Morphine patches

ricky1040

Hey all. I am today being switched from cocodamol and naproxen to 10mg morphine patches. Has anyone one else used these and how's it worked for you?

juneio

Hi am on morphine patches started them 2 years ago now , I started on 10mg and still felt pain my gp then put me on 20mg which works for me , I apply it on my lower back and change it every seven days alternating left to right , I find it really helpfull for me as nothing else worked for years . I did had to wait a few days once without the patch and as my script was not ready at chemist , I started having restless legs at night and pain I felt like it was a bit of withdrawal symptoms with having no patch for a few days .

I couldn't do without the patches they really do the trick .good luck I hope it works for you .

JonnycJonny

I do not know what type of pain you suffer from but if it is neuropathic in origin - nasty dysesthesia sensations, allodynia - then I have found morphine patches to be completely ineffective. That is not to say they won't be effective for you. Typically if you do a little research opioid based medications are poor at treating this kind of pain. Though of course you may find academic papers saying the contrary.

I use Gabapentin / Nortriptyline / Valium plus Lidocaine plasters to combat my ever present discomfort.

Best wishes

onedayatatime

Hello @ricky1040 Can I ask how you have been on these patches? Have you found them beneficial and could I kindly ask why you have been prescribed them? I've been on codeine 30mg x 8 a day with naproxen 2 per day as well as diazepam and gabapentin for degenerative conditions in my lumbar spine. My GP has suggested trying Butec patches and I'm considering the option. I'd be interested to hear your experience switching over to them.

ricky1040

I wasn't aware untill a few days ago but Im not allowed to give medical advice. So I can't say if they are good or bad. But I was taking exactly what you are taking. For a very similar condition. The reason they told me they wanted to move me was because the other medicines where addictive. And short fixes. As in I would get a couple hours of reduced pain then back to square one. However the patches are not just as addictive and strong enough to help with my pain and they last all week.

I have been on mine for 4 days I think now and it's working for me after about 48 hours it seemed to start. . But that's not to say it will for everyone. And I am not able to say either way.

ricky1040

Hey I am trying to put the words together to answer you. Don't think my above answer did a good job so....

I was on a very similar set of drugs to you and for issues with chronic pain originating from my back. I was on these medications for a long time.

After things becoming increasingly severe. I have been in hospital 3 times in past few weeks.

The drugs I was on where not particularly effective for me. And my quality of life had diminished badly.

So the hospital doc. Not my GP told me that the meds I was on should never have been a long term solution as they are highly addictive and short fixes. As in I'd maybe get a few hours where pain reduced from 8/10 to 6/10. No

However when I had go hospital. My pain had risen to 10/10. Worst pain I've ever felt. And I was having urinary incontinence issues also.

So the hospital put me on the patches. Replacing the others. And I was warned it would take a few days to take effect so in those few days IV continued gaba and diazapan. But now they have kicked in and for me it's been a game changer. My pain is now about 2/3 out of ten. And I feel a lot better. I get v sleepy. But not ridiculously so and it passes. No other side effects this far.

Once I have my MRI Monday they will discuss further if I need to go any surgical route. But that's obvious yet to be decided.

I cannot give you medical advice on here due to scope guidelines. And the medication I'm on won't necessarily work the same for everyone. I would discuss it with your medical team and take there advice.

One thing I will say tho is that I was in despair. And losing hope. Now I am feeling like life isn't over for me and I have a renewed fight in me.

@onedayatatime

onedayatatime

@ricky1040 thank you for sharing your experience, I did find it very helpful.

I have been on this combination of medication for several years, with dosages gradually being increased. It has reached the point where pain relief is only somewhat affective and only lasts for 2 to 3 hours max. My GP suggested trying these patches as an alternative.

I have had epidural steroid injections, nerve blocks as well as microdiscectomy/nerve decompression surgery but there has been no significant difference to my pain. My life has drastically been effected and I have also reached a point of feeling beyond hope now, especially as surgery has not produced the outcome i really hoped for.

I do try to be a very positive person and have done what I can to adjust to changes, accept my limitations and manage. But right now , I just want and need a let up from pain. I'm exhausted from it.

I am going to talk to my GP next week and discuss these patches with them and their suitability for long term chronic pain. I had declined them previously as I had hoped surgery was going to resolve some pain issues.

