Confused and appalled

[Zantura]

Went to Google looking for information on some meds. I have serious health issues, and I'm in constant chronic pain from several sources, mainly my back. Was on a combination of medications for over 15 years, then a new primary care doctor cut me off cold turkey. Recently, I was put back on Hydrocodone 5mg/Acetaminophen 300...well turned out I had become allergic to it. So they put me on Morphine 15, and it did the same thing. My PCP then put me on Tramadol 50. It hasn't worked as expected. Pain level maxed out at 10. So doctor advised to get back on the Morphine even if it makes me itch intensely and uncontrollably...high pain level too dangerous to my heart. I found your site in the results from Google. I clicked on it, and was amazed and flabbergasted at some of the posts I read. there are a lot of people in my situation suffering from chronic pain. The only reason I registered on your site was so I could make a comment about this. I wanted to know if I could take the Tramadol, spaced hours apart, with the Morphine safely. What I found here, in my opinion, is people asking questions about narcotics just to get high or a buzz. I may have gotten the wrong impression. But I do feel strongly about what I read. People like the ones whose posts I read are what's making it very difficult for us, the ones in actual need pain relief, to get treatment. Then, it's very controlled and you have to submit to tests, and sign contracts. And there's a black market out there that people are mis-using and even abusing. What is wrong here? I sure hope I get some answers here. It is not my intention to criticize or cut anyone down. I'm terribly confused.

 

[mebroken]

This is a Harm Reduction site for anyone using drugs for any reason.

 

[RDP89]

Went to Google looking for information on some meds. I have serious health issues, and I'm in constant chronic pain from several sources, mainly my back. Was on a combination of medications for over 15 years, then a new primary care doctor cut me off cold turkey. Recently, I was put back on Hydrocodone 5mg/Acetaminophen 300...well turned out I had become allergic to it. So they put me on Morphine 15, and it did the same thing. My PCP then put me on Tramadol 50. It hasn't worked as expected. Pain level maxed out at 10. So doctor advised to get back on the Morphine even if it makes me itch intensely and uncontrollably...high pain level too dangerous to my heart. I found your site in the results from Google. I clicked on it, and was amazed and flabbergasted at some of the posts I read. there are a lot of people in my situation suffering from chronic pain. The only reason I registered on your site was so I could make a comment about this. I wanted to know if I could take the Tramadol, spaced hours apart, with the Morphine safely. What I found here, in my opinion, is people asking questions about narcotics just to get high or a buzz. I may have gotten the wrong impression. But I do feel strongly about what I read. People like the ones whose posts I read are what's making it very difficult for us, the ones in actual need pain relief, to get treatment. Then, it's very controlled and you have to submit to tests, and sign contracts. And there's a black market out there that people are mis-using and even abusing. What is wrong here? I sure hope I get some answers here. It is not my intention to criticize or cut anyone down. I'm terribly confused.

No matter what reason a person is using drugs for, they deserve access to information that can help them stay safe/alive. You blame illicit drug users for the crackdown on opioids when you should be looking at the entire system in place of prohibition, etc. That system is the real problem.

 

[T. Calderone]

While our goal is harm reduction, we can't stop people from getting high so we try to help them to be as safe as possible while doing so. I'm surprised that your primary care doctor was willing to prescribe you morphine. Where I live, GP's are quite reluctant to do this. I've been in pain management for herniated disc and spondylolisthesis stemming from arthritis. Surgery would be the next logical step for me. Have you talked with your doctor about seeing a pain specialist or orthopedist? Medications can only do so much, especially since you've been on them for so long and experiencing so much pain.

 

[keeping]

the people here aren't the ones making it harder for legit pain patient like you to get hold of the narcotic medication you need
its the pharma companies like Perdue flooding the market with opiate pain medications and paying doctors off with kickbacks to prescribe them unnecessarily (lower back pain, broken toes etc etc)
15 years is a long time to be on these kind of meds too - they might be becoming ineffective for you due to this - my nan is prescribed codeine for severe migraine but 20 odd years of use has actually made her pain worse now

 

[downerhead]

If the OP is experiencing itching to a high degree with morphine, I suggest 1-2 Diphenhyramine HCL tablets. A box of 365 of these generic Benadryl can be purchased at Walmart for around $8. I take Diphenhydramine myself to get to sleep, as I'm a raging insomniac. And keeping is right, it's drug laws and the DEA playing doctor that makes it hard for us severe chronic pain patients to be adequately medicated. I too suffer from severe chronic pain and panic disorder. I'm prescribed Roxicodone 15mg tablets (6 tablets/90mg per day) for pain and Xanax 2mg tablets (4 tablets/8mg per day). The Xanax dose is the correct dose of the right tranquilizer for me (as my panic disorder is pretty nasty), but 90mg of roxy a day just doesn't really do the job for me. I honestly need stronger opioids and more of them, as I have a huge, mega tolerance for opioids, benzos, and opiates. It's under-treatment that caused me to be a heroin addict for 21 years. I will require opioids and benzos for the rest of my life and, had my pain and panic/anxiety been adequately medicated from the start I probably would not have spent more than 20 years being a heroin junkie. I admit that I like to get high, so what of it? That doesn't mean I don't need the meds.

