ive been taking around 240mg of morphine 4 times a day for over 6 yrs and am going thru withdrawls, any one know any secrts to ease the pain????

Hey Morphine6!I'm glad your trying to get clean and the first thing your going to need is a very strong will power to stop.There are alot of supportive people on this board that will share your pain.In my experience the first 2 weeks were the hardest and after that you will have peaks and valleys to overcome.I used Benadryl for the sleepless nights,Immodium for the diarrhea and take ALOT of hot baths/showers to ease the muscle pain.I have been clean now alittle over a month and I still have my days were I dont feel normal and I have no energy at all.I have been taking B Complex and a Multivitamin for the energy but as the drug is leaving your system you will feel wiped out.Be aware that your blood pressure is going to go way up so if you already have B/p meds its a good idea to take them but if not just be careful because you will have your bouts with some dizziness.Make sure you drink plenty of water as this helps rid the body of the any of the drugs you have in your system.Good Luck and stay strong and when your feeling better try and find something to replace the time your were high like a hobby or start to exercise slowly.Just be aware that stressful situations will bring on intense cravings so try and ride those times out however you have to.

Stay Strong,
Ken

ive been taking around 240mg of morphine 4 times a day for over 6 yrs and am going thru withdrawls, any one know any secrts to ease the pain????

kick the habit cuase it's gonna cause long term problems, your back is gonna ache like crazy and your gonna get the kicks and so on.. it's gonna feel like your having a fever! but you still have to kick the habit go see a doctor and try to get on the medication call "Buprenorphine" it's another substitute but it's easier to get off with next to no withdraw symptoms

What are the 'kicks'. Is that restless leg syndrome and if so, what does that feel like? Morph - stay strong and seriously see if you can get some medicine to help you. One thing they prescribe for hydro withdrawal is clonodine which helps keep your blood pressure down and really helps with the wds. Keep us posted... we are here for you!

i guess you can say that the "kicks" are restless legs but to a more extreme level, you sorta feel like punching and kicking and knocking your head against the wall, i've been through all that! but yea, clonodine is really good, cause it will also help you fall asleep! anyways stay strong, i've been clean for about 2years now and no relapse!

John

John - two years... AWESOME! Were you able to quit your first try? Did you c/t it? How many of what were you taking and for how long? Just wanting to hear a little of your story. Always an inspiration to hear from people who are winning against this disease.

Yes, The kicks are like restless legs but 10 times as bad. That is the main thing that keeps you from sleeping. The only way to get relief is by standing on them. A hot bath helps for a short time.
Morph, I have been on and off narcotics for 20 years. I need them for my bad back. but I like them because they make me feel very good. I run out every month and W/D's have just become part of my life. The only thing that keeps me going is knowing I will have relief in a week.
Life is hard and my pain pills make things just a little bit better.
I start my monthly W/D tomorrow. OH Joy !!!
Craze

thanks for the support :cool: sorry to have to say that i couldnt make it past 1 day. i got so dope sick that at around 21 hours without, I fell. My body feels good, but my soul is in pain.. i dont know how this will all work out, but i plan on trying till i get it right. ill check back later, everyone stay strong

lazyd..your misinformed...bupenorphine causes the same w/d symptoms when its time to stop that drug also....

Chef's right. However, I believe since there is no 'high' associated with the Bup (Suboxone/Subutex), then it is easier to wean down and I don't think the wds won't be as bad as cold turkey on morphine and/or Bup. The difference is the tapering process. It's very difficult to taper on a drug where you feel a high because you think 'just one more high and then I'll stop'. It's just really hard to taper when you have drugs in your hand that you can get high from. Again, the Bup doesn't give you a high. I have been on Suboxone for almost 3 months now and I have my normal life back. It's been wonderful. Read Samilim's post. She's been on it for three weeks and is doing wonderfully! It really did save my life. Will I be on it forever, I'm not sure. However, you need something for chronic pain and normally Suboxone doesn't help w/pain management issues. I believe that's more of a methadone thing. One last thing.... there ARE withdrawals associated with Suboxone, even though the docs say there aren't. I have felt them on two occasions when I forgot to take my medicine. However, I feel like when I'm ready to come off of them (which might not ever be), then I can wean down and probably have to suffer some to withdraw completely off of them. Again, I think if the tapering is done right and VERY slowly, it can be a heck of a lot better than cold turkeying off of anything, oxys, morphine, methadone, etc. Morphine - keep us posted! I'm concerned about you and I absolutely hate to think of you being there dope sick with no doctor to help you right now. Get to a doc and let us know what he says. Also, if he doesn't give you the answer that you are satisfied with, then go to another one. That's what I had to do as well. Take care of yourself!!

