want to get off meds myself--Help

[Hope___Fully]

if anyone could go back to the main page...i posted my question on the wrong forum I guess......I have a really long story but if anyone could go back to the main page and read my story and offer me some help I would greatly appreciate it soon much......it is under the same title as this and my name is Hope___fully.......PLEASE READ IT....anyone I need some help and the story is so long I just can't write it again...PLEASE HELP ME.....

[luvdolphins58]

Welcome. How can i help.

[Hope___Fully]

please could you go back to the main page and read my story it's soon much to retype and I didn't know I was writing in the wrong place...please...same title i want to get of med myself help

[Hope___Fully]

Could you please go back to the main MedHelp forum on the 1st screen and please read...need some advice ---big time

[Yesidid]

I'm sure my story is prob the same as everyone else on these meds....well it started in 2006 after a few years of pain in the base of my skull and neck....I went to my GP and after physical therapy and a numbers of nsaids, etc etc....he put me on Morphine SR and Loratab.....long story short I was on 90 mg of Morphine a day --- 30 mg 3 x a day and Loratab 10 mg 3 x a day for break through pain.....btw he didn't start me out on this high dose it gradually increased to this amt but it helped so much....but in the mean time I've been wanting to get off all the meds I feel like an addict and don't want to feel this way anymore....Ive never doctor shopped and have always seen the same doctor for this problem....so now my doctor has decided to go into administration at the hospital and no longer sees patients in the office and his associates doesnt do pain management ...so he work me a very nice letter telling any future doctors I see that Im not abusing drugs never have and only use what he gives me and the same pharmacy...so i thought seeing a pain management doctor would be the answer for me I must have picked the wrong one for sure because he doesn't want to prescribe me any meds at all and said he def couldn't give me what i have been on....excuse me I thought they were suppose to help you boy was i wrong in this case...I said long story short but i guess it isn't because I have so much more to say.....so when i found out my doc was leaving his practice I decided myself to cut back on the morphine...I started taking 1 30 mg in the am and 1 30 mg at night....i was down to 2 Loratab a day 1 10mg am 1 10mg pm but not at the same time i was taking the morphine....the first day it was awful I felt like i was getting the flu aching all over nose running and bad yawing sorta thing....guess it's the classic withdrawals ....also since my GP knew he was leaving the practice he gave me 3 months worth of Morphine and 5 months with of Loratab to last me till I could find another doctor which would have been very helpful but the government decide to take away any scripts that have hydrocodone in it so I lost 4 months worth of the Loratab.....no happy about that can't understand how the government can regulate what the doctor gives you its crazy....so my other problem is Ive had Kidney problems since I was 19 years old when I had to have the lower lobe removed because of so many stones and every 2 years after that Ive had to have lithotripsy to crush the stone...that being said my kidney had eventually stopped functioning and my urologist wanted to remove my kidney which was done Oct 2014.....so all this is going on at the same time as Im trying to reduce the meds...my urologist put me on Percoset for the pain....and being Im trying to reduce all these other meds....ok so at the time I'm reducing the meds I was keeping the ones I wasn't taking so I would have some if anything happened and good thing I did because since i found the wrong pain doctor that won't write any scripts I have some I can use in the mean time....oh he did offer me some advise....get this....he wrote me a prescription for MorphineER 15 mgs......his advice was to stop taking the Percocet (which I'm using for the pain of my kidney removal) and to take the Morphine ER 15 mgs for 2 weeks and then take the percocet.....he also told me that he wasn't prepared for withdrawals and couldn't do anything for that so I should just to to the emergency room....this is coming from a pain management doctor...that seems to be a joke to me....ANYWAY so I've decided to try and cut down the pills my self.....so this is how i'm gonna do it and I'm praying it works.....since i'm already down to morphine 30 mgs 2 x day...i thought that I would take a 30 mg in the am and a 15mg morphine er 15 at night and maybe 1 percocet 10 mgs 1 x aday........so yesterday i took  1 percocet 10mg when i got up at 8 i was hurting from my surgery then about 11 am i took morphine 30 then last night when i went to bed i took morphine er 15 mgs.....and did ok...so this morning i thought i would just take the Morphine 15 instead of the 30 I took this at 1030 but when i woke up hurting from the surgery at 745 I took 1 10mg percocet....i feel like if i can keep reducing the morphine to the 15 mg I will be able to get off these meds all together....and at that point I'll worry about the arthritis and bulging  disc in my neck at that point......i never wanted to be on all these meds at all and it will sure save me a lot of time and effort from doctor bills to prescriptions prices etc etc...so if anyone can help with this reducing thing i would greatly appreciate anyones help.........thanks so much

[Yesidid]

Hello  Hope.

