Morphine Tapering And Withdrawal

Seven years ago I was put on morphine 100mg twice a day and oxycodone 10-325 for breakthrough pain (up to 2 pills a day). Once I was put on that dosage, I felt normal, not ruled by pain like I had been for the past 7 years where I tried anything I could to just get the pain to a manageable level. I felt like I got my life back. My doctor suddenly retired and his practice was merged into a community health center. His pain patients were told they could stay on the pain medicine and they would be refereed to a pain specialist or they could try to wean off of it. I decided to see if I could reduce my dosage--mainly because it's hard finding a doctor who is willing to treat chronic pain.

This doctor was running late (over an hour) so he was in a hurry to get through the appointment--the first month to reduce the dosage. He told me he was going to lower my dosage by 10% so he prescribed morphine 80mg (2 a day) and oxycodone HCL 15mg twice a day to make the reduction 10% instead of the 20% from 100's to 80's on the morphine. I found out that the 80mg is a 24 hour time released formula. He wanted to take it twice a day. It was a holiday weekend and we were waiting on a prior approval from insurance--and I was totally out of my 100 mg morphine. He wrote a prescription for 10 pills (80mg) to make it through the holiday weekend. I said I would pay cash since we were still waiting on insurance. Long story short, still waiting to here on prior authorization and no morphine. My doctor said on Friday, if I just take the oxycodone 15, I didn't need the morphine. Said I wouldn't experience any withdrawal. When I saw the doctor, he never discussed any pain management techniques and didn't listen to my heart. I have pulmonary hypertension and was recently diagnosed with a-fib, I have an irregular, fast heartbeat and I'm on O2 at night). I see some amazing specialists at the teaching hospital some 60 miles away.

The difference between the care I receive from them and the care I receive from the local doctors is night and day. (By the way, I haven't been able to speak directly to the doctor that is doing the tapering. I have to go to the clinic, tell the receptionist what I need, they tell the medical assistance who may or may not talk to the doctor--then she tells the receptionist and it may be passed onto me). ---I found an old prescription from 2009, morphine 60mg which has reduced some of the withdrawal symptoms, but I only have a few of the pills. I am experiencing severe headaches, chest pain and an irregular heartbeat (more than normal).

Yesterday I received a letter from my insurance telling me that the 80mg of morphine is not on the formulary and they had already informed my doctor. I am caught in the middle. I wish I had never attempted this. I have Zero confidence that this doctor knows what he is doing.

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This is just typical of the medical Industries pocket lining Cash Stash they're nothing but a profit margin rated industry we need to close this communist government type of medical industry down

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My heart goes out to you. My experience was was that I had a doctor about 10 years ago that prescribe me the right medication for my anxiety and for my ADHD that was a Massachusetts then when I move to Rhode Island I went to one of those clinics that you were talking about so far in the past 8 years I've been passed on to at least 7 different doctors that all changed my medication every single one of them and I am not on the correct medication till this day and I also have horrible PTSD all the sudden you have the doctor that your use to getting your medication from and then bam it switches to another doctor that doesn't believe it you should be on it and then you have no contact with that doctor like the other one I know exactly what you're going through it really sucks but I don't really know what we can do about it cuz I've tried so many different doctors so many different psychiatrists and they will not prescribe me the original medication that I was on. It's a horrible experience and I don't know how we can change it because they're the ones with all the certificates and went to school for so long and all this b******* to put it in simple terms but keep trying because I am that's all I can do God bless and good luck

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Man my heart goes out to you...I was in the same situation a few years ago..I have severe spinal stenosis, degenerative disk disease, migraine, arthritis in my joints and I had a pain mgmt doctor and he was prescribing me oxycontin 80's twice a day and oxycodone 15mg twice a day and I actually had a better sense of self worth in my life...before that I could do nothing but lay in bed moaning and crying for the most part but not much longer he was arrested and his business closed. So the next doctor I found gave me fioricets for my migraine and vicodin for the rest..what a joke..for the next year and a half while I searched for a better doctor I suffered really bad.. You're right when you say how hard it is to find a doctor that's willing to help chronic pain people...I wish you all the luck in the world and hope you feel better...

