getting off of morphine

[shootingstar]

just a quick story. I was in the army and had a bad jump in germany and herniated 2 disc and when they did the mri they said i had degenerative idsc disease. they started giving me percs, and then we went to a long term and a breakthrough and i went for everyhting long term: fentnyl patches all teh way up to 100mcg then the mscontin, and then finally oxycontin. I stayed on the oxy for another 2 months and when i got out of the army i was at 50 mg 2x a day and 2 percs 2x a day as needed. I continued to see my army doc for the next few months and kept getting my same scripts. Well a couple months ago i was told i couldn't see that doc anymore and would have to see a doc at the VA hospital. I went to the doc and she told me that i didn't need to be on the meds and at the least i said well what i do when i run out and she said "tlak to the doc who gave em to ya" ok well i did and she told me to go ahead dand start taking 30mg morphine in the morning and one at night ( i still had 60 from when they moved me up to 60mg ms contin. and even with all the tapering i haven't felt much withdrawals and i'm not sure if i wanna ttop taking pills cuz i enjoyu the way they make me feel or if i need to ask for help to get off em. I imagine i'm gonna go to the emergency room here soon and tell em i need help cuz i m out of morphine. but if you guys have any suggesitons or anything i would really aprreciate. i don't post much but i read everything you type. it's good stuff
later,
Chris:)

[psychotiKK]

What was your daily dose of morphine? What is extended release or immediate release. If extended, was it made into immediate? Also, what method of administration did you use when taking the morphine. Orally is just a waste.. if you were taking 60mg morphine orally, you really would be taking only 20mg or less because of the poor biovailability and such. Anyways, tell us what method you used, not only for the morphine, but for all. Make a easy-to-read list of the pills, strength (10mg, 20mg, ect) amount taken per day/week/month, and the method of administration for each one.

[ontario_opiophile]

Find a pain doctor who will give you what you need. If you didn't like the answer the new doc gave you find someone else who understands. If you really want to continue taking medications im sure you can go to a pain clinic and get some help. Don't let one stupid doctor tell you no. You've been on this for a while and it's part of your life now and unless you want off you have a right to continue your treatment. thats just my feelings on it. I would see another doctor until I got what I wanted. If you can get off the medication just get off if you think it will be good for you. Don't stay on this addictive stuff if you dont really feel like you need it. If your using it to get high then its all up to you. You do have pain and you do enjoy how medication feels so just make the best decision you can. If you can stay on the stuff and maintain a normal life without being a total slave to the drugs then just do that. If your going to be in horrible pain without the stuff thats not going to be very good for you. You're gooingto be suffering. It's your call, you know what you have to do. Take care.

[exitwound]

many modern mscontin formulations have the ability to turn into a time-release gel that produces very little difference in effects regardless of whether you have swallowed the pill whole, crushed it, chewed it or done anything else to it. even when dissolved in water these new formulations will only absorb a small amount of the water, gel up, and then repel the rest preventing true dissolution and the time-release still applies regardless of how you then administer it. not good for IV use at all.

[bogumil]

Yes. I personally wouldnt try to change the time relase anyways, because morphine when I take it IR only makes me tired. The slow release, like you said, leave you jsut as active as without only they feed your hunger for morphine enough so you dont get WDs.

[shootingstar]

well i went and saw the er doc today and i was only there for three hours. I told him pretty much what i told you guys except for the part about me enjoying them like i do. He, to my surprise, decided he wanted to help me and couldn't give me any morphine but gave me a script for 40 percs and 4 to take home since i won't be able to get them filled until tommoroow. He also put in a pain management consult and said more than likely they'll put me back up on my normal regimen, the 50 mg of oc 2x a day and 2 percs 2x a day. thanks for the input to the fellows who replied. and to clear the morphine issue up a little bit. i was taking two 30 mg mscontin for 2 weeks and then down to 1. the only reason i was even taking the morphine was cuz i was out of the oxycontin. the doc didn't like the way i did the taper but was "proud" of me for being able to do it so i'm gonna get those in the morning and hopefully i'll be able to keep receiving pain meds they do make me function better and it seems like i'm a happier person with them as opposed to without them.

[ontario_opiophile]

That's good news! I'm really happy that this seems to be getting resolved for you. Hopefully you'll be put back on your regular regimen and you'll be able to stop worrying about this type of stuff. It's good that he put in a pain management consult and told you that they'll most likely figure it out for you. Awesome. Take care of yourself.