Thank you again for sharing your experience.

ricky1040

@onedayatatime . It's very early days for me on the patches. It's only been a week but my pain levels have drastically decreased. Day my day I'm coming off everything else. And as.of tomorrow I'll just be on the patches. Pain level are the lowest they have been in years. I am also sleeping better than I have In years. Had my MRI today and await results to see if there is a more permenant safe solution. But in the meantime time I'm just so pleased to not feel. As u put it. "beyond hope". Because like u I tried so hard to be positive but I was so so close to giving up. I now have renewed fight. So I can't tell you what to do but I hope whatever you do you fight and don't give up. U got this

Wibbles

I would be interested to hear from anyone who's tried Morphine patches as well as Liquid morphine - because I tried Liquid morphine and didn't like the side effects - mainly constipation (do you still get constipation with patches ?) - also the Morphine really didn't take my spine and shoulder pain away as well as Codeine (I am now back on Codeine 30mg *2 - 4 times per day)

onedayatatime

@ricky1040 I hope your MRI results give you some answers and options to help manage your pain. I've yet to talk to my GP and have decided to hold out for my next and final consultation with the surgeon about further options or procedures. I'm thinking that is likely to be pain management with further injections and medication. I just need that final conversation with him to know exactly where I'm at. I'm still clinging to that hope that this surgery will, with time, show some benefits.

@JonnycJonny pain in my left limb is caused by a nerve impingement in my spine I've had for 5 years. It's been caused by various degenerative conditions in my lumbar back that cause pain and resulted in scoliosis. My foot in particular is sensitive to touch and the sensations vary between burning, freezing and to feeling like there's a bag of worms in it. The top of the foot is very sensitive, like electric sensations.

@Wibbles I have constipation issues with the codeine but also take Lanzoprazole to protect my gut because of taking Naproxen. For me, the lanzoprazole side effects kind of balances out the codeine constipation issue. But I have previously been prescribed Lactulose which is a stool softener which I found very helpful. I'm wandering if the patches work as a more slow release method rather than a liquid? I'm no way a medical person so am no way suggesting anything to anyone! But I am interested to hear of other people's experiences.

ricky1040

Yea the doctor told me that the like of cocodamol etc is short acting so a quick burts of relief where the patches where better long lasting relief but again same as you said I'm not a doctor so can't recommend.. all I can say is that 2 weeks on them now and it's been extremely beneficial to my life. Pain levels are vastly reduced but I get very sleepy at times. But not the horrible exhaustion. But nice sleepy and then I have a doze and I feel ok. I can't wait to get my results had no joy contacting them about them. Been 8 days now. But I no they are all crazy busy. I'm hoping no news is good news. However at same time I nearly hope they find something that a surgery could permenantly fix. It's a conundrum. But overall quality of life is improved and I'm feeling more hopeful for future. We all got each others backs here. Let's do this.

kc1978

Hi had Butec Bupernorphine which were great, until I became full on allergic.

Now on fentanyl patches which help, and liquid morphine for severe Breakthrough pain.

However I have been told this will only be short term, and I will soon have to accept pain will be part of my life.

I will receive psychology support on how to accept and address pain in my Life.

Animals are treated better sometimes. All based on the Not NICE guidance for chronic pain management.

Pain specialist said you may be in pain, but your living a life!

I wish I could have got up to jump over his desk out of my wheelchair.

I had to just say. I'm alive, this is not living a life. Patronising Doctor just love them.

Jimm_Scope

That does sound like a really insensitive thing for the doctor to say @kc1978. You would hope doctors would be the group of people most able to relate, but I think it is just so hard to imagine being disabled when you are not.

kc1978

@Jimm_Scope it's actually being said alot. Main groups pain societies, it's seen over and over. national institute for clinical excellence are trying to prevent the opiate crisis that has swept the USA.

Criticised by many professional bodies, medics in other countries. However our NHS accepts it whole heartedly - except for the new ideas which cost money like acupuncture, access to therapy and deep brain stimulation or implantable devices which are also effective.

I nurses for 23 years. Id have been livid if a doctor said it to a patient.

Living a pain free or managed pain existence is surely a basic human right.

I understand the dangers of opiates and drugs, however I know the risk of a person being left in severe constant pain.

Support, reassurance and advice are great.

But don't treat all patients the same, doesn't work. Individuals are individuals and we must be treated as such and not as a flow chart one size fits all.

And here are those wonderful guidelines.

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng193