I am trying to get off morphine ( zomorph to be exact ) as it is causing so many side effects. I have been on it many years and it is taking a long time to reduce. Ive gone from 120mg to 30 my and have to admit I'm struggling now.
My question is in two parts. Firstly has anyone done anything similar and if so how did you cope with the final reduction and secondly I havent been told yet what will replace the zomorph so was wondering if anyone could recommend any painkillers I could suggest to my GP. I am in the UK
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margaretjo
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I have been on Zomorph and Oramorph for a while now, I stopped the Zomorph against advice but I felt like I was taking it and getting no relief from it, I now just take the Oramorph when the pain gets really bad it takes the edge off of the pain although it doesn't take it away completely. I think a bit of pain is to be expected, if you need something different I used to be on Butrans although that is still an option, prior to that I had Tramadol and something else with it but can't remember what.
I remember a few years ago when I was addicted to morphine. I knew I had to stop them. It takes a lot of character and discipline. For the 3 days I stopped them I was climbing the walls, I was so disoriented, sweating, nauseous,I couldn't eat or sleep but I did it. Today I do not know if there is any help from clinics etc but if left to your own devices it's hard. One more thing WHY have you been taking for years ? Morphine is for SHORT TERM only ...a few weeks !
I believe people have been given morphine based meds long term for years. Though it is known for these meds to be used as end of life care, they have been used successfully for many people over long term, being tweaked if necessary. There are many new types of medicine possibilities being looked into though and hopefully something will be found to help people more successfully.
Hi. Please find either a Pain clinic with specialists who know what they are doing or ask your GP what the nest step should be. Whatever you do in the future do the present reduction slowly and I mean really slowly. It is OK if it takes a month to drop 10 mgs (or less even). I know how slow I have had to go and even now will stick with 8mgs codeine. (I am 73 so think I can choose to be addicted to that miniscule account.) A local addiction center could also help particularly with withdrawal. Remember to congratulate yourself on how well you have done. It takes enormous amounts of strength to have achieve as much as you have so WELL DONE from New Zealand. A counsellor can also help a lot as you go through the process. Good luck.
That is a big per day reduction! I have been on 3-10/325 hydrocodone per day for about 2.5 years. Its been a battle to keep from elevating the amount I take. I have cut the pills in half there by cutting the amount I take by 2/3 for a few days. Utimately returning to the 30mg total.Why? The pain or withdrawl symptoms get in the way of reducing. Its not like 30mg morphine equivelent a day was enough anyway. It just took the edge off of the spine pain. Many many nights sleep are lost to that spine pain even with 30 mg total a day. I found splitting the 10/325 hydrocodone in half and taking them every 6 hrs instead of 8 has worked better. Higher dose wears off quicker and it keeps pain relief on a more even keel. Other reason to split the pill in half is that now I have 6 pills a day available instead of 3! I am limited by my gp to 3 -10/325 a day. Otherwise i would have to go to pain clinic to increase. I know like you that increasing is a never ending pit. The body quickly gets use to having more. Yet severe pain needs more! Opiodes have definetly been a great tool in the pain relief cycle.
Ultimately what I have done is to try and eliminate the source of the pain as i dont want to escalate to higher doseages with more side effect.
I had 4 sources of pain. One is chronic prostitis pain, then hemorhoids, thoracic pain (degenerative disc disease etc) and low lumbar sciatic pain.
Ok, so I decided to get rid of the internal hemrhoids ( had them banded and fell off), I take a natural urinary track vitamin cranberry w/mannose to make my urinary track very univiting for bacteria. Next is i do yoga stretches for sciatic pain and that works to eliminate a nasty pain of 7 when it flares. Then just finished getting Radio Frequency Ablation for the thoracic spine yeaterday. We shall see how much the reduces or eliminates that pain. As thats the one that would keep me up all night and max out my alloted 3-10/325 hydrocodone a day.
Shoot, i would need 6 a day to calm that pain.
So all those alternatives to opiodes seem to be working. Its a wait and see on the RFA treatment but I am hopeful.
If it is succesfull? Then i will wind down the hydrocodone to 2 pills split in half a day. Do that for a few weeks to nice and easy avoid withdrawls. Next step, reduce tge 20 mg a day to as needed. I can easily see reducing to 20mg total a day as i have done it before. All the various pain points will dictate further reducing.
Like you, i would like to have reduced the pain so much that i just need a pain pill once in a while.
I have lymphoma which causes inflamation in my prostate so that pain my remain. But at leastnit wax and wains.
Hope my journey is helpful and relateable.
All the best to you. You have done so well back off a large total mg a day. You deserve recognition of that by you!
If you are trying to stop taking morphine in its varies types then you need to do it in very small amounts and you need to replace it with another type of pain medication I had been on Oramorph the patches for many years and trying to stop them was very hard in the end I managed it trying to stop taking them is just the same as a junkie who is going through withdrawal symptoms now I am on dihydrocodeine 120mg twice a day along with Pregabalin plus several others I know that I will never be free from taking pain Medstead best thing you can do is when the medication seam not to work as well is to ask your doctor to switch you from one type to a different one and not to just increase the medication you are on, I have been on medication since an accident whilst in the army which broke my back in 4 places plus it strained almost all of my joints which have developed arthritis I think I have tried just about every one available now I know that the best way of not ending on the highest dose you can take is to accept that you will never be completely free of pain but you can reduce it to a level you can cope with when my pain suddenly jumps up I just laugh about it when people ask what I am laughing about and I tell them it gives me a laugh and laughter is the best pain reducer you can get if you decide to be upset about it then you will be upset for a lot of your time.
