I was wondering if anyone else has had the opportunity to reduce morphine gradually?. Since my surgery I have been reduced just 20 mgs. per month and I am still very sweaty, followed by some chills. Is this a normal reaction? I have also had several mornings feeling nauseated. My PCP gave me Effexor thinking it is sertonin uptake problems, but I am still having these side effects. I have not complained to the pain specialist because I really do want to do this. Not everyone gets this kind of chance, to be free of this medication. I have to try but this is miserable at times. ginnie

Do you mean he drops you 20mg all at once??? If so, that's too much!! You shouldn't drop any more than 5mg or at the most 10mg. I know that morphine doesn't come in 5mg, but you would have to cut them with a pill cutter. I ALWAYS wean at 5mg. and I have NO side effects at all. 20mg. is much too drastic, and I'm surprised you aren't having worse side effects than that!!

You might try taking some benedryl ~ that sometimes helps people when they're withdrawing.

Several years ago I got off ALL medications to make sure I wasn't addicted - I did this with my doc's permission. I weaned at 5mg. and had no trouble at all. And I wasn't addicted by the way. LOL I'm a recovering alcoholic, and I was afraid and wasn't as in tune to "addiction vs physical dependency." Now I know the difference. LOL

Best of luck. God bless. Hugs, Lee

Thanks leesa, yes, it has been 20mg at once. I will ask him to drop me slower this next month. I kinda thought that was what the problem was. It has been a difficult three months. I would like to have a break for the holidays and not feel so uncomfortable. I appreciate the information. ginnie

Your doctor should KNOW this kind of stuff! Dropping you that fast could cause MAJOR problems. I'm surprised at him. He needs re-educating, big time. When he's working with narcotic medications, he'd better start lowering patients alot slower than that!! He could have some major problems on his hands if he doesn't.

I hope he'll do this for you and it works better. God bless. Hugs, Lee

Thanks for your ear. I feel like he let me down, by not allowing this drop in medication to go easier. I had no idea. I have trusted this dr. and now I am not so sure I should keep him. The quality of my life is in his hands, and I think he should think about that. I have been miserable since my surgery, and have told him repetedly, about the sweating and chills. I have never been anything but honest to the core with this dr. I am going to have to think this through about what to do. thanks again ginnie

Hi there, It's not the same med but the rules are the same for opioid reduction. (I had 2 doctors who helped me with my reduction.) The medicine should be reduced by no more than 10% each month.

I did this with Oxycontin and I was quite uncomfortable for the first month even with that small decrease. The other months were much easier. Though of course the pain came back too. Anyway, many doctors do not do this the right way, and want to decrease it way too fast.

I hope your doctor is compassionate and listens to you. Perhaps you could bring him information about this gathered from the Net, and tell him it you found it at a non-profit group, instead of saying you got it off the net which drives most doctors nuts.
The American Pain Foundation is a good source for these sorts of things. (And is a non-profit group.)

Take Care,
Sunrise