Morphine6, can i ask just what type of pain issues you are experiencing that requires you to have to take 960mgs of MS a day?I know that over six years time the slow increase in your bodies tolerance requires you to need more just to kill the pain,but that is a whole lotta MS.With the high amount that you are currently taking, i can almost guarentee that there isn't a pain dr out there that would want to take over your current Rx.And going ct on that amount could present some pretty negative medical problems for you too.I have a friend who was probably taking very close to the amount that you are and he was told that he might have to have surgery.his biggest fear was that he had developed such a tolerance for MS that he would not be able to maintain any pain control after the surgery and that there would be some major problems with the anesthesia used to try to put him under for the actual surgery.Some anethesiologists wont even treat a patient with such a high tolerance to a strong narcotic as the patients reaction to the anesthesia is just too unpredictable.So ,my friend, who has an absolutely amazing will power,has been slowly,very slowly, been tapering off of the MS.This has been going on for about the past 4 months,and he is being very closely monitored by his pain doc.They are reducing his amount and keeping it there for almost a month before they drop it again.i just don't see how you can possibly just go ct with this.For one thing, your body will go through some unbelievable symptoms after being used to getting the usual 960mgs a day.In most people, wds are not something that would be considered life threatening,even though you feel like you are dying or that you just want to die just to get relief.But coming off ct with extremely high doses of MS can be life threatening.Unfortunetly for you,you don't have the luxury of having enough MS on hand to do the required slow taper.I think that as much as you would like to be able to do this on your own, the only way that you will be able to do this in a safe manner would be under in patient detox.There are just so many body systems that you need to have monitored and they can give you the appropriate meds to lessen the wd symptoms.Would this be a possible option for you?Had your previous pain doc evaluated your pain condition recently?i don't know just what your situation is but there are alot of other options that you can use with or without the accompaning pain meds that would not require you to have to solely rely on strong narcotics.i hope this helps you somehow.I wish you alot of luck with your withdrawl morph,whatever way you decide to do it.we are always here for you,day or night.Keep us posted. take care, Marcia

Morph - how are you? Have you found a doctor yet? Have you given any thought to Marcia's post? I'm thinking of you and praying for you! Let us know...

I was on the MScontin route, almost over a full gram suboxone wasnt out at the time so I went on MMT for like 4 years, almost as high as 400mg. It still hurt pretty bad when switching to methadone but I was stable in about a week. I used suboxone to taper off OXYcontin 240mg a Day....

to ever who said getting off of suboxone is easier than methadone, have you ever been on methadone? and at what dose??

