell them about your chest tightness and left arm.

[riversandparks]

Honestly. you have to get through it... I have never taken morphin as a pill but when I was in the hospital, I was on very high dose of Morphin that was self-administered through the Ivy, allowing me to pump it myself every 5 minutes and I really did use it every 5 minutes except when I was sleeping.. even then, I would wake up to pump it... I was allowed to get about 250mgs per day and some days, they had to add more and some days I was just around 240-250mbs.  In any event, I was on it for about 10 days, my duration in the hospital.  Then, I was supposed to go home.... so on day 10, the day of my release, it was taken off... in about 2-3 hours, I was sweating and had massive chills...  It was so bad that they kept me in the hospital for 2 more days while I withdrew from it.. I was on hydro during that time but I remember I felt so horrible..  I realized than how bad Morphin was for me.. didn't dawn on me for Hydro... though it was not nearly as bad compared to Morphin..

So... I would really encourage you to stick with it and get rid of it.. It took me about 2 days to stop shivering and sweating... Day 3 was better for me.. and just felt weak..  So, ride through it.. it will be better for you...

Hang in there.. stay strong.. you can do it!!