Praying for you tonight. I posted your original post above so others could read it here.

[Krissy_123]

I don't know a lot about morphine,but I'd suggest if you're just starting the oxy now....quit. I'm on the end of my 8th day clean from them after 11 years and still feel like crap. A bit better but not by much. And sorry about the doctor issues. It's so not fair is it?? I didn't asked to be prescribed a deadly addictive pain med at a high dose? Yet I'm left to suffer well he just goes about living his life like it's not his problem.

[Krissy_123]

7th day I mean not 8th....I just wish it Was the 8th. Lol. I'm sure someone will be along soon to help you. There are some great ppl here.

[Shawnee1988]

We actually aren't allowed to give tapering advice here. It's against the rules as we aren't doctors and don't know your entire medical history. I suggest going to a different doctor or go into the ER and tell them your situation and that your doctor can't help you taper. They might have better resources. Good luck! It's so much better being clean!

[meegWpaw]

wow Hope that is a complicated situation.  i agree with the poster that said you should go to another doctor.  can you try finding someone you like better, someone who seems more qualified to help you and more interested in your sitch?  it sounds like you really have a good handle on your taper, in terms of going down in gradual amounts, but it is complicated by the fact that you have some legit pain issues.  yes, it is sad that some in the medical field really do not want to get involved in addressing issues about addiction, but again, you seem to have excellent perception and perspective about what you need to do and how to do it.  i am sorry you are feeling so alone and frustrated.  more ppl should come around tomorrow after the holiday.  good luck hope you are feeling all right.

[Hope___Fully]

Thanks so much for doing that wasn't sure how....

[Hope___Fully]

Thanks for your reply...I never wanted to be on all these meds and never knew the problems it could cause...i thought the doctor knows best...well I guess its not true...and now he's gone and yes I'll be the one to suffer for this....prayers needed please...I'm doing ok at the cutting down so I'm happy about that...just don't know what to do for the detox part...and if i cut back really low will I still have the detox part??? so many questions need all kinds of help from everyone...

[Hope___Fully]

thanks for your post....i understand about giving advice but if anyone could give some suggestions as to what they maybe have done in the past or something similar to me....i really want to be off all meds but no way i can quit everything all at once....ugh so frustrating....and looking for doctors is so hard and then they have to get you in which usually takes a while.....i really feel i can do this on my own...i do....and that's prob what i'll have to do....thanks for everything.....

[Krissy_123]

I commend you for being able to taper! I always made my pills stretch to the next script fill,and I always took to many at the start of the month so I was short at the end of the month. I always went through slight withdrawls. But tapering? Nope I couldn't do it. I was a pig with my pills. That's why I had no chose but to quit c/t. What you're doing sounds good. You are going to be uncomfortable but I'd think the lower dose you get down to then jump off should make w/d less harsh.

[Ouch3571]

First and fore most, give yourself a lot of credit for realizing what you need to do for yourself in regards to the pain medications!  I know we aren't allowed to give the 'tapering' advice on here, but I will say that it helps: It does/did for me.  Some people can go cold turkey (Which is the best), but others cannot.  I don't want to go into full detail about my story because that would be taking away from your ordeal, but for myself, I taper if needed because then the detoxing isn't as bad.  But, when I do get my next prescription, even though I am prescribed 4 narco a day, I will only take one or two IF NEEDED for the pain.  I refuse to take any more than that because I do not want to end up in a bad situation for many reasons.  But, I haven't been on them for a super long time and have already informed my doctor that once the pain in my arm reduces and when the nerves and muscles start rebuilding again, I do not want the meds any longer.  So for me, it's short term, but it's always easy to say, "yea, I'll take one a day, but at the end of the day, someone has taken 6".  It's a rough spot and I agree with others about going to another doctor.  You need to meet with someone that can provide different options: Pain management, tapering in a healthy manner, and even some choose Suboxone.  I know that Suboxone also helps with pain too, but it can become addictive, so be very careful.  If you choose to stop cold turkey, just prepare yourself that you WILL detox no matter what, but, keep reminding yourself through the detoxing process that it doesn't last forever and that YOU CAN GET THROUGH IT!!!  Once the opiates are out of your system, you will feel energy, hunger, etc,.....All the good that we are SUPPOSED to enjoy in life.  If you are in genuine pain (which you are), then really talk to a doctor about the medications: Maybe not as many of them and a huge reduction.  Hope that helps and keep your chin up! A lot of it is MIND OVER MATTER!!  

