Morphine v. Methadone?
 

Can anyone tell me the difference between what morphine feels like as opposed to methadone? I am taking Percocet and when I go to my pain doc next month, I want to ask him about something with a longer half life and keeping the percocet for breakthrough pain.

I know that he prescribes methadone for a neighbor of mine, but my understanding is that methadone is more closely related to Darvocet where Morphine is more closely related to Percocet. I've never done well on stuff like Darvocet which, strength aside, is why I'm on Percocet.

So, I'd much rather try the Morphine, but I'm not sure how he's going to approach it. What are your experiences? Do you feel a difference between the two? Did/does one work better for you than the other?

Thanks for your input.
Caat

If you are considering
 

Methadone, you must read the post I made in Useful Websites here.

You should get a screening EKG to rule out any potential cardiac effects.
Methadone is the only opiate (recently found) to affect the heart, and some
doctors are NOT up on this new data.

So do be careful.

What about OxyContin?

The active ingrediant in Percocet is Oxycodone.
The active ingrediant in OxyContin is Oxycodone.

Essentially, OxyContin is timed released Percocet.

They both have the exact same active ingrediant - Percocet is the short-acting version and OxyContin is the long acting version.

And just so you know - many patients take OxyContin and Percocet together... they take the OxyContin for their long-acting medication to provide around the clock pain relief, and they take Percocet as the break-through medication to provide immediate relief for pain flares.

If the Percocet works well for your pain, then OxyContin would probably be a good choice for a long-acting medication since the active ingrediant is the same.

But, just so you know -- most doctors hate when their patients ask for a specific medication by name. Usually the best course of action is to simply tell the doctor your symptoms and describe the pain and how it effects you, and then ask the doctor if there are any medications that would provide longer acting pain relief.

Hope that helps :)
Welcome to NeuroTalk :)

Liz

Hi Caat ~

Welcome to NeuroTalk! I hope you stick around and get to know us better ~

I agree with what Liz said ~ Oxycontin is the long-acting version of Percocet. But many Doctors won't script Oxycontin anymore because of the drug abuse potential.

I also agree with Liz about letting the Doctor come up with something for you. Many Doctors consider it a "red flag" when a patient asks for a specific medicine.

Good luck to you ~ stop by anytime with any questions or concerns!

Love,
Sue

I've used Methadone, and am currently using Morphine. The Methodone wasn't very effective for my pain. The morphine helps a lot more, but it does tend to make me drowsy at higher doses. For breakthrough pain I use Dilaudid. I used to take Percocet for a year and a half, but became concerned about all the acetamenophine intake I was getting from it.

Good luck at finding whatever works best for you!!!

Idealist

I have never used methadone and take long acting morphine (Kadian) every 8 hours and percocet 10\325 2-3 x daily as needed for breakthrough which works well although oxycontin made me foggy at any dose...with Kadian making me feel very normal so all meds work differently for all of us and its trial and error to find what works for us! I agree most Dr's resent pt's asking for drugs by name although my pcp knew me as a nurse and trusts my judgement so I can get by with it with her!

I'm a methadone gal
 

First, welcome to Bigcaat - I hope the information you are getting will keep you here so that you can enjoy the friendships you are bound to make.:)

Second of all, I need to introduce myself back into the Chronic Pain forum as I have not been active here for reasons unknown even to myself. :confused: Some old history, perhaps, but a new year brings renewed interest in a very important topic. Among other things, I have very painful neuropathy (idiopathic) made worse by 4 unsuccessful foot surgeries. I hope that someday I will be pain free. Until then, I will educate myself as best as I can!!

Mrs. D - thanks for the update on methadone. I have had an EKG a few years ago but maybe it's time for another?!

Anyway, I take methadone with Oxycodone (Percocet's generic) for BT pain. I DO NOT take lightly the responsibility of taking a narcotic. If I must take them, and I do, I can't take them willy nilly and expect them to work or, in the case of taking too many, end up in the ER or worse. I'm still a little afraid of them which I think is good, for me anyway.

I tried OxyContin when I first tried narcotics and it didn't work for me. I've not tried any morphine based products. I've asked my Pain Doc's NP about them and she put me off stating, "not yet". Does that mean that Kadian is stronger or just another option for her down the road - I don't know.

Well, I've written a lot to say a little but I hope it's ok that I'm here and will be back more often this year.

Thanks for the info,
nancyh

Thank you, everybody, for all of the wonderful information. I see my doctor in about 3 weeks. I didn't realize that Oxycontin was a longer acting version of Percocet and didn't know anything about Methdone and heart problems, which does concern me, since I have Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia, and a long family history of heart problems.

I'm not sure how up front I can be with this doctor, with regard to what you were saying about 'suggesting' medications, so I certainly won't do that, but I'm not sure if I can even say I'm leary about Methadone if that's what he prescribes.

It angers me that I have to 'suss-out' what I can say or not say. I'm so tired of not just being able to go in there and be 'part of' my own care. :mad: It's my body, I should have a say in it. I should be given my options, and then be able to make my own choices, rather than just have to blindly follow anything anyone says.

Anyway, thanks for all of your wonderful input. I will keep you updated.

Best,
Caat

Hi Catt,
I"m on methadone for my LA med and have been now for probably about 3 yrs, I have been on many of the meds, I was on Oxycontin with vicodin for BT for several yrs then I was on the duragesic patch and on and on, I have to say that I'm happier on the methadone then I was any of the others.
However with the methadone most drs will not rx anything for a BT med at least I know 3 of the drs I have seen do not believe in it and I have heard from others that their drs won't either.
However I have found that I rarely feel the need for anything for BT.
I found that once they got my dosage worked out on the methadone it has managed my pain pretty well.
I don't know how your relationship is with your drs but I have a good relationship with my drs and we often have talked freely about certain medications I thought might work better for me or that I might like to try.
Like you I want to be a part of my health care.
I wish you the best of luck with your app.
Linda

methadone vs morphine
 

Due to my rash of medical conditions, I've had to take the hard stuff for almost two years now.

My docs tried everything on me -- ultram was a joke, fentanyl patches had no effect, oxycontin was worthless, and oxycodone was the same --

Relief wasn't found until a trip to the emergency room because I couldn't take it anymore -- and an Intern -- yes, an intern -- prescribed methadone.

Morphine has no effect on me. When I have to have surgeries, I dread them, because I have to do it with no pain control. They can even hook me up to pumps of it and inject me and nothing.

Methadone -- I've been on 10 mg every 8 hours now for 20 months -- keeps me from committing suicide.

That's not an exaggeration.

(And, I only pay $10 cash for a month's worth. That's great on a tight budget. No insurance cut either.)

Mellie

(arachnoiditis/Chiari malformation/syringomyelia C1-T9/C4 shunt/DDD)