WEll I can not THANK YOU enough I have been researchin the whole Physiatrist thing and I soooo lucked out I have found one through the General Hosp I have a consultation on April 10th(keep my fingers crossed) he still has to accept me as a patient. Here in Ottawa there is a HUGE shotage of pain Docs so I am praying he will take me on I may be unusual for him as for i want off the drugs after 7 yrs where most people that go to him want pain meds for there pain . The only reason I got in so quick was because back in 2008 I went on there waiting list but I had found someone else at that time Can u believe that, 5 yrs waiting. So when I called this Dr the hosp had told him I have been on the list for 5 yrs The timing is so perfect I couldnt beieve it Yup thats how long we wait here in Canada for a specialist But I still have to get him to take me on he could turn me down but I will stay positive and I will keep you posted I so want my life back and off of these horrible drugs!!!!!!!
Leighski xo
Wow these posts make me realize what a wonderful doctor I have. I was on 60mg 2X a day extended release for 3 years. After missing a dose I felt sick. I didn't take my next dose because I thought I was going to be sick. By that time the stomach cramps and other symptoms had kicked in and I suddenly realized that wait... this could be withdrawal. I would say that I was definitely physically addicted but not psychologically addicted. I did fear if I was off that my pain would be unbearable. But thank God I trust my doctor not to leave me hanging. I discussed my concerns with her that I was physically addicted. She advised me not to stop the morphine, but was willing to support me if I wanted to. I was really concerned that I was physically addicted because I watched a dear friend spiral down from A+ honors student on full college scholarship to losing a child, losing a marriage, and eventually becoming a literal crack w****...all stemming from an addiction to pain pills. So I decided to quit. I prob. did it faster than recommended because I just wanted to be off it. I did have four days of really bad withdrawal symptoms. Having the lower dosage pills 30/15 from my doctor helped take the worst of the edge off. I don't think there is any way to do it that is 'easy'. I never had any 'craving' for the drug or any of the psychological symptoms. I am sure that is much harder, but coming off the medication after long term is not a cake walk. For the last little bit my doctor gave me a few pills that were NOT extended release. So from 15 down I was able to cut up the 15 non extended release pills and quarter them. From 120mg a day to completely off was 20 days. I did the first part too fast so I took time coming off and if I was having bad symptoms I would maintain that dose for a few days before continuing to back off. My doctor is now working with me to find new ways to control my pain. I trusted her before. Now I trust her more than ever because I have read on here what assholes doctors can be. I love that I can be open and honest about my concerns and know that she has my back.
The very worst part of going to a clinic for Morphine is being treated like a criminal and in the nanny states they have turned the doctors into policemen , I hope my doc reads this . He has went from being a well respected doctor to a cop who looks at you as a criminal, man I feel like I am on probation . I am walking my self off if I can fool them enough and I take the ones I don't use and they are put in the trash / I just dropped a script for 90 fast acting 15's and will never take them again now on to the 90 time released which I am now down from three a day to 1 and 1/2 a day and at times 30 twice a day . I have not felt to much other than flue like symptoms yesterday so far the time released cut in half get me through the 12 hour day not easy but doable. I have my Lord Jesus Christ on my side and that is a great help knowing He is looking after me. I have my music I play and that is a nice help but I have done the withdrawal from codeine 8 times and it is not a pretty sight . That was years ago but I had a major back surgery and it left me with some really bad pain I have been on these for the last 15 years . I will be successful . Grit your teeth and go for it you will be glad you did when you are completely off of them you will have normal bowel movements and life will be good again . The nannies of our state have eliminated prescription drug abuse but now find them selves facing an Heroine problem as people that abused the drugs are gone but now they die in the streets of an over dose of heroine, while the ones that really need pain relief are treated like drug dealers . I have learned that we will face pain and drugs are not the answer .
I know what you mean. I take 200mg twice a day that are extended release over 12 hours and I get 150 -30 mg immediately released. I take them so much I'm not sure how many in a day I take. Maybe up to 25 in one day. And I have the same problems with chronic pain. But now I'm loosing my mind. I am a second away from blowing my head off with a 357 every second I'm awake. I went to get a shower and didn't realize I forgot to take my clothes off. And I have been blacking out a lot. I have been told the only real way to get off of it is to be sedated for 20 to 30 days. Which would be fine by me. Just can't find a doctor that will do it. I hurt so much they want me to start taking fentanyl. I'm told its 100 times worse to get off of. You need to go back to the pain management and tell him you need a different way. I hate to see you behind me with a whole in your head in the clouds with me. I need help so bad and no one really cares. If you find a way let me know.
21years ago, I started having severe joint pain. It took four years to get a diagnosis of chronic psoriatic arthritis before anybody really knew what it was. Pus-filled blisters on my hands and feet gave them a clue. For some reason my body metabolizes medication in a weird way. To resume a normal, mobile life, I went to a pain clinic in Ca. My optimal dose of MS Contin - to live a normal life: work, drive, function was 800 mg a day - 200mg four x day. When I asked the doctor about addiction, he actually told me that pain patients DO NOT BECOME ADDICTED!
