Withdrawal from Morphine and Oxycodone

[sammacel]

My wife has for years suffered from post-polio syndrome (nerves in legs dying).  She has been on 100mg MS x3 and Oxycodone 5mg x 8 for breakthrough pain.  She has recently had a neurostimulator implanted which seems to have been quite successful and now wants to begin reducing the opiates and get rid of their side effects.  She is 80 years old and has high blood pressure.
What protocol would be good to reduce the drugs?   Is there a standard model to follow?  I know it will probably not be possible to eliminate them completely because the neurostimulator is not perfect.
Thank You, Sam

[J T Junig, MD PhD]

Given her advanced age, I would go quite slow-- on the order of a reduction of maybe 10% each month.  There is no significant toxicity from either medication;  the only reason to stop them would be to get away from the side effects, like constipation or sedation.  I say this because some people get it in their heads that they are doing something 'wrong' for taking pain pills.  If she is not having side effects from them, there is no need to rush the tapering process and go through withdrawal!

[rocketmentor]

A related discussion, oxy or morphine withdrwal was started.

[catwoman64]

I HAVE BEEN ON MORPHINE EXTENDED RELEASE TABLETS 800 MG A DAY AND OXY IR'S 5 MG. X 8 A DAY FOR BREAKTHROUGH PAIN AND MY DOCTOR LEFT HER PRACTICE AND LEFT ME HANGING... I HAVE ABOUT 30 OXY IR'S LEFT AND 2-3 MORPHINE TABLETS LEFT AND IM SCARED IM GOING TO GO THROUGH WITHDRAWALS IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.. WHAT AM I SUPPOSE TO DO?!  ITS SCARY.. IVE WENT THROUGH WITHDRAWALS BEFORE OVER MINOR STUFF AND IT WAS BAD ... I COULDNT HARDLY STAND IT AND  I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO BE WORSE .......SO WHAT DO I DO ABOUT THIS AND NOT TO MENTION THE PAIN IM GOING TO BE IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  im scared!!!