I have severe...ok stage 3/4 COPD and have been put on these tablets to control back pain as nothing else was working. Up until then I was taking Oromorph, which I still am, at the same dose (it'll go up as it's addictive) - well surely the tablets are too then? The Oromorph works, the tablets seem to do diddly squat except compromise my breathing which the Oromorph doesn't do.
Anyone else on Morphine and find this too?
Hello Luckyring, sorry you have such bad back pain. And sorry that the MST isn't working as well as the Oromorph on its own. MST is the same basically as Oramorph. Patients are usually started on the liquid and its titrated up to the right dose which is then given in tablet form, MST.
The reason for increasing isn't usually because they're addictive but because the pain has increased. And people can be weaned off them. For some reason, the Oramorph often relieves breathlessness better, and I wonder why your Oramorph wasn't increased instead of adding in the MST? Presumably because many people find tablets easier to take?
I think you need to have another chat with your GP. Don't worry about addiction issues - you need to be pain free without being more breathless, but you don't say what's the matter with your back?
Wishing you well, Sue x
Hi Sue,
No one knows what's wrong with my back...it doesn't show anything on X-ray but I had a bad horse riding accident in my late teens and as I've got older it seems to have come back to haunt me. I initially ruptured 2 lumbar discs and badly bruised my kidneys and couldn't walk for 16 weeks.
I had problems with it during pregnancies and then I was attacked during a burglary which prompted it off again.
They've never investigated it beyond the initial X-ray.
Lorraine
Back pain is a real sod, I have chronic back pain but managing it (mostly) with zapain at bed time but there are times when I get beside myself with it. Have had oramorph in the past as well as gabapentin and diclophenec (excuse the spelling) so I can only imagine how severe your pain must be. I'm the same as you, nothing found on mri just think it's trapped nerves.
I slipped a disc giving birth to my daughter (and tore my hamstring) but my mum has had 5 discs removed so it seems to be a family thing
Try chatting about using some paracetamol thats what my specialist nurse suggest i take with my mst as its a good carrier apparently..
II have been given liquid morphine to be taken when I get SOB. I have found it very effective.
Fellow copd sufferers
Copd and iron deficiency
severe copd and exercise
COPD
Copd 
