Dear Susanne C.

Loved your line above. That is priceless. You made me grin for sure and I needed to do that right now.

Hey my friends.....thanks for the recent posts....I really appreciate them

Y'all make me so happy !

What I've figured out is that if I take 1/2 to a whole oxycodone about an hour after taking my morning ER Morphine I feel like my old self.

My dr told me to ONLY TAKE the oxycodone at least 6 hours after the morphine. But I was feeling so poorly Saturday morning that I took 1/2 an oxycodone and within an hour I was feeling good and that's the day I went to Home Depot.

I know they have office policies about how much of what you can take and when they can be taken.

If this keeps working for me I'd like to tell my pain dr about it but I am a little worried about telling him too. I'd like to know WHY this is working for me. Does the oxycodone help to make the morphine work better ? I take these about 9 or 10 am and then about 4 pm I take another oxycodone and I do pretty well during the evening.


I have actually been awake all day long for the last few days which is extremely rare for me. I have spent time in bed resting but not sleeping throughout the day.

My head is 'clear' during this time and my thought process is much better.

Any idea why taking my meds like this might be helping ?

Its only been a few days but I'm hopeful this will keep on and if so I can add things throughout the day, like sweeping and such things as that.

Due to be in the bed or on the couch so much the last 3 years I know my muscles are weak and I've got to add a little activity at a time to get my strength back.

Thank all of you for your well wishes. That really means a lot to me.

Debi

Hi Debi,

I think you are getting great benefit from taking your meds like this because you are virtually double-dosing. But, hey, to get relief I have to take my Tramadol, Ketamine and Morphine together. We sometimes do what we must - but we DO NOT tell our PM Drs.

I am surprised you are functioning clear-headed, both meds can cause confusion, drowsiness and memory loss and taking together can increase this effect. So enjoy the new lease on life this combination has given you. Just be careful about dose sizes.

Dave.

My adult kids told me the same thing tonight. Double Dosing.

That sounds TERRIBLE ! I guess not having much experience with pain meds I just don't really understand.

The ER morphine is 15 mg and my oxycodone is 10-325 if that means anything.

I get no 'high' feeling from this....just feel better and the pain is low. Almost feel like my happy go lucky self of long ago.

I agree Dave.....if that is what it takes to get me going again and I don't have any side effects from it then I guess that's the way to go and not tell my dr.

I'm just such a truthful person I hate keeping it from him but this combo has helped me more than anything I've tried in 3 years since this started.

Thank you Dave for your post.

Debi

Hi Debi,

Even though it may be a double dose it does not sound as if it's harming you since you're not high or groggy. Plus, the quality of life that you are gaining from this is a huge benefit. I am so happy for you Deb! Your secret is safe with me

Cliffman

I was able to go to our small grocery store yesterday and I actually cooked a big dinner for my family.

I was in pain last night when I went to sleep but did sleep all night.

I woke up this morning in severe pain ! I was at a solid 9 in my feet and hands. I drug myself out of bed and got something to drink and took my morning meds that included the morphine. Stayed in bed.

An hour later I still felt awful in my head and my pain level had not gone down much.

I took a whole oxycodone 10-325 and within 30 minutes I was able to get out of bed. My pain has gone down to a 5/6 but my head is clear so as usual the pain is easier to handle when my head is 'clear'.

Do any of y'all experience the 'head' thing that I do when my pain levels are high ? I can't think straight and I'm miserable in my 'head' as well as in pain. It's a moan and groan feeling.

After the oxycodone all those feelings in my 'head' stop.

I have got to STOP over doing when I feel good. I do this every time !

Y'all are so sweet....thanks for the messages ! They really brighten my day !

Debi

It is clear to me, Debi, That your ER morphine dose is too small. Any time you have to use breakthrough meds as a part of your regular regimen (especially at the same time other meds are in force), it's because the base medication isn't enough to properly control your pain.

You need to tell your doctor, but you really don't have to tell him you've been doing it all the time. Just tell him you've done it enough times to confirm the positive result and then waited to discuss it with him. Hopefully, he will see the clear signs that you need an increase in the morphine.

Break through meds are actually only to be needed for times when you over exert in some way or other times when your morphine wears off before the next scheduled dose.

The 'head' thing is also clear signs of too much pain. On the patch, you were receiving around the clock relief (or at least reduction of pain)...enough to keep the head stuff from happening. Severe pain can cause many other symptoms besides pain. I get nauseous when in severe pain.

I think once your pain meds are properly dosed, you will be able to do what you want without fear of paying for it later. Some discomfort later after over-exertion is one thing, but what you are describing is just too much pain and not enough meds to cover it.

Thanks for the post.....lots of info that I can relate to.

When I was on the BuTrans and I did too much I had the same result as I did today. Just down and out but usually for days at a time. I also had to take my oxycodone 3 times a day and told my pain dr that it was actually 'part' of my pain regimen and not just for breakthrough pain. He agreed.

I also told him that I could not wait 8 hours between the oxycodone while on the BuTrans and that I was taking the 3 about every 4 to 5 hours apart a day. He said "you're not suppose to do that" but didn't tell me not to. He actually didn't say anything other than that.

So my 'head' feelings are a result of too much pain ? That makes sense. My neuro actually wrote "intractable" pain in my records when I was filing for SSDI.

I don't know that I've accepted the amount of pain I'm in. I always see the glass half full vs half empty. I never think I'm worse than anyone else. I've always had self confidence issues.....I think all this plays a part in my pain and how I feel about it.

I have seen another poster on here that is on the 30 mg of ER Morphine and it works for her very well and she does only use oxycodone for breakthrough pain.

Good suggestion on saying I've tried taking an oxy sooner on occasion and it seems to help more without any side effects.

It's just weird to me that after I take the oxycodone it just helps so much. Is it enhancing the morphine somehow? And if that works then why could I not use them together. Are both meds together just too much on the body ?

This combination is helping much more than the BuTrans/oxycodone did.

Since I've lost Bubba I feel so lost and alone in trying to figure all this out. He was my sounding board and the kids try but just don't understand chronic pain.

I know this message is all over the place. Please excuse me for that.

Thanks en bloc....I very much appreciate any help/suggestions.

Debi

It's not so much that the one enhances the other...it's just MORE pain meds, which you obviously need for properly relief. You just have to tell him that you are NOT getting the amount of relief you need unless you take them together (on the occasions that you've tried this...lol). When do you see him next?

BTW, I looked it up and it appears that 20 mcg BuTrans patch is equivalent to 40 mg morphine. Therefore, you may be under dosed compared to what you were taking.

Not unusual for pain mgmt to start out lower and work their way up...but he needs to know that this isn't working for you at this dose. So be sure to tell him.