Cade

Hey Feelbad,
I feel off a two story building when I was 25 yrs old and Im now 44. I had surgury after it first happened and had relief from most pain for arounf 5 yrs. Then I started taking pain meds, at first it was ok, ty 3's then daracet, I got up to around 10 or more darvacet a day for a while then I tested positive for hiv. For fear of getting an infection during another surgury that may or may not help, I decided with my doctors that it wasnt worth the risks. I then tested pos for Hep-c and was taken off of anything with tylenol in it. I guess for the most that no one ever thought Id live this long and stay so healthy in regards to the hiv and hep-c. I think that we all just figured to just keep me out of pain until I died which shouldnt be long. After the darvacet I went on Morhine Sulphate. I started off with a small amount, but over the last 6 yrs the dose has just gotten higher and higher. I tried methadone, but had a bad reaction to it and went back on Morphine. Ive been getting my mophine from the same doc now for 3 yrs. Last week she sent me a letter telling me she would give me 30 days to find another doc, and that she would be there until that time to prescribe my meds and deal with anything urgent. Trying to find a pain doc in 30 days is almost impossible,let alone one who will treat someone on such a high dose. Thats why I was trying to detox. 30 days isnt even enough time to taper off that amount. The detox houses here in my area dont wont to deal with me and the only place that will, wants me down to 200 mgs a day before they do.im on full disability from the hiv and was getting my morphine from the manufacturer under the indigent plan. They have sold there drug to another company so Iwas in the process of getting set up with them and the final stage was having my doc contact them with the script, but now she has bailed on me. So now on top of all that Im paying over 100 buck a week for meds out of my usual 730 a month and its just getting worse.Not to mention That before all this happened my family bought me a ticket to memphis to see them for the 9th of march thats non refundable, that Im sure I wont make unless something works itself out. SO, Yesterday I found a pain doc that will see me, Im waiting for my old doc to send some records to them and then make an appointment. I have scripts for the next 30 days. The pain management doc said he would se me if my Hiv doc would fallow his recommendations and write my scripts, which, Thank God, he said yes too. So now its just a waiting game... What happens next is unknown..The only reason that my old doc gave for doing this was that she was uncomfortable with it now and that I should find a new doc. Im fine with that, I do think she couldve handle it more ethicle though, She couldve said... Hey rick, this isnt working, I continue with the papper work to get you your meds so you covered again but then you need to find a doc as soon as possible. I wouldve said thats cool and went on and things would be fine. I dont know what got under her skinafter 3 yrs and to put me in this situation I believe is medical negligence. It couldve ben done so nice, and I do believe that on this high of a dose, going c/t really could be life threatening, and im sure she knows it. She couldve even sarted tapering me, I cant do it in a month by myself. Ive been trying to go as long apoos with out it, but really need to lower the dose, but dont know how or where to start. So thats the just of it. Thanks for the concern, you guys here are great. I told a freind of mine thats going off klonapine about this site for support. maybe hell use it.. Take care and be strong, Ill let yall know what happens. ;)

I really feel for you morph.What your doc did to you IS unethical.You don't bring someone up to that level of MS and then just abandon them like she did to you.She has to know that 30 days is not enough for you to possibly taper off if you cannot find a doc,which she also must know most likely wouldn't happen in the 30 days she gave you.I am glad you found a doc that will see you before your script runs out.At least he is more familiar with addiction and will be able to work with you to get you the help that you need.sometimes drs can really suck you know?You fell off a two story bldg?Yeeoowwch.Did you blow out some discs, or break your back?I am sure you already know this but,you are very lucky to be walking.I had a friend in high school who was working construction and did basically the same thing you did.He fell, got up and hit the ground and has been in a wheel chair now for the last 25 years.And as if the first trauma wasn't bad enough.He was actually snowmobiling with some friends one day, his snowmobile stalled as they were going over a road and he got hit by a car.This guy has nine lives. You know, with all of your underlying medical issues going on(sorry to hear all that)it truely is immperative(sp?)that your wd is done under medical supervision.I am thinking that your new doc will most likely want to keep you on the MS and but also try some other options along with it.Have you had any other sort of therepies done to help ease your pain levels?I am going to see my pain doc tomorrow to try nerve blocks to try and kill the pain i have caused by surgery done on my spinal cord a few months ago.I have alot of damage done to mostly the sympathetic nervous system which in turn is causing central pain syndrome.Pain levels are beyond hidious.so i know how you feel.i think you really need to call the state medical board on your old Dr.She shouldn't have done things this way.i am sure that she is also feeling the pinch from the DEA,just like every other doc out there who is rxing strong pain meds.And the fact that she has been rxing MS to you for three years without actually seeing you,is a very big no-no.But the fact that she has done this for you for three years, she should have let you go in a little bit better way.she obviously had her best interest at heart here not yours.There is something you said in your last post that kind of bothers me.You stated that you didn't expect to live much longer?Have your medical conditions progressed to this point?or are you just thinking bad thoughts because of your situation.I agree that you have some big issues going on in your life,and i am assuming that,like most of us, you are most likely being treated for depression as well?While you do have alot on your plate right now, your situation is not without hope Rick.Are you seeing any kind of a therepist?If not, this is something that you definitely need to look into.My therepist has gotten me through some pretty tough times,i don't know just what i would do without her right now.I wish you the best of luck in your search for relief.hopefully your new doc will come up with a plan of attack that will work well for you.Please keep us posted,okay?We really do care about people here.Take care, Marcia