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I totally agree with you they don't know what their doing!!!! THEY JUST PUT PEOPLE ON PAIN MEDS AND SAY THEY WILL HELP YOUBTAPER DOWN BUT THEY DONT REAL CARE TO HELP YOU DO THAT AND DONT CARE WHAT KIND OF WITHDRAWLS YOU GO THRU I HAVE A FRIEND WHO WAS GOING THRU WITHDRAWLS AND THE DOCTOR STOPPED GIVING HIM PAIN MEDS ALL TOGETHER WITHDRAWLING FOR ABOUT 3DAYS HE HAD A GRAND MAUL SEIZURE HAD TO HAVE AN EEG AND NOW HIS BRAIN WAVES ARENT LOOKING LIKE THEYBSHOULD BE HES A MESS AND THE DOCTOR THAT WAS GIVING HIM HIS PAIN MEDS WONT SEE HIM ANYMORE THAT DR.SAID HE NEEDS TO SEE A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT SPECIALIST GOOD LUCK TO YOU N GOD BLESS DEW

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Most people doctors included don't understand what its really like to suffer 24/7! Its hell! To have to take nedication just to barley function is so sad! Im sick and tired of being sick and tired!

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All these posts are saying the same thing. I wish there were a way a computer program could actually put someone in the type of pain & face these huge tasks just trying to get the med's we've had for years. If it were doable any pain management M.D. or even medical students should have to try & function just for a day. Or even just a work shift. Get an RX discount card or print it up. It'll slash the cost of a lot of these expensive medications by a ton.

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First I am so sorry you are having to experience this, you are right these Dr's need to walk one day in our shoes with the amount of pain and them not be given anything or very little they just do t get it! Second, do you really realize how Blessed you are that you were able to fill a script from 2009? Actually it's against regulations, but happy you were able to do so. I would highly recommended a Pain Specialist but some still do not want to prescribe what a precious Dr has given and want to start you out on all lowest dosage as possible. You will be in my thoughts and Prayera I too am facing close to what you are and it's a lonely place to be

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Because of your heart issues that can cause a stroke or sudden death (sorry), you need to keep seeing your cardiology dr.,0
Pls don't stop. I have chronic pain. Blasting headaches prob 25 days out of 31. I got 10 Fioricet and 25 Percocet for the month. May sound like slit to some, but I am so undermedicated all I do is cry when I'm alone and wonder why me? Anyone in the suburbs of Detroit know of a compassionate dr who doesn't inderprescribe and has a soul? I've gone to PT for 16 sessions and start 28 new sessions the week after next, I'm not just sitting here thinking about drugs. But I want my life back. I can only stand (becuz of my back and hip) for maybe 3" tops and then I HAVE TO SIT DOWN. I've had to sit on floors before in office buildings as I could not remain standing for 1 more second. I need some help! I am seeing a neuro Dr this Saturday for what it's worth. I'm trying, I swear, but I can't take much more unrelenting pain. Fuzz

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Thanks for all the kind words. It's nice to know someone understands. I saw my hematologist last week and we discussed using marijuana for pain control. She couldn't understand why this new doctor took me off pain medication that worked and I'd been on a steady dose for 7 years. She said there was no problem using marijuana and most doctors at the University hospital system have many patients that use marijuana and the doctors know how if affects different people and diseases. What a nice change to have a reasonable, intelligent doctor.