 

[keeping]

thanks downerhead ^
and I don't mean to be rude Zantura but the people you see here and who you are 'appalled' with are merely the products of an appalling system.
perhaps write to your local congressman?

 

[zebedee79]

I don't think you can blame recreational users and addicts for the crackdown. Ever since opium was discovered people have wanted it. The problem is corrupt money grabbing doctors and pharmaceutical companies, who were happy to fulfil peoples need for opiates. Pain pills were given out like sweets for a while. Plus alot of diverted opiates are from 'legitimate' patients selling their prescription on. Things aren't as simple as you've implied.

 

[T. Calderone]

OP, You would probably be alright if you took one tablet of tramadol in the morning and use a morphine pill later after dinner. It's always recommended that you consult your physician first as we cannot give you medical advice. I wanted to mention you can join the pain management discussion if you like. Here is the link and I wish you luck:

http://www.bluelight.org/vb/threads/521747-Chronic-Pain-MEGA-Thread

 

[Mikeyboi]

It's sounds as if you also may have developed a physical dependence to opiates and now your tolerance is high.

I'm surprised that they are keeping you on morphine even with your allergic reactions and ok sorry to hear about your situation maybe god another doctor, get some physical therapy, and try and manage your pain in other ways because with tolerance and dependence you'll never get better on opiates

 

[mebroken]

Btw Zantura you might want to google percentage of ppl that Tramadol has little to no ability to have any effect on pain levels. I'm one of those ppl (chronic pain sufferer) that gets ZERO pain relief from Tram, totally worthless drug for me. Print out one from a respected medical site and show to your dr.- mine had no idea that there was such a high percentage of ppl that got no pain killing effect until I brought in study and it altered what I was Rx'ed. (Unfortunately pain doc operated on this principal that most of his patients needed to be scripted less mgs. each month even tho pain levels had no intention of dropping each month hence when pain became unbearable I had to eventually resort to illegal drugs, but that's my problem). I hope your dr is able to control your pain levels adequately and humanly.
Now do you see some of the vast usefulness of this web site such as this?

 

[Tranced]

Went to Google looking for information on some meds. I have serious health issues, and I'm in constant chronic pain from several sources, mainly my back. Was on a combination of medications for over 15 years, then a new primary care doctor cut me off cold turkey. Recently, I was put back on Hydrocodone 5mg/Acetaminophen 300...well turned out I had become allergic to it. So they put me on Morphine 15, and it did the same thing. My PCP then put me on Tramadol 50. It hasn't worked as expected. Pain level maxed out at 10. So doctor advised to get back on the Morphine even if it makes me itch intensely and uncontrollably...high pain level too dangerous to my heart. I found your site in the results from Google. I clicked on it, and was amazed and flabbergasted at some of the posts I read. there are a lot of people in my situation suffering from chronic pain. The only reason I registered on your site was so I could make a comment about this. I wanted to know if I could take the Tramadol, spaced hours apart, with the Morphine safely. What I found here, in my opinion, is people asking questions about narcotics just to get high or a buzz. I may have gotten the wrong impression. But I do feel strongly about what I read. People like the ones whose posts I read are what's making it very difficult for us, the ones in actual need pain relief, to get treatment. Then, it's very controlled and you have to submit to tests, and sign contracts. And there's a black market out there that people are mis-using and even abusing. What is wrong here? I sure hope I get some answers here. It is not my intention to criticize or cut anyone down. I'm terribly confused.

Many people were initially prescribed these medications for the same reasons you were. The drugs you are taking are highly addictive. Many people were also cut off cold turkey, or the drugs stopped working, or they were made to jump through hoops, or whatever. Just like you. What do you honestly expect?

Because it sounds like you're in pretty similar situations to me.

 

[d1nach]

Drugs are synthesized now so if you feel there isnt enough it has nothing to do with addicts because they dont control how much is allowed to be made.