I 'cold-turkeyed' from a 240 mg a day morphine habit about 4 weeks ago. I don't envy you my friend. It was the worst thing I've ever been through. By the end of my fourth day my knees and elbows were a bloody mess, from writhing around in bed. Drink lots of fluid....stick with soup. Try to take super hot baths as that eases the 'kicks' for about 20 min. Epson salts my help, although i didn't go that route. It may be quite some time before your able to sleep however. Ask your doc for help in that department.

If you can...I'd stay home from work for the next few days at least. try taking long walks...that helped me somewhat on day 2.

I don't know what else I can offer....except that i've withdrawn from quite a few things in my life...and the morphine was by far he worst. around hour 72 or so the cramps should let up for you. Again, I feel ya.



------------------------------------------------------------------------
on a side note...hey chef. who was it on these boards that told the following joke?

A pill-head walks into a pharmacy and sees a sign above the counter that reads 'all the pills you can eat for a dollar' he approaches the pharmacist and asks 'how many can i eat for two?'

just wanted to say...man i've WORN that joke out over the last couple months with all my recovering friends. I thought it was you, chef, but if not..give a thanks to whoever wrote it.

Hi Marcia,
Thanks for the advice and all your concerns. Its nice to know there are people like you out here to help, I wouldnt have known what to do or who to talk with that wouldve undestood what I was going thru. About the comment about not being around for to long... I was just saying that with me being HIV+ for 10 yrs and having Hep-c, Im sure the doc's didnt think I would be around this long and it was probably one reason why the continued giving me morph in such large doses. Thinking that I would be dead soon.
My mental health is good for the most part until Im faced with something like I have beengoing thru concerning the little mess im in now. How do you think Ive lived 10 yrs with no HIV related problems? Thanks and stay strong and clean

Morph, what,so you just lived to darn long to suit her comfort level?What a lovely Dr,kindness and compassion and all that there.I don't know a whole lot about HIV and know some about hep C,or liver stuff,as my son is currently living with a donated liver.I do know one thing for sure though, stress can have a really big impact on whether or not you have flare ups with both conditions.Seeing a therepist once in a while wouldn't hurt you..Especially with the transition between Drs is going on.Things are going to be a little different in your life from now on and change in any situation can really stress the hell out of you sometimes.Just know that if things start to get a little over the top, there are other people out there that can help you besides us here you know?They must offer some type of counseling through your HIV clinic as i cannot imagine that when being told that you have this virus(saying "virus" just seems like it is so benign),your mental health wouldn't suffer.You know, i am still amazed at how far they have come in the treatment of HIV.Getting the news that you are HIV positive only a few years ago was considered pretty much an immediate death sentence.Hep C was also considered in pretty much the same way too.How is the current condition of your liver?I have learned way too much about the wonders of the hepatic system over the last few years than i ever really wanted to know.I hope that with now actually finding a dr, you can relax a bit here.Sounds like at least some things are working themselves out for you a little anyways,and every little bit helps.I am curious as to what this new Dr is going to do for your current situation.Do you have enough meds at your regular dose now to get you through until your appt?Hang in there Rick,and please keep me posted okay?I really want to know just how the next chapter in your continuing saga goes for you.If you need us, we're here for you.Take care, marcia

I checked out the website of the dr and I wish I had known about his office 7 weeks ago!He is in NY which is where I am and I could have saved myself alot of suffering if I knew about him sooner.If I fall off the wagon I know where to go but I dont intend on using again and haven't had very bad cravings.

Ken

Hi anyone,
I am so committed to getting off my meds but it is truly the hardest thing I have ever done. Why don't our doctors tell us about this. I can't sleep because of the heeby jeebies. My legs are hurting so bad. I get relief from my hot tub and go and soak several times during the day. I just want to know how long this will last? My research says a week or so. It doesn't feel like it is getting better? I went the longest without anything....17 hours. I felt so proud......what a loser! Of course my doctor is out of town and I can't get much relief from him. I guess I am on my own. Any tips?:angel: