Ok my poor mother has servere ra and oa. She is taking a cocktail of drugs including humeria methotriate tramadol and pregabolin. Her ra has twisted her hands and feet. Her oa has destroyed her hips and knees. She also has ulcerated legs high blood pressure and gout. She gets about indoors using her frame but rarely goes out and when she does she is in a wheel chair. She has been refered to the pain management clinic as she is not suitable for joint replacemts. They were going to cortorise some nerves in her back which should help with her hip and leg pain but couldnt do the op because she got 3 nasty leg ulcers which she had been hiding from us for over 1 year.
Any way the district nurse has been today for her first visit and has suggested that mum ask her gp for morphine patches as they are more effective and safer than tramadol.
morphine always seemed like a last result to me as i thought there was no coming back from it but that is an uneducated opinion which is now a possibility. It kills me to c my mum like this. Just want her back in my life as my mum. It funny how the roles between parents and children swap as we age x
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sunshine21
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I just want to say your poor Mum...big hugs. I know what you mean about role reversal and parents, because I looked after my Mum, but it was my Moms heart...My Dad was given morphine, even when we said for them not to give him morphine in the hospital (he had lung problems)...I thing the morphine helped him slip away faster...just my opinion....My gran had RA really bad, but I never met her...My Dad said she really suffered, but never complained (I think they got gold injections in those days). I have mild lupus myself and thyroid stuff....I just wanted to send hugs to you and your Mum...There is a drug in Canada for pain called Zyatram I think, its non addicting...(im in Canada now). Never mind, that is Tramadol and they said it was non addicting to me...hmmm
I have Morphine patches (BuTrans) and they have certainly made a difference to my way of life. I used to take Tramadol, but found that it was not strong enough for me and I had to keep popping the pills (I already take 17,500 pills a year for a whole range of different ailments), Pregabalin I was told to scale down on as they can be affect your stomach. Then the pain clinic put me on the BuTrans and life then became a lot easier. Not straight away, as you have to build up the dose and I now 'top up' with high strength Oramorph as and when they pain is quite bad.
It has certainly been life changing for me and life changing for the better.
As for dglads comment about Morphine making you slip away faster, I hope that is not the case with me and I think that Morphine makes you tired and the fact that their relatives may have been sleeping a lot of the time might have given rise to a suspicion that it can help people pass away faster.
Hi sunshine21. I do hope your Mum finds some relief. I used morphine patches (BuTrans) for quite a while until I developed an allergic reaction to the plaster they use to stick on. Now I take morphine capsules. They were very helpful while I could use them. Best wishes. Steve.
Sounds just like my mum. RA for 40 years. Lost a leg following severe ulceration. Morphine patches were a blessing to her ten years ago. She doesn't use them anymore. Don't be scared of morphine, it's amazing and doesn't damage the stomach and liver so much
Hi sunshine,i am on Fentanyl patches Duragesic 700 patches and have been on them for about 9 years aswell as Pregabalin and it works .I certainly have bouts where i add Paracetemol but know when i am due to change them. would certainly agree with them as long as consultants think they will help
Hi I suffer from chronic nerve pain & I'm now on fentanyl patches which is 80% stronger than morphine. I was told by the hospital (as I hated taking all the meds & patches) that you can either stay at home or you can have some sort of life. These patches will ease yours Mums pain. So whatever helps try it. Hope that helps x
I take morphine tablets two a day 12 hour release per tablet. The patches last 3 days I also have spine blocks in my spine that is steroid injected these last me about 6 weeks I'm like Linford Christy on speed when I've had one of them I hope your mom finds something constant pain is a terrible thing and it drags you down.
Bless you sll fir your answers. Its so nice to be able to share this as some times its a bit hard. The pregabolin do help but if she takes too much shes too doppy and that doesnt help. We will def speak with gp about the patchs. Thanks again everyone xxx
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