sandollar
08-06-2007, 02:53 AM
My PM decided to try me on Morphine, I see him on the 13th, Next Monday. Which is when he is going to start me on it. He is giving me Avendia or something like that, it's long acting.
Any info would really help. so far, everything has made me sick, he said I am just one of those people who are sensative to meds.
Does it cause drowsiness, sweating (i hope not!), weight gain? and if it does agree with me, what kind of withdrawal will I be looking at in the future and will it be worth it? I am so tired of all this. I know I can use the fentynal Patch but he doesn't believe in it, I can't figure out why, he's given me Methodone and everything else and now trying me on Morphine beginning the 13th.
So Any Info would really help.
Thanks, StarDust
Any info would really help. so far, everything has made me sick, he said I am just one of those people who are sensative to meds.
Does it cause drowsiness, sweating (i hope not!), weight gain? and if it does agree with me, what kind of withdrawal will I be looking at in the future and will it be worth it? I am so tired of all this. I know I can use the fentynal Patch but he doesn't believe in it, I can't figure out why, he's given me Methodone and everything else and now trying me on Morphine beginning the 13th.
So Any Info would really help.
Thanks, StarDust
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Shoreline
08-06-2007, 09:13 AM
Hi Stardust, The med he is talking about is called Avinza, I'm sure you can find the ful prescriing info at the meds web site.Although it advertised as a 24 hour med, most people devide the dose in to 2 12 hour doses tomaintain a smoother serum level. Morphine generaly causes more drowines and nausea than meth, but everything I have ever rerad about morphine is that it's bets to try to make it through the first 2 weeks and those side efects deminsih too. Meds like Oxycontin can actually cause an increase in energy where morphine is more sedating, but again this deminishes with time. You want to give it a fair shake and simply being drosy the first few days is terrible reaon to discontinue morphine and give up on the chance that it may help.
As far as gaurenteeing wil it work or will you be able to discontinue it easily, nobody can gaurentee those things, but sweating wasn't a problem I had with morphine like I did with meth. Feeling warm or flushed is a side effect of all opiates but that sensation does deminish, unlike sweat that just drips from your nose with methadone.
As far as discontinung it down the road, how rough it is depends on how fast you discontinue the med, Going cold turkkey or doing a fast and furious taper to get off in a few days would likely be miserable but a slow taper where 10% is reduced every week will certainly go smoother. Another thing is that morphine doesn't have every property that meth has, so you can experience some differential withdrawal when switching away from meth to another med like morphine. It's really something you have to ride out because even increasing the dose doesn't make up for a property that meth has and morphine doesn't. Conversions from meth to morphine can require anywhere from 3-10 times more morphine than meth.
Good luck and try to hang in there the first few weeks and expect to have to make some adjustment at some point to fine tune the dose for you.
Good luck, Dave
As far as gaurenteeing wil it work or will you be able to discontinue it easily, nobody can gaurentee those things, but sweating wasn't a problem I had with morphine like I did with meth. Feeling warm or flushed is a side effect of all opiates but that sensation does deminish, unlike sweat that just drips from your nose with methadone.
As far as discontinung it down the road, how rough it is depends on how fast you discontinue the med, Going cold turkkey or doing a fast and furious taper to get off in a few days would likely be miserable but a slow taper where 10% is reduced every week will certainly go smoother. Another thing is that morphine doesn't have every property that meth has, so you can experience some differential withdrawal when switching away from meth to another med like morphine. It's really something you have to ride out because even increasing the dose doesn't make up for a property that meth has and morphine doesn't. Conversions from meth to morphine can require anywhere from 3-10 times more morphine than meth.
Good luck and try to hang in there the first few weeks and expect to have to make some adjustment at some point to fine tune the dose for you.
Good luck, Dave
Wren9
08-06-2007, 02:14 PM
Hi Stardust,
A lot of those side effects you mentioned sound like they could have been from METHADONE. I had the same thing happen, but other than that it was an amazing med...great pain control and no ups and downs (like I get with Oxycontin).
As for Avinza, I have not been on that one, but I was on one that is very similar called Kadian. Like Shoreline said, Avinza can be prescribed once or twice a day. It does last 24 hours, but taking it twice a day will give you more steady levels.
Morphine works very well for pain. Althought people's repsonse can vary, morphine has not been known to have the sweating and weight gain that some experience with methadone.
It may cause drowsiness, but that should improve with tolerance.
If drowsiness is a big problem, there is a medication you might look into -- it's called Provigil (modafinil). It works on the "wake center" of the brain to combat sleepiness, and it is a schedule IV medication (not Schedule II like the other (stronger) stimulant meds, Adderal, Ritalin, Desoxyn).
When you ask about withdrawals in the future, may I ask are you expecting to recover from the condition that is causing pain? Are you expecting to come off pain meds at some point? Dependence is entirely different from addiction. For those who are "merely" dependent, withdrawal can be managed by a slow taper and even using adjuvant medications if necessary. When tapering medications, the taper can be adjusted to the comfort level of the patient -- so if you feel uncomfortable, then your doctor should let you slow down the taper.
Also Shoreline is correct about the differential withdrawal from going from methadone to morphine, because methadone has extra properties that morphine does not have. But this differential withdrawal will not last long. If your doctor is aware of this phenomenon, he may prescribe extra breakthru medication for the first week or so.
-Wren
A lot of those side effects you mentioned sound like they could have been from METHADONE. I had the same thing happen, but other than that it was an amazing med...great pain control and no ups and downs (like I get with Oxycontin).