Hi firstly well-done for doing so well ,I am currently on 20mg down from 100mg it's a nightmare ,I know how you feel ,I'm in my own head most of the time but it's less foggy now ,my memory is awful infact everything is just horrific .... 😪
I have Addisons Disease, 4 dislodged discs in my back, severe knee and leg pain and many other health problems. I was unwell but managed to continue working part time, I would roll in to bed in agony and get up several days later to go back to work.
In may 2018, yes 2018 I sprained my ankle I have had before when younger so expected to heal in 3 weeks. The pain got worse and worse waited 28 weeks for infusion instead of 8 weeks due to covid had on 16th oct 2020.. Zero effect..
I had to retire from work in Sept 2019 after 37 years working.. I have been bedridden due to pain for 2 and a half years, The most I can do is get to the loo 2 metres from my bed..I'm unable to use stairs and not even been downstairs in my own house since Nov 2020..
Every 2 weeks I have to fight to get my GP to allow Oxycodone and Oramorph because so many people get addicted to it. So I have to continue to suffer..
I then waited 18 weeks for a different Consultant, He rang and said he only deals with Sciatica. I've had that twice the GP had referred to wrong department. Two Reports from 2 Different Consultants to say how Severe it is and most likely CRPS, My GP had not read the reports so have to wait again. Another 18 weeks.
Finally I had enough being fobbed off and told the GP I want to try Slow Release Morphine. With Oramorph Liquid to use till Slow Release starts to work and if pain gets really bad as back up..
Two years and finally he agreed. I started Slow Release on Friday 8pm GMT.. It is now Sunday night / Monday 3 am and this is the first time I have been down to about 10% pain instead of 100 % 24 / 7.
Unbelievable I was dumped and left to suffer in pain and I stuck at it and can't believe the difference..
Not able to get up and walk about etc early days. But 2 years of wasted life and immense suffering with the GPS classing Everyone as a Potential Addict and Withholding Medications they knew would work as if it was their own private stock.
I even had to fight every few weeks to get my Steroids for Addisons until recently when the GP pharmacist realized that not taking Steroids can result in Fatality.
Total lack of Quality of Care by My Primary Carer.. I'm hoping it continues to improve.
I'll be happy with at least a few hours pain free till they sort MRI and the Correct Consultant and TREATMENT, Hopefully they haven't left it so long that the damage is irreversible.
I'm Amazed at all the people saying how long they've been on and trying to stop, Count your blessings you got them if they were really needed and not left to suffer.. If I had been a dog the Vet would have put me down.
Fingers crossed..it was too late to read the comments but did see one that said try tramadol etc.. Trust me.. If Tramadol etc work for you then your pain doesn't really warrant oramorph, Morphine etc.
And if one more so called Health Professional tells me to listen to whale music and meditate that will help.. I wonder how expensive it is to get your medical qualifications from Narnia or Middle Earth ?
As I'm classed as Extremely Clinically Vulnerable since Covid started I have seen my Mum, Son and Daughter Once and the only Human I have seen is the kindly Neighbour who collects my Medications Once a Fortnight who drops of Water says Hello and has to go.
The pain has been so severe most days / nights I could have taken a chainsaw to my foot or asked for it to be amputated.. Or even to stop taking steroids which would be fatal as just enduring another day..
Even worse that I haven't even that option as no one in my small fFamily could possibly pay for a Funeral.
GPS are a disgrace in the UK to people with Real Health Issues, Conditions, Severe Pain and seem to just provide for the Patients with Self Inflicted Issues, Infertility, Gastric Bands etc, NHS funding THEM.
If you want a baby pay for it yourself like you should be paying for YOUR own Wedding, Exercise, Say the term, "I'm Full" when Eating.. Stop Using Ambulances when it's NOT an Emergency do not use as a Taxi Service etc.
And use all these savings to help Fund Patients with Severe Problems, Conditions, Heart, Cancer etc for Treatment, Care etc.
If a GP is not making you better then he is not doing his job correctly, but they are accountable to CQC. Who monitor and inspect to ensure the practice is running well.
Time now to Forget The GP knows best, In todays climate its Your Body, Your Pain you Live with it.
Long Term Pain and Health Conditions can put a Strain on Families not just the Patient, Lack of Income As Maybe Unable to Work, Caring for the Ill Person, Looking after the Children, Possibly having to Work too, and Young Children having to be Caregivers Instead of being Children.
Good luck to all. But just think next time You think you need to go to hospital, Ambulance are for Emergencies.
I have been bedridden 4 years due to a sprained ankle agony 24/7 finally on zomorph and oramorph but doesn't ease it at all and a nightmare to get prescribed..however my friend is in the same situation as you but with diazepam too..she has tried everything it might not be suitable for you if children etc.but her gp has got her into an NHS hospital not rehab in Manchester where she will stay voluntarily on a normal ward for around 4 weeks and will be weaned off .she lives in West Yorkshire some u0 miles away but closest hospital to her that does this service
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Morphine
Coming off butrans patches
Weaning off pain relief
Finally off Morphine 
Morphine