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That's awful. I feel for you. I myself was on two mg xanax three times a day for over fifteen plus years. I was gonna move two hours away so I told the nurse I needed my records sent and she says she wasn't doing it. All I said was you have no choice because this place has been my family provider for over fifteen years and so yeah I'll need my records sent. This nurse tells that I verbally abusive to the staff which was a bold face lie. Some of them we're like family, I.knew there life history. But I get dismissed for something I didn't do. I searched search search for a doctor to write my meds in hope's and pray I don't have a seizure or black out in the mean time. Most doctors want write it at all so I was going to er every week and they did help me by giving me script for fifteen each visit but it's been almost two years now and I still not getting the amount of medicine I need. I'm getting half dosed instead. It's so scary. My panic attacks are so bad that I have blackouts and unsure if I'm having seizures during the black out. I've talk to my new doctor till I'm green in the face and still refuses to give me the dose I had been on for fifteen plus year's. If only these doctors could wear the patients shoes for a month or so then maybe most likely they would see things quite differently. Best of luck to all patients out there.

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I have been going thru the SAME EXACT THING. I was in mass seeing a doctor and he was prescribing me 3 -1mg Xanax a day for about three years plus 1-20 mg. Adderall once a day. So I moved to R.I. AND he was actually calling in my scripts every month to R.I. pharmacies with no visits for over 8 months. Ya omggggg. That's kind of ILLEGAL. I didn't care at the time because I was searching for another provider to prescribe me the same meds but even with the records they would not do it. Now my heart goes out to you but don't take this in a mean way in any way SHAPE or form. Forget about the going to the emergency rooms to get medication, all they do is look at you as a drug seeker, not that you are one, but I did the same exact thing over and over and over and over and over again and that gets put into their computers as a drug seeker and a red flag pops up in their computers that you keep coming back asking for a narcotic or whatever you're seeking. BUT these a**holes excuse my language don't understand that they don't really care about how we feel and what we're going through or who prescribed what to us in the past. I'm just going to let you know that every doctor has his own point of view about you. I saw 9 doctors in a period of 11 years at the same place that I have been going to for over 15 years. You see one doctor for two years, they get promoted or they go to another facility and then you get passed on to another one that doesn't agree about the medicine that you were on and you have no say in the matter.

I'm going through the same thing you're going through right now and I cannot get anyone to provide me the medication that I was on over 10 years ago. They just want to put me on something that I won't feel for 3 weeks and I'm supposed to wait for that anxiety feeling to go away while waking up with that feeling in the pit of my stomach and I also have severe PTSD I go through everyday. I had a terrible EXPERIENCE - i was robbed and beaten almost to death by somebody. BECAUSE OF THAT NOW I'M DISABLED BEING AFRAID TO GO OUT, I LIVE ALONE, IT SUCKS ALL. I CAN TELL YOU IS FORGET ABOUT THE emergency rooms because red flags r going to pop up. God Bless and hang in there cause I'm doing the exact see thing on a daily basis. Your not alone there are so many people going thru the same thing that we r millions. For real. Good luck. We have to stick together and make a change in this. I'm ready to go to my Governor. I'm not even lying to you because it's unheard of to me people suffer that really have the ADHD the PTSD the bipolar you know that they just don't want to prescribe the medicine because every single other doctor has his own opinion on your diagnosis cuz of course they know best and we don't know anything, even though we've been on the meds for so many years. We know what works for us, as long as you're not abusing them. Good luck. Keep your head up. Don't quit tying. Hope all works out for you.

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Hi Tina. Good news and bad news. You are RIGHT in your assessment of how you are perceived when you go to the ER and your goal is pain relief. (Good news). Bad news is that it is the rare person who can go to the ER with legitimate pain issues, and expect to get meds after their first visit there. Maybe none on your 1st visit. Chronic pain is not something ER's treat-maybe once, but after that, you are either SOL or you better have a broken arm to go along with your chronic pain :( I'm a trauma nurse with chronic pain and I wouldn't go to any ER for pain meds, unless I had a recent , real injury.) As a trauma nurse, it's not my decision what the dr will or won't prescribe for you. I am ALWAYS an advocate for my patients, so not all of us are a-holes. Most of the staff has drunk the Kool-aid to be sure, but in all fairness, many have not- but can't rx meds for you, but just generally speaking, ER's are not there to treat chronic pain (except sickle-cell episodic pain for ex.) as the hospital feels you should be a pain-clinic patient if you have chronic pain. We know how that can turn out :( Everyone has an on-going record as we all know at the hospital. After visit 1? The dr who sees you for visit 2 for the same thing, will quickly put it all together and will suggest Alleve for you. Plus, with the anti-opiate crusade you are probably seeing more and more of on the news and social-media, chronic pain patients are practically doomed. I did see on the news tonite that in small towns VS bigger cities, Drs tend to prescribe pain meds for legitimate pain patients without a hiccup. So...if you're in a bigger city, you might think about small town life :)

