Morphine

Author
Discussion

TDutchy

Original Poster:

661 posts

202 months

Saturday 5th December 2009
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I'm heading into hospital for shoulder surgery on Monday, supposed to be in hospital for two days after on Morphine.

Anybody on here had any experience with the stuff or hospital stays for that matter? I've never even done an overnighter!

Regards

TheEnd

15,370 posts

195 months

Saturday 5th December 2009
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Everyone i know who's had morphine reckon it's the best thing ever.

wiffmaster

2,608 posts

205 months

Saturday 5th December 2009
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Found out I was allergic to the stuff (anaphylaxis) and so I didn't have a great experience with morphine sadly!

Assume you're being put under general rather than local?

I've had three general anaesthetics in as many months, and so got chatting to the anaesthetist. He said he put me to sleep with propofol (marketed as Diprivan) and then put me on a mix of lidocaine (stops pain from propofol injection), fentanyl (infinitely more potent than morphine) and codeine painkillers whilst in theatre. He said morphine is mainly used post-op now, as fentanyl more potent.

After the operation I felt absolutely fantastic. Really happy and serene for a good couple of hours or so. I can see why people like Michael Jackson get addicted to propofol or fentanyl; they're incredible.

Due to my morphine allergy, they put me on oral tramadol, paracetamol, ibuprofen, codeine and diclofenac after the op. I slept 20 hours a day for the first ten days or so, but got a bit depressed and so weaned myself off them ASAP. Very effective, but some