Timed Release Morphine

I just learned that a friends, yes seriously a friend, has for the last nine days taken a half of a 15mg extended relief morphine every day and was planning to intermittently take a whole one to hopefully avoid withdrawal. My friend is doing this because my friend is going on vacation and his prescription becomes due during the time he is away. Our state has instituted "drug contracts" with the prescribing doctor and pharmacy for people using these types of drugs. This means he can not have it filled early to take with him, and his doctors office has rules about calling for the script 48 hours maximum before it is due. He was only trying to make it last so he would not be in as much pain and not go through withdrawal. I was concerned because I know you are not supposed to cut an extended release pill. Again it has been nine days at half a pill. The only symptom he is having is some twitching in his legs and a small increase in pain. I understand that of course there is reason to be concerned I just don't think my friend is going to change his current course of action. So my question is this, by continuing my friend's course of action of half pills with intermittent whole pills until my friend returns from vacation at which time my friend will go back to the normal course of a whole 15mg per day, is my friend in a lot of danger or a temporary messed up body for a few weeks.

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The reason you aren't supposed to cut, break or crush a time release pill is because you may get too much of the medication at once, and the worry is really most important for someone that isn't tolerant to narcotics.

Don't misunderstand, there is still some risk for your friend since they are doing this, but not as great as if they weren't taking it regularly.

However, they really should speak to their doctor about the issue. Some doctors will work with you, so they may have been willing to prescribe a small amount of a different dosage, or a different medication to help get him through that time period.

Is there anything else I can help with?

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No danger in that it sounds psychological actually. Twitching is like a hyper restlessness but don't crush them in half only break. If he's due find a pharmacy outta state your insurance will use. I needed my adderal outta state and got it in N.Y. I'm from PA..good luck

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I went to Ireland for 2 weeks, my monthly visit to the doctor was also happening during that time and I would be out of pills for a week, oxycodone! I also take gabapentin and xanax .My pain doctor just wrote on the prescriptions that it was okay to fill early, for I was going to be on vacation out of the country.Now he has been my pain med doctor for about 6 years, and knows me well. I had no problems

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