Morphine Sulfate Er Tablet Splitting (Top voted first)

I'm ceasing my use of 30 mg Morphine Sulfate ER twice daily due to concerns that it's increasing my disorganization and not helping my pain as much as Celebrex and maybe Cymbalta. My pain provider suggested what seemed to be a rapid decrease of plateaus of only a few days before each decrease. Instead I filled with 15 mg tablets and decreased more slowly, always decreasing the evening dose first. I'm now at one 15 mg in the morning only- this is the third day. The soles of my feet hurt (fibromyalgia pain), my calves, front of legs. I'm faintly nauseated, was unable to nap today because of restless legs when I had an impending migraine. The only previous effect during this entire decrease was after 7 days at 15 mg, bid, when I had a sensation of odors associated w/an unpleasant inadvertent forced withdrawal, but that may have been due to other missed meds. I'm no longer seeing the pain provider.

My questions:
- will I gain anything by continuing another 4 days at 1 morning dose of 15 mg? Will I suffer essentially the same if I just quit now?
- I know about the coating on the tablet => "extended release", but could I decrease withdrawal effects by manually spreading out the dose by cutting 15 mg into fourths and taking a dose every 5 hours or so for a week? I know I'll have some amount of "instant release" but we're talking about 3.5mg at a time- hopefully enough to give my receptors time to stay happy while they get accustomed to this new, improved regimen.
- How much will my breakthrough hydrocodone/Tylenol (10/325) help me get through this? I was thinking I'd take it in the same way I'd take an NSAID for the flu. (if I weren't taking Celebrex, of course.)
- What else might lessen w/drawal, especially to help me sleep? A beer? Anything more than Melatonin? (Ambien made me feel lousy the next day)

Assume I'm not dumb and I have a pretty good grasp of pharmacology, physiology, etc. Thanks so much. I appreciate it!

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I don't think it matters much if I take 2mg at noon and 4 mg at 5:00. The dose is tiny, tiny, at least compared to what I was taking. At the peak of using the morphine I was using 30mg, 3 x daily so 90 mg. I'm now at about 1/10 of that. I'm not a recreational user or addicted but I am dependent so doing without was making me feel lousy: diarrhea, restless legs, aching calves and fronts of my thighs- and I really didn't want to get up today. At almost noon I split the tabs, took 1/4 and felt better in about 1/2 h. I repeated the dose 5 hrs later and will do so at bedtime. If this gets me to 3 x 1/4 tabs per day for a week I'm obviously moving in the right direction, even if it means that next week I take 3 x 1/8 tabs. I was mostly hoping to hear from someone who'd experienced the h*ll of withdrawal- and it *is* h*ll. Vicodin does very little stave that off.

My physician, although not the Pain provider (see OP) suggested cutting the tabs. So far it seems to be working.

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Verwon, what do you mean by destroys the time mechanism? Are the little beads different in any way?

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is it safe and ok to take my morphine in my hip as that is the only way i do it? 30 's or 60's don't matter, i do it once per day everyday. The pills sometimes have abg 30mg or m60 mg..

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I do not understand your question virginia!

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I have been taking ER Morphine 15mg three times daily, Gabapentine three times daily and Oxycodine 10mg for break through pain for approximately ten months. I know find myself with extreme anxiety and bouts of depression without taking the Oxy. My Pain Specialist has now prescribed Clonidine for withdrawal symptoms as she believes I am ingesting too much Oxy. I am now splitting the 15mg Morphine and using them in place of the Oxy as she refused to write another prescription. I am becoming evermore concerned. Has anyone experienced these types of symptoms and have any suggestion.

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My doctor told me to split my morphine sulfate ER in half. Everyone else says NO. So I called her back and she said it is just fine and they put that on the label so people don't abuse it. I am in MAJOR withdrawals right now as my new med isn't due till 11 am tomorrow. I am at high risk for seizure from rapid withdrawals. I don't know what to do but I am getting sick fast. I haven't had a seizure in many years but my ears are ringing, sweating shaking etc... pain has gone up to level 6. I have a spinal cord injury. Been on morphine sulfate 5 years and now in liver failure due to drug toxicity. They put me on Embeda saying it's lower dose.

Thing is I couldn't tell I took morphine sulfate at all. No high, sleepiness etc... my pain just went away. Its effect on me is no different than aspirin. This Embeda knocked me silly and I DO NOT want to feel stoned! I just want my pain gone. My urine morphine levels came back 4x too high and intake exactly as directed. This stuff is a liver killer!

I am about to cut this ER tab as I am about at wits end cause of withdrawal. Any suggestions? I can't call a doctor at this hour.

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No, it isn't safe to cut the time released tablets, you could still inadvertently end up taking more than you intend, because that will entirely destroy the time released mechanism.

What you really need is medical assistance from a doctor, they will be the best person to advise you on how to proceed.

The Hydrocodone you have is pretty potent itself and it may help, but it really depends on how bad your withdrawals are and how depended your body has become on the Morphine.

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Vicodin/­

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Morphine/­

Some people have managed it just by using over the counter products, such as Bonine or Dramamine for nausea, which can also have some sedative like and relaxing effects. However, since I don't know your complete medical history and I am not a doctor, I can't tell you what is safe for you to use.

Have you talked to a doctor about ideas to help?

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Virginia, no you can't take any of it by injection, you will get a clot or mass rejection of some sort I would think.

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