Any benefit in switching from oxycodone to morphine if goal is to be drug free?

[P0kemama]

I have been doing a slow taper off of oxycodone 15 mg IR, for the past month. Last week, a new doctor started at my pain management clinic, and although it was her first time meeting with me, prescribed morphine sulfate ER, 15 mg. She said her plan for my treatment was that eventually I would no longer be prescribed oxy and will be getting 60-80 mg doses of the morphine. She did prescribed the oxy again to use for breakthrough pain.

Thursday evening, I took my first morphine pill and the experience was very negative. I was dizzy, nauseous, depressed, and had restless sleep with nightmares. I only take my pills orally.

Unless there is a benefit in switching to the morphine and stopping the oxy taper, I do not plan on taking the morphine again.

To clarify, I have been going slowly on my oxy taper as I do enjoy the effects to my mood and energy level. Since I don't get any mood enhancement effect from the morphine, I was wondering if by reducing my morphine dosage by half, I could then taper off the morphine and not drag out the tapering.

However, I do not have much knowledge and no experience with taking morphine, so I am not sure if I would eventually be addicted to that and like it as much as the oxy, although at this point in time I doubt that would occur.

Regarding my pain issues: Although I do have legitimate physical health issues, I am able to manage my pain issues most of the time with NSAID's, exercise, and meditation. So I have no need to continue to seek treatment once I am off the oxy's.

 

[chase_in_56ace]

I have been doing a slow taper off of oxycodone 15 mg IR, for the past month. Last week, a new doctor started at my pain management clinic, and although it was her first time meeting with me, prescribed morphine sulfate ER, 15 mg. She said her plan for my treatment was that eventually I would no longer be prescribed oxy and will be getting 60-80 mg doses of the morphine. She did prescribed the oxy again to use for breakthrough pain.

Thursday evening, I took my first morphine pill and the experience was very negative. I was dizzy, nauseous, depressed, and had restless sleep with nightmares. I only take my pills orally.

Unless there is a benefit in switching to the morphine and stopping the oxy taper, I do not plan on taking the morphine again.

To clarify, I have been going slowly on my oxy taper as I do enjoy the effects to my mood and energy level. Since I don't get any mood enhancement effect from the morphine, I was wondering if by reducing my morphine dosage by half, I could then taper off the morphine and not drag out the tapering.

However, I do not have much knowledge and no experience with taking morphine, so I am not sure if I would eventually be addicted to that and like it as much as the oxy, although at this point in time I doubt that would occur.

Regarding my pain issues: Although I do have legitimate physical health issues, I am able to manage my pain issues most of the time with NSAID's, exercise, and meditation. So I have no need to continue to seek treatment once I am off the oxy's.

If you don't need the pain medication, there is no need to continue taking it Talk to your doctor about some non-narcotic medications that could possibly help. NSAIDs, exercise, and meditation sound great, especially if they work well enough to help you!!

Remember that taking opiates for pain has both pros and cons. Is your quality of life that bad that you need round-the-clock narcotics? I can tell you that I have legitimate pain, and have gotten off all narcotics I was dependent on. I enjoy the benefits of being mostly sober and having a great time enjoying life. Today, however, I am in legitimate 7/10 pain when I walk (grit teeth when stepping, due to damaged hip joint). My mind tells me I need a roxi. In reality, could I benefit from taking one? Sure. Do I need it? Nope

Sounds like you need to discuss more with your doctor. And I would use the morphine to slowly ween down off of all the meds. Search "opiate withdrawal." There's TONS of info and people that have already posted that will help you in your journey... if you really want to quit, that is.

 

[BlueEyesAL]

I understand where you are coming from. I have been prescribed a handful of different opiates ranging from Dilaudid to Fentanyl to Oxy and Morphine. All due to a horrid car accident I was in 3 yrs ago, breaking bones from my neck to my feet. I have been on the Oxy 15 IR and Morphine ER combo for about a year now. The Morphs will keep you from withdrawals so don't worry about that. It's an opiate just like the oxy. The only difference is that because it is time released, you won't feel the effects of it right away. You can chew up the morphs before you swallow to help them absorb faster. They should work just as well on your pain, but many docs are getting away from RXing oxy because it's the most abused drug and the DEA is coming down very hard on pain management docs about how much of it they can write. You may need more morphine if your method of taking oxy was something other than swallowing it, because you would have absorbed more of the medication and therefore have a higher tolerance. You should do just fine on the morphs, give it a few days and also tale nausea meds if you are nauseous. Have your doc prescribe Zofran if they haven't already, it knocks out nausea. Good luck and I hope you feel better soon. God bless!!

 

[P0kemama]

I understand where you are coming from. I have been prescribed a handful of different opiates ranging from Dilaudid to Fentanyl to Oxy and Morphine. All due to a horrid car accident I was in 3 yrs ago, breaking bones from my neck to my feet. I have been on the Oxy 15 IR and Morphine ER combo for about a year now. The Morphs will keep you from withdrawals so don't worry about that. It's an opiate just like the oxy. The only difference is that because it is time released, you won't feel the effects of it right away. You can chew up the morphs before you swallow to help them absorb faster. They should work just as well on your pain, but many docs are getting away from RXing oxy because it's the most abused drug and the DEA is coming down very hard on pain management docs about how much of it they can write. You may need more morphine if your method of taking oxy was something other than swallowing it, because you would have absorbed more of the medication and therefore have a higher tolerance. You should do just fine on the morphs, give it a few days and also tale nausea meds if you are nauseous. Have your doc prescribe Zofran if they haven't already, it knocks out nausea. Good luck and I hope you feel better soon. God bless!!

Thank you for your response... how interesting that you are on the same regimen as myself: the Oxy IR and the Morphine ER. I was nervous all last month because of what you said about the DEA scrutinizing the docs who prescribe oxy. I knew a change was coming up and it did. If I eventually want to get off both drugs, the oxy and the morphine, which one should I cut out first... the oxy? It sounds like I would be able to adjust to the morphine. And yes, I only ever take pills orally... never snort them or use needles... I hate needles, thank God! My injuries and physical pain issues are not as severe as yours... so I do want to be pill free soon. Welcome to BL and hope you stick around.