I also have cervical herniated/prolapsed discs. They cause hot pain down arm and numb hands mostly the right. Also weakness in that hand which is the one I use most. It's been a few years. I was on Norco first, then when they herniated my Dr. immediately wrote me morphine script. It was necessary, there's no way the Norco or even Oxycodone covered the pain. I've been able to come down from 300mg/day to 120mg. I'm prescribed 180 but only take 2 tabs so I can save 1-I do this bc. I had the horrible experience of losing a great pain dr. to a sudden MI. He died and I had no meds to cover me through to find a new doc. The dr. who covered for him said he didn't believe in giving pain meds, so I was simply out of luck. I've heard of dr's just not caring if you go without for whatever reason, and leave you to fend for yourself. In fact, mine has recently changed positions from believing in prescribing pain meds to saying he prefers "procedures", and doesn't want to do the long term pain med route, although after he brought everyone down drastically he's allowing us to stay at this level indefinately, but who knows when he may change his mind again. I feel alright at this dose, didn't help much with the constipation tho, and there IS more pain experienced, but I feel like I can deal with it. If I had to go off the morphine though, I would just have constant unremitting pain, and lose all quality of life. I DID have an addiction to crack cocaine over 18 yrs. ago and bc of this my whole family thinks I'm just addicted to the morphine and maybe dont even have pain, even tho the MRI shows the nucleus pulposa sitting right on the nerves, but they still insist I'm ruining my life. I don't care anymore, I just tell them I wouldn't have a life if I didn't have pain relief. It sure would be nice to have one that addressed the physical pain without the side affects, the physical addiction, lack of sex drive, constipation, lethargy etc. but until then I pray I don't have to go thru withdrawel. I'm very careful about taking it right. And, just like many of you, it's completely different from getting high--I don't crave it mentally at all, I will sometimes forget to take it until the pain kicks in again ect. I know also that if I do surgery the chances of scar tissue/adhesions causing even worse pain is very high. Not good enough odds yet for me to elect surgery, although as soon as something better comes along I'll be the first to want it done. For now I think morphine is a Godsend and thank the kind dr's willing to help. The ones that percieve us as drug seeking addicts just don't understand or don't care.
One question for you all out there. How long before a person can test negatively on a urine test for narcotics if they suddenly stop their morphine? Also, some emergency rooms won't even help if you go in for help with withdrawel pain. Why is it so hard for some folks to understand we don't love the medication, but it allows us to function somewhat and if that's the only choice what choice is it really? I'm sure most would do the same, they just don't realize how bad the pain is I guess. I used to be a practicing chiropractor, and ironically only about 2 yrs after state liscensure I had my cervical discs herniating and wasn't able to practice anymore. I lost a whole career and have had a very difficult time with things since. Now I'm on SSI and making a paltry $845 a month. Any ideas folks? Thanks for any suggestions, I also have fibromyalgia and strange sleep schedule/or no schedule. I tend to be awake at night and asleep in the daytime which is REALLY disabling. Even more so than the medications and chronic pain.