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Morphine

Posted , 8 users are following.

gemma83759
gemma83759

Hi all

I posted a couple of weeks ago about having to half my leflunomide dose, just an update, I had to stop it completely yesterday. The blood test I had last Thursday showed the three liver enzymes had jumped again to 6 times the normal range. I'm not on any dmard now and I'm in horrendous pain. My gp phoned on Monday night and issued me morphine, I've been taking (as directed) 2.5 ml every four hours. It's not really doing much to help the pain!! How does this dose compare to u guys having had it? The morphine is only to get me through the week till I see my rheumatologist on Monday. I'll prob need a wash out to get rid of the leflunomide still in my system so I can start a new dmard. I've tried methotrexate, sulfasalazine and leflunomide, wot else is there to try? Also I'm worried about lasting damage to my liver!! This is my third week off work, thankfully my boss is quite sympathetic so I don't feel pressured into going back. I'm being sick with so much pain everywhere particularly my hands, wrists shoulders and feet. Feeling miserable and worthless.

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • chris65956
    chris65956 gemma83759

    Posted

    So sorry to hear you are in so much pain Gemma. I had to come off Methotraaxate and Leflunomide for the same reason and am now having Cimzia injections at first 200ml every 2 weeks but now 400ml every month. I have been in a lot of pain in hands, wrists, fingers and shoulders ever since I came off Metho and nothing else seems to work as well. I have also been taking Prednisolone for almost 3 years now and cannot function on less than 3mg per day - down from 12 -

    which is discouraging as I thought the injections might give me a chance to come off it. I can't take morphine as it makes me really sick as does tramadol so that only leaves regular paracetamol and ibuprofen taken alternatively. I'm feeling the cold more too and sit with soft cozy throws wrapped around me in the evening when my husband and son are in shorts and t shirts, very fetching!

    Keep your chin up and do whatever makes you most comfortable especially keeping warm and resting when you can and really lay it on thick when you have your appointment on Monday, Good Luck XX

     

    • gemma83759
      gemma83759 chris65956

      Posted

      Hi Chris

      Thanks for your reply, do you get prednisinone injections? I've been feeling hot, which is unlike me add usually I feel cold. All my sore points are so inflamed, swollen and hot to touch. I'm regularly taking morphine till I see the rheumatologist on Monday. You keep warm and well too, thanks again. Gemma. X

    • chris65956
      chris65956 gemma83759

      Posted

      Hi Gemma

      I've had both injections and tablets of Pred but just tablets at the minute, it does help but when I was on high dose put on so much weight that it puts extra strain on the joints so not such a great idea so try and manage with as little as possible. I am going into hospital next tuesday for a procedure to deal with a cyst on my spine which is pressing on a nerve and causing sciatica all down my left side so just another thing to deal with. There is only a 50/50 chance it will work so wish me luck! I am so fed up of a seemingly unending list of problems but don't want to go back on anti depressants so am just soldiering on like everyone else. X

  • loulou282
    loulou282 gemma83759

    Posted

    hello

    i take morphine for breakthrough pain but i take 5 or 10 or inbetween, my dr told me you can take morphine every hr if you want, if i have maxed out on my co codamol and tramadol then mprphine is good but highly addictive, i do hope you get some relief, i to am suffering atm, good luck x

    • gemma83759
      gemma83759 loulou282

      Posted

      Hi loulou, thanks for your reply, my gp suggested tramadol, if tried tramadol previously but it made me feel strange so I couldn't take it. I'm going to contact my gp to see if I can up my dose as 2.5mg isn't doing much!! Are you taking a dmard too?
  • tony38011
    tony38011 gemma83759

    Posted

    Hi gemma,

    Can sympathise with you as I've been off all immune suppressing meds such as DMARDs, biologics and steroids for 8 months - good fun innit!!! sad

    I was given oral morphine for sciatica. Like you I was prescribed 2.5ml every 4 hours but it did little to control the pain. Dose was later upped to 10ml but even that had little effect. My wife reckons it was increased even further to 20ml, but I can't recall this as I was probably too spaced out at the time.  I ended up on slow release tablets which did give me decent relief. I think they prefer patients on a minimum dose to see how they get on, then take it from there. Some folk are ok with morphine, but it made me feel ill with stomach issues and constipation like you wouldn't beliieve.  Also had hallucinations with the tablets, but I could live with those as some were quite pleasent. smile

    I'm currently taking tramadol, paracetomol, naproxen and hydroxychloroquine for my RA but it ain't doing much.

