Switched meds on my taper ... withdrawals from that?

[mellie4]

I've been tapering down my medications (and made some great progress.)  So far got off the Fentanyl 75 mcg., oxycodone 40 to 60 mg. every four hours.  I had some pretty moderate withdrawals going off the Fentanyl and oxycodone.  Nothing like cold turkey, but difficult nonetheless.

I was switched over to morphine ER 30 mg. in the morning and 30 mg. at night.  I already dropped to 15 mg. at night.  I'm also supposed to take 15 mg. IR every 4 hours but I'm stretching that to 5 or 6 hours.

I'm wondering since I haven't been on the morphine very long (2 weeks tops) what would happen if I just stopped taking them?  Would I end up with withdrawals?  I figure I'm past the point of withdrawal for the Fentanyl and oxycodone.  And my body wasn't used to taking the morphine.  Is it possible I could just stop and have zero withdrawals and just have to deal with the pain?

For those who don't know, I'm a pain management patient and I just want OFF EVERYTHING so I can reevaluate my pain and see if I can get by on a whole lot less medicine.  I am a single mom of 4 kids plus an elderly dad to take care of.  In addition, I have several underlying health issues (high blood pressure, fibormyalgia, anxiety, a slight heart problem) so cold turkey isn't the way for me to go.  But I've just been thinking that maybe since I'm not physically addicted to morphine I could just stop??

Or does it matter ... a narcotic, is a narcotic, is a narcotic???  Thanks for any hep you can shed on this.  I am VERY anxious to get off everything and the taper is taking so long.

[criminy1]

Since they are all opiates, I doubt you could just jump off the morphine that easily. They are all hitting the same receptors. Still, you are doing great to ditch the fent and oxy!

[ImDONENoMore]

I don't think stopping the morphine will be too tough a battle for you considering how you've been doing so far.  The only way you'll know is to start dropping it - and if at all possible, quit entirely.  You might have a few uncomfortable days but probably not anything you can't handle.  Sometimes we overthink this stuff and then that thought alone keeps us from moving forward.  You've gained so much strength lately so TRUST that strength!!  Good luck to you.