Doctor given me oromorpth ?? morphine

Is it addictive
will i become to dependant on it
Prescribed 1 5mm spoonfull when required

mst sachets 12 hour pain relief morphine

will it help me sleep

should i try to hold off taking them for as long as possible

David
David and Susan

For me, Morphine was completely addictive and one of the hardest parts of my recovery was coming off it. Not mentally, but actual physical addiction. I'd get muscle cramps, and spasms, and my emotions would be all over the place! I'd get terrible pains in my legs. & i've never been addicted to anything in my life!
It didn't help me sleep at all. The first time i took it i was away with the fairies for the whole afternoon! & the Cancer Centre made me stay there until it subsided! Eventualy it didn't have that effect, and i needed more and more for adequate pain relief. At one point i was on 20ml.
If you can bare to not take it then don't. But if the pain is bad then do.
I know others on here also became morphine dependant. But it really is good for the pain.
IF you do, then stay stocked up on Movicol because it's very binding!
You may not become dependant though, because everyone reacts differently. & you wont become addicted fom your first go.
Clickhere to see other posts on morphine.
Michelle

Dear David, please dont worry at this stage about addiction, everyone reacts differently to drugs. Its more important that you are free of pain. The MST is very good, my Husband was eventually on 30mgms twice a day so we never needed the Oramorph for the breakthrough pain. It did make him Nauseated,but he was prescribed anti-emetics which helped & the Movical sorted the Constipation. He slept for Scotland!! but when he was asleep I knew he wasnt in pain.
When you are taking the MST, please take it every 12hrs, dont be tempted to delay a dose if you feel your pain isnt too bad. The object is to keep you free of pain by keeping a level of the drug in your system.
You will eventually come off the Morphia by gradually reducing doses & this helps to alleviate the symptoms of withdrawal which some people experience.
Best wishes to you both.

Hello David and Susan

I don't often get onto the site tend to leave it to Kate. Couple of tricks that might help i found that if you add a good amount of water to the Oramorph it works wonders as a mouth wash if you swill it around a minute or two it really does knock out the pain in the mouth before swallowing.

I also gargled with it for a while, whilst in hospital I was taking around 30mg 2 or 3 times aday, was also on 75 mcg fentanyl patch.

Six week later have reduced the fentanyl patch to 25 mcg and take 5 ml of Oramorp (more as a mouth wash for the dreaded trush and ulcers). I did go 10 days without taking any Oramorph it did not seem to cause any problems .
I agree with both Chelle and Fran if in pain take the Oramorph for break through pain, later on you can cut back on the dose.

You might want to check out the fentanyl patches (Dtrans) you only have to change the patch once every 3 days.

Keep well

Regards


Tony

Robin is two weeks post therapy and he has had a fentanyl patch (now 50mg)and oromorph 15 mls every two - four hoursfor weeks.I was very very worried about addiction and i dont think it is the right word to use .Apparently both these drugs create dependancy that creates side effects when you start to reduce the dosage this has to be carefully monitored by a doctor.the bottom line is that robins doctors were only concerned about his pain and both these medications are designed for long term use.Dependancy is a problem but not insurmountable if dealt with properly.The most important thing we have been told is that under no circumstances should you quit using them straight off.It has to be done slowly and under constant review.Robin is currently trying to reduce the fentanyl back to a 25mcg patch but yesterday he suffered quite bad withdrawl symptoms so we had to up his oromorph to every two hours.When he has settled down again we have to reduce the oromorph right down,then lose the patch and up the oromorpoh until he is sttled ,then drop the oromorph down gradually.Like everything else its a question of being sensible,but do not suffer pain uneccesarily

I know my post on morphine sounded a bit like a horror story *lol* but i just want to clear something up!
I REALLY wouldn't have been able to do without it! The weekend before i started it i was in chronic pain from the ulcers. I couldn't even speak. I tryed honey and ended up crying in agony! The morphine took the edge off no end.
It took me about 4 weeks to come off it - with doctors advice. First by reducing the dose (20ml, 17ml, 15m, 12ml, 10ml, 7ml, 5ml) & the reducing the frequency (every 3 hrs, 4hrs, 3times a day, twice a day, once a day) Until it was every other day. & it got to where i was on 5ml just every other a day. Yet the withdrawel symptoms still hit me hard for about 5-7 days after i stopped it all together. My left arm would seize up completely, and like i said, would also have cramps and chronic pains in myt legs.
But needs must i guess! I still wouldn't have done without it & i'm off it now!
Michelle

I found Oromorph to be an absolute god-send for break-through pain relief, I am on MST 40 mg twice daily and occasionally do need to top up with Oromorph (usually in the evenings). Yes Oromorph is very binding so do use Movicol to compensate and yes it can make you a bit sleepy. I have been told that it isn't addictive but everyone is different and will have varying reactions. Don't fight it - if you are in pain take the Oromorph. I dilute it with warm water.

I see you are from County Durham. Did you have surgery at Durham or Newcastle RVI? If RVI we might have been at the same clinic! All good wishes.

Hi everyone

Sorry I did not respond to the answers you posted re morphine, but I was admitted to hospital, and in the end was glad of the morphine, it sorted out the pain I was in and since coming home I have used Oromorph a couple of time during the night.

Brenda, my surgery was at Darlington Memorial and this time I have had my RT and chemo at James Cook University.

Thanks for the support.

Dave & Sue

Hi guys, Guess Oromorph should be sending up shares very soon for the advetising
I too had Oromorph and it was a godsend to me, I also have some and when the pain in my mouth due to my gums and teeth get bad I take it to get some relief from the pain.

Paul