The next 10 years were a nightmare because my insurance refused payment for out of state treatment, transportation and medication. Finally I found a doctor in our city who worked with me but at a lower dosage which was not enough to allow me to work. The pustular psoriasis (no cure/treatment) has stripped the skin off my feet and I am confined to wheelchair and bed. At that point I felt why bother anymore? I can still homeschool my 8 year-old in 'bed school' even if I can only leave the house 4 or 5 times a year.
For the last six years I've gradually lowered my morphine dosage until only taking 15mg twice a day, I thought it was low enough to go cold turkey. Two weeks ago, my doctor phoned in 60 50mg Tramadol and 10 5mg Valium to see me thru but no advice and no idea what to expect. The first symptom was a 10 day migraine. Used Valium for that. Then came diarrhea, tremendous anxiety and lower leg pain so bad I was kicking and contorting them to the point the couldn't hold me up anymore. Then, desperate for relief, sat in tubs of pure hot water 5 or 6 times a night which made my feet bleed because I'm not supposed to get them wet. My grown son found me some Xanax (I didn't ask where) and a product called Restful Legs at a health store. The Rl really helped. Have no idea how long this will continue or what my quality of life will be with the pain returning...
I took avensa a few years ago and did a cold turkey. Worst decision I ever made. I think I had two strokes during the two week ordeal. Because I have had chronic pain I eventually went on pain meds and now I'm back up to 90mg of morphine IR and 60mg of the ER per day. I want to get off this stuff again and never go back to it again. My doctor thinks I may die and will defiantly stroke if I go cold turkey again. So withdrawals are nothing to take lightly. You can go off them yourself if you do it very slowly with great caution. If that means getting your doctor to help you great. For me, I don't trust doctors in general anymore. But that is another story. Good luck. Have you looked into a methadone clinic?
I realise this is an old thread. I am just posting to give others hope when detoxing from morphine.
Don't let all these posts scare you.
The worst of the withdraws hit after about 24hrs of your last dose (going cold turkey) day 2 is rough. Day 3 will be hard as well.
By day 4 you should be feeling A LOT better.
It is tough, but 72hours and your through the worst of it. Though it may seem like an eternity.
I have went cold in the past after taking 240mg / day for over 3 years.
In all honesty I am ready to get off them again. But this time taking about 60mg / day for a few months.
I have severe spine problems but also have an addictive type personailty so I find myself right back on them and often times mis-using or over using them.
Hoping this time will be the last.
But whoever is reading and looking for info YOU CAN DO IT.
Like I said, 3 days you might feel like sh*t and like you could die, but it won't actually kill you. And by day 4-5 you will be smiling and laughing because you will feel so much better you will be overjoyed. I promise.
I'm sorry, but I just don't and can't agree with people who say wd's last for weeks or months. I call BS. If they last someone that long it is because they are still using opiates in some form when trying to detox, prolonging the agony.
I have been taking m.s.contin for chronic pain. 2 years ago I started my journey through the darkest part of Hell. I was taking 800 mgs. then down to 400. I am now at 60 mgs. and this is Hell. I can"t go out and they want 8;000$ for rapid detox. good luck cos you will go crazy...
Breakdown at 8 years old - you have to pay up front but I"m desperate & my husband can't see me like this - god be with me to have the strength to overcome this \ thanks to the white coat devils- like u I believe in Dr advice confortable
try ketamin.... it has all analgesic property( pain relief) as well as less withdrawal symptoms... plus a promising antidepressant with thirty mins onset.. I hope this helps,,, but remember it should be low dose... read all the research article in Internet regarding ketamin .. I have read one on pain relief... plus life saver drug ( by preventing suicide)... but first use ur will power to remove morphine from system as it may have nasty synergistic effects... ur r. an m.d. so getting this drug won't be that difficult...
My doctor has started decreasing me as well, after being on Morphine 30 mgs, and Oxycodone 30 mgs for over 13 years (have also been on 150 Fentanyl patches, used Actic (sp?) lollipops, along with morphine instead of the oxycodone over that 13 year span. The withdrawals are horrible, yes, but I'm curious because no one has mentioned this. Obviously we've all been on this medication, and all on high doses of it because of being in severe chronic pain. So AFTER getting off of the medication, how has your pain been and how have you dealt with it? Because in my situation, even WITH this high dose of narcotics, I've become immune to the drugs and have still been in severe pain of some level, but I know that it has somewhat managed to help with the pain to a degree,so I'm TERRIFIED of how bad the pain is going to be once I no longer have the morphine in my system to help decrease it at ALL.
Currently, WITH the morphine and the oxycodone, my pain level stays between a 6 and an 8 most of the time, so am I looking at CONSTANTLY living with a pain level of a 10?? And having absolutely no quality of life? I live on a very limited (small) fixed income and can't afford to buy the drugs off the street even if I had a clue about where to even start to look for anyone that sells them! Heck, I'm almost 60 years old! Can you imagine me trying to find a drug dealer? Walking down the street with my walker? ROFL! Yup, I'm the poster child of a drug addict looking for a fix, right?