Been prescribed morphine small dose after a hospital stay.

[northernlass]

Hi all, was in hospital recently & apart from nv treatment as am a gas retainer, oxygen nurse prescribed 1.25 dose of morphine to ease my breathing, says it’s being offered to lots of ling patients as trials seem to have shown it helps.

I am severe COPD but don’t currently have oxy at home but am getting anxiety from having to use stairs so just wondering if anyone else has any experience of it in a similar way?

[CDPO16]

Hi, I was prescribed oramorph several years ago to ease breathlessness. I didn't find that 1.25ml helped at all but my prescription was for 2.5 - 5 ml. I increased the dose to 2.5ml and found it very helpful. It isn't new in the treatment of lung disease. My GP first mentioned it to me over 5 years ago. Hope it helps you.

[northernlass in reply to CDPO16]

Thanks for the reply, do you mind if I ask how long you stayed on it?

[CDPO16 in reply to northernlass]

I still take it on a regular basis, ie 2 to 3 times daily.

[northernlass]

Thanks for the reply, will get my head around it in the next few days.

[Ern007]

I have COPD but was prescribed Morphine Sulphate 2.5/50 ml.

I take 4 ml for severe pain.

Even at the lower doses Morphine seemed to help me breathing - I take it regular.

So long as Morphine is taken at the prescribed limits, then fine - I have found no problems bar constipation, but am prescribed Laxido for this.

[leo60]

Hi northernlass 😃 I was reluctant to take the Oromorph prescribed to me, I think the thought of morphine scared me. I have been taking it for a year or so now and it is fantastic for anxiety. I use it about 15 minutes before I do something that I know is going to make me breathless and therefore panicky. I take 2.5 -5ml. Don't be scared of it , it's not going to make you feel drugged up or anything like that, promise 😄. I had 2.5 months in hospital after they found I was a retainer and was given an NIV , it has improved my life no end. Good luck to you and keep in touch Laurie xx

[Ern007 in reply to leo60]

Hit the nail on the head Laurie - Some people are scared of Morphine, because it's a narcotic and in part the scare stories that surround this type of drug. It helps in many ways, for me pain is what it's for, but makes me feel better. x

[peege]

It's such a very, very low dose northernlass, too little to make much difference except to help your breathing/coughing. You may have to eat a little more fibre thats all. Good luck, you can always try it for a couple of weeks to see if it suits you.

[Biker88]

It’s a standard treatment for breathlessness, I’m on 1.25 ml every four hours and it helps. As for stairs I have a stair lift, but have you tried the “blow before you go” technique which means you breathe out by blowing as you perform something strenuous. So as you start your climb the you blow out then stop to breath in again, and commence climbing again as you blowout. I find this does help when having to do anything strenuous

[BronchyBronwen]

Am on 10 mcg/hour BUTEC which is a transdermal morphine patch. Take it for severe spinal pain and change patch weekly. Have used it for ten months. Not wild about the idea of it, but so much better than the pain. Still have to back up with max 8 Panadol Extra per day but try to keep that dose as low as possible. I eat lots of fibre, but find morphine patch far better for me than the effects of co-codamol.

[Sallywal]

Hi I’m also a retainer on home oxygen and niv, I’ve been prescribed morphine same dosage for the past 2 years. It’s helped with my breathing but just recently I’ve started to have very bad anxiety related panic attacks and have been prescribed lorazepam half a tablet to dissolve under my tongue and took off diazepam. My respiratory nurse has said they will help and start to work within 5 to 10 mins but if I’m honest the morphine works quicker, especially in the morning on waking after 2.5 ml it calms me down and help with the breathing but I find I’m taking an extra 1ml about half an hour later and my 2.5 ml throughout the day

[_9carole]

Hi I am the same with stairs . I live in a maisonette. I am on oxygen so have to carry downstairs. They put me on Morphine . But made my heart race. So have not used it for awhile

[SparkySW123]

I take Oromorph regularly for 2 reasons - to ease anxiety and help calm my breathing. It does the trick.

[Blue58]

I was really anxious about taking morphine but have been on it a few years now for pain and breathlessness. I take 5ml 4 times a day and whilst I still have reservations about taking it and I will try to reduce the dosage whenever possible, it really does help with both pain and breathlessness

[northernlass in reply to Blue58]

Thanks Blue & indeed everyone for your responses, I’ve still not tried as I am super sensitive & a tad apprehensive in case I’m allergic to it as I react to the dentist injections but had the non adrenalin one on last filling and I was ok BUT I am a tad improved too so hoping I may not need to start it. Thanks.

[Hussain1968]

Hi Northernlass.I am in exactly the same position. I dread the stairs but have to use them. I now go up 5 stairs and rest for a min, then another 5, I no longer rush as I know if I do it in one go I struggle like mad at the top. Just take your time. The morphine does help .all the best.