Sorry, I wish I could help all of us but I have chronic head and back pain post AA. At my "pain clinic" I am allowed 10 Fioricet for my daily headaches per month, and 16 Percocet per month. I'm mostly always in pain as it works out to taking a med about every three days. Great huh? I always think "I bet if your wife was suffering....." I hope you get the help you need, but pls trust me on this-a lot of the ER staff are jaded and uncaring about chronic pain patients. I don't know if they think the patients are exaggerating or making their pain up, but there are so many ppl on staff who do truly care, but they are not the ones to write the scripts. It just sucks as in this day and age, ppl should not have to suffer. Only cancer patients get a pass where I'm at-and I'm glad they do, as they, I'm sure suffer way more than I, even though this daily, endless pain is making me just want to take my Glock and end it. It's so depressing to live like this. I am not remotely the same person I was before my roll over AA (Jeep. accident on the dunes.) I will continue to pray for us. I tried marijuana candy? Absolutely no pain whatsoever!! NONE!!! Have you tried it? Do you have a medical marijuana card? Is it legal where you are? It is here with a card, but the Federal govt managed to close down every mmj store in a huge county -mine!! They feel that they know best-the ppl voted on this and the state supports it, but the Feds have the trump cards, so, again, it all just sucks and it shouldn't. I am only referring to legitimate pain patients. Not ppl just looking to feel high. I need to function and I can only walk a TOTAL of 5 (minutes) and then start bending over and look like a candy cane shape. I see a new neuro Dr this Sat so maybe he will help? My thoughts are with you and all of us chronic, under-treated sufferers. oxo

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I was let go of from my pain clinic after 6 years because I tried medical marijuana to see if it would make me paranoid, like smoking it the one time in my life 20 years ago. I was going to talk with them about it before I tried it, but there is not much discussing anything with them-so I thought why get them all crazy before I even see if it helps me? I am such a stoop! I tried a little 2x's the week b4 my pain clinic visit, they did a u/a and the rest is history. Totally my fault, and I know how dumb this will sound, but I forgot it was considered a medicine, and thought nothing of trying two candies that week. On my personal Top 20 list of things I will always regret.

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Whats is really bad is everytime my large chain superstore pharmacy claimed they didnt have any of my monthly Meds in stock,Claimed was not on delivery truck, Told me "Go to ER" Not my fault in this case and why not warn me since I came in on 29th to check refill. I was sent away because refills every 30 days and not any sooner, Went back ,you guessed it,Pharmacy didnt have any meds for refill, The tech knew no truck would have my meds there by tomorrow, delivery is once a week on Thursdays, so now the new Tech working said "first come first serve" all she can do is tell me to go ER,"Very rude to me. Causing flags on me that I never deserved. I was treated like a street junky by staff at ER, I have numerous medical,surgical that are visual severe problems.Also my doctor is a Neurologists, ranked number one in my city. Pharmacies like that should be ashamed and shut down, fire or at least look at employees that are dishonest to patients making bad situation worse. Those unprofessional Pharmacies have no business being around such dangerous medications.Meanwhile I find they were doing things to deflect off them in making patients look bad going to ER. I never returned to that chain of Pharmacies and Medicare dropped them too.

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I am weaning off morphine. l have come from 15mg to 10mg for the past 1 month. Should I stop taking them altogether now or go down to 5 mg?

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I wouldn't just jump from one to nothing go down to the 5mg because you will realize how much 5mgs. will make such a difference. Good luck

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