    If DMARDs are not working for you then it might be a good idea to ask your rheumy about biologics. I was on enbrel for a few months and it worked wonders for me.

    Oh, probably no need to say this, but be sure to ask your doc before increasing morphine.

    Hope you get sorted soon......

    • gemma83759
      gemma83759 tony38011

      Posted

      Hi Tony,

      Yeh I'm having a great time lol. I'm actually worried about these biologics that everybody talks about. Having now tried three dmards I think my rheumatologist will try a biologic. I'm fine on morphine and I'm not experiencing any spaced out ness my gp thought I would. Least the morphine is giving me some relief. Will they change your dmard if it's not doing anything for you? Makes you wonder about the dmards, we take them to stop deformities but I've always taken dmard but my hands are consuming changing shape!! Thanks again for your reply, I thank god for this site, you don't feel so isolated. G.

    • tony38011
      tony38011 gemma83759

      Posted

      According to my rheumatologist, hydroxy is not an immune suppressor.. Not sure what it is exactly, but do know it is not very toxic hence not as effective as other meds like methotrexate lefluomide etc. I started taking 200mg about 2 months ago. Not sure if it's having any effect but keeping my fingers XXXX...mentally anyway. If it does give me some relief then I think my rheumy will up the dose to 400mg. If it has no effect then I think she will stop it. If it doesn't work then as reluctant as I am about going back on dmards, I'll seriously have to consider going on a low dose of methotrexate as I'm really struggling with my RA at the mo.

      I can understand your concerns about biologics. I was one of the unlucky ones and suffered serious complications with it, so had to come off it. I also decided to stop all other immune suppressants at the same time because of the risk of becoming ill again. That said, I must add that the complications I had were due to another much more recent chronic health condition I was/am suffering from. There's every chance I would have been ok, as many others are that take enbrel, if it wasn't for that. Such a pity as it worked great for the few months I was on it. 

       

    • Buckeyes
      Buckeyes tony38011

      Posted

      I am feeling so fortunate after reading all the posts on this site!  Before I found out I had RA I had horrible pain in my arm, like I had broken it.  Also my hands an wrists ached so bad that I couldn't even turn a doorknob or use my curling iron!  When I finally had blood work confirming it I was given a prednisone injection and also the pills.  I tried sulphasalazine (sp) and it didn't work.  I had to quit methotrexate because I developed lung disease which it can cause.  Since then I have been using Enbrel injections once weekly.  Except for some mild achiness in my wrists and swelling in them as well as my hands I don't even feel that I have RA!  I only use Enbrel and lots of vitamins.  I really feel for the rest of you because I had the pain you talk about!  I just pray that it continues to work!  Cost is enormous, though!

      Good luck to all!

  • nathan72763
    nathan72763 gemma83759

    Posted

    How awful Gemma. I've been there too I'm surprised you can work. I am much better now i read up on pred that if I took 7.5 mg within a week I'd feel much better so that's what I did and I'm in remission I guess. 7.5 is considered safe that side effects are very rare. I'm also on a natural program which I can't advertise on this site. I know though that ra can be overcome as I've spoken here in th UK that have succeeded.

    good luck.

  • Rowbirdie
    Rowbirdie gemma83759

    Posted

    Hi Gemma

    i guess you must have your rheumy appointment soon so wishing you well. If they do suggest a biologic don't be afraid to go for it. For many people, including myself, it s a breakthrough medication which can really make a difference.

    • gemma83759
      gemma83759 Rowbirdie

      Posted

      Thanx Rowbirdie, my appointment is today. It can't come quick enough as far as I'm concerned. I've got a new symptom, I was diagnosed with tmj long before I had ra and my jaw was problematic for years, the left side of my jaw used to lock closed for weeks until I had an operation which cleaned the jaw joint, after that it's been fine for two years. My ra this last few weeks has never been so bad, it's horrendous as I'm inbetween dmards. Now the right side of my jaw has flared up it feels like the jaw joint had moved and my teeth are not lining up as they were, the pain is def ra pain in the joint area. My jaw problem has never been linked to the ra before but now I'm thinking it has to be connected? Any thoughts? G. X
    • Rowbirdie
      Rowbirdie gemma83759

      Posted

      I haven't had it but my rheumy nurse always asks if I have pain in my jaw. It s definitely linked to RA . X
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