As for Avinza, I have not been on that one, but I was on one that is very similar called Kadian. Like Shoreline said, Avinza can be prescribed once or twice a day. It does last 24 hours, but taking it twice a day will give you more steady levels.
Morphine works very well for pain. Althought people's repsonse can vary, morphine has not been known to have the sweating and weight gain that some experience with methadone.
It may cause drowsiness, but that should improve with tolerance.
If drowsiness is a big problem, there is a medication you might look into -- it's called Provigil (modafinil). It works on the "wake center" of the brain to combat sleepiness, and it is a schedule IV medication (not Schedule II like the other (stronger) stimulant meds, Adderal, Ritalin, Desoxyn).
When you ask about withdrawals in the future, may I ask are you expecting to recover from the condition that is causing pain? Are you expecting to come off pain meds at some point? Dependence is entirely different from addiction. For those who are "merely" dependent, withdrawal can be managed by a slow taper and even using adjuvant medications if necessary. When tapering medications, the taper can be adjusted to the comfort level of the patient -- so if you feel uncomfortable, then your doctor should let you slow down the taper.
Also Shoreline is correct about the differential withdrawal from going from methadone to morphine, because methadone has extra properties that morphine does not have. But this differential withdrawal will not last long. If your doctor is aware of this phenomenon, he may prescribe extra breakthru medication for the first week or so.
-Wren
sandollar
08-06-2007, 03:09 PM
Yes, That's it! Avinza. After he took me off the Methodone, he put me back on 10mg of Lortab, I have been on them ever since. He said when I run out of Lortab he will start me on the Avinza ONCE a day.
I take the Lortab 4 x a day and it's not enough to stop the pain.
I guess I do hope to either strenghen my back & knee's and not need it in the future or maybe I am just hoping I won't need pain meds forever.
I am a bit scared of taking Morphine once a day and it will probably be a low dose since I am sensitive to meds. So that would leave me to go through Lortab withdrawal once I begin the Avinza, right?
I take the Lortab 4 x a day and it's not enough to stop the pain.
I guess I do hope to either strenghen my back & knee's and not need it in the future or maybe I am just hoping I won't need pain meds forever.
I am a bit scared of taking Morphine once a day and it will probably be a low dose since I am sensitive to meds. So that would leave me to go through Lortab withdrawal once I begin the Avinza, right?
sherry1
08-06-2007, 03:51 PM
Hi Stardust
I was put on oramorph which is a liquid morphine which takes half an hour to go through your system an gives you 4-6 hours relieve.
Or it is supposed too!!!!
Didnt touch my pain and had no withdrawal symptoms.
But i am trying to cut down on my meds now because its just getting out of hand!
Hopefully i will be diagnosed in a couple of weeks after 2 yrs chronic pain!!
I hope it works for you.
I was put on oramorph which is a liquid morphine which takes half an hour to go through your system an gives you 4-6 hours relieve.
Or it is supposed too!!!!
Didnt touch my pain and had no withdrawal symptoms.
But i am trying to cut down on my meds now because its just getting out of hand!
Hopefully i will be diagnosed in a couple of weeks after 2 yrs chronic pain!!
I hope it works for you.
technomom
08-07-2007, 12:15 PM
I was on Kadian. The PM doc kept upping it. It didn't help any more than Vicodin and it made me a Zombie. I decided to stop taking it cold turkey (I don't recommend it). I had chills, sweats and felt Ill for about 5 days (Kinda like the flu). I taught school while this was going on. MY GP said I was lucky nothing worse happened. He also said that he couldn't imagine anyone teaching while going through withdrawal.
jzimmerman
08-07-2007, 12:26 PM
My Dr is referring me to a Neurosurgeon, i have a Herniated disc, buldging disc, and something that is pinching a nerve he said. he said he believed it was extremely painful, and was not going to let me hurt until i seen the appropiate Dr. He first prescribed Mobic, Soma, and Lorceet 10/650.....the combination worked gfor about a week, but then the lorcet when the pain was bad started barely working, or working but wearing off in like 2 hours. He then put me on a 50mcg Duragesic Patch. i dont know for everyone else, im sure they have worked for other people, but everyones body is different. for me i never got the first but of relief EVER.....I went back to him and he said he was thinking of increasing the patch, and what did i think about it. I said well you are the Dr, so its what you think, but is there not a pill of anything that may work better. he said he wanted to try me with MS CONTIN, which he said was Long Acting Morphine. Take is 2x a day. I took it yesterday and vomitted all night. My question is , what has worked for other people, what about percocet.....i know that is short acting, but its not long till i see the neurosurgeon, that would prob, get me through till then, because obviously the long acting medicines are majking me sick or not working. any suggestions are helpful......SORRY for the long spill, i am new here an dlooking for someone who understands and my can offer any help...>THANKS...
sandollar
08-07-2007, 01:08 PM
TechNoMom,
Is Kadian another name for this Morphine stuff?
I am really scared of taking something ONCE a day, Nothing works so far except for the Fentynal Patch and this guy doesn't believe it the Patches.
They just moved my appt to this Friday instead of Next week. I know he is going to put me on the Morphine, but as I mentioned, it scares me taking it once a day, what if it wears off 2 soon?
Stardust
Is Kadian another name for this Morphine stuff?
I am really scared of taking something ONCE a day, Nothing works so far except for the Fentynal Patch and this guy doesn't believe it the Patches.
They just moved my appt to this Friday instead of Next week. I know he is going to put me on the Morphine, but as I mentioned, it scares me taking it once a day, what if it wears off 2 soon?
Stardust