[Hope___Fully]

thanks for you comments....the thing about finding another doc is it takes awhile to get in and I really thought pain management doctors did "pain management" is that not his speciality....all i want is a clear cut way to cut back...thats it...oh well guess ill look around...

[Hope___Fully]

well today i feel like I've done really well tapering....i took 1 percocet at 830 and 1 morphine 15 mg at 115."i usually take one in am and one in pm" but since i didn't take it till 1pm i hope i can wait till tomorrow to take another and then i would be down to 1 aday....that would be awesome.....and yesterday i went 15 hours between the morphine....only 1 percocet in-between......yay to myself on that ....at least i feel good about it...

[Krissy_123]

Way to go sweetie!! Keep it up!! xox

[Hope___Fully]

Ouch3571 i really appreciate your comments....i'm thinking about the other doctor situation i really thought a pain management was the best alternative but not so sure now....anyway....i haven't taken that much today just this am 1 percocet 10 that was about 830 and then I took 1 morphine 15 at about 115 pm.( and from yesterdays morphine till today it was 15 hours between the 2) which i thought was pretty darn good and since it was late today I'm hoping i can wait till tomorrow to take another....and only took 1 percocet in-between them.....hoping to be only taking 1 aday and maybe this is a big step...but could you help me with this detox thing....i hear everyone talking about it but can you tell me about that??

[Hope___Fully]

can you tell me about this detox thing???  i hear everyone talking about it but don't know much about it......and if Im down to lower does is this detox thing really bad ....just wondering what I'm gonna be facing...thanks

[Hope___Fully]

thanks for your comments...and appreciate any suggestions that anyone can give me...ive heard lot about detox thing but don't know a lot about it...can you tell me about that???

[Hope___Fully]

thanks for the prayers....NEED ALL I CAN GET....

[Sonrissa]

Hi Hope,  please correct me if I'm wrong, but you are taking Morphine, Lortabs, and Percocet? Is that right? If so, that is a lot of Opiates.  They are all pretty much the same thing just different degrees of strength.  We really can not advise you on specific tapering instructions. You really need to see a different doctor and let them know exactly what you have been taking, how much per day, for how long, and why you've been taking them.  You will need, with a doctors help, an alternative solution for your pain issues.  We will Definately help you with any emotional support, and can help you with any type of withdrawal symptoms, and advice on how to ease them.  Please get yourself to another doctor ASAP. I know the laws have changed recently, and that's why you should see a doctor soon. I'm worried that your situation will get worse.

Please take care, and let us know how you are doing. I wish you all the best.

[Krissy_123]

So all you've taken is a 15mg morph and a 5mg perc today? I don't know how strong morph is,but sounds like a real low dose for a day. I can't answer how you feel through detox though? Ppl here say it's diff for everyone. I know that mine were nothing compared to what I terrified myself for though. They are awful and suck the big one,but I've survived. Even found lots to smile about these past 8 days. Don't sleep much,muscle craps in my legs and no appetite is the biggest things. But everyday gets better.

[Hope___Fully]

good job Krissy_123....I plan on being there myself because i CAN do this....i will deal with the pain somehow rather than being on the pills....idk at this moment how but somehow....i'm thinking that morphine 15mg isn't very much...at one point i was taking 3 30 mg tabs of morphine day plus in between that i was taking 3 10 mg Loratab between that....and trust me I still held down a job and a family so surely i can get off this stuff as low as i have gone now....i was reading some where that once you get lower than a pharmacy dose that the withdraw isn't bad...im praying I'm getting there...i was hurting a little bit ago and i did take 1 10mg percocet but for today I've done really good....i feel like anyway....thanks for talking with me i can't talk to anyone about this...so I'm depending on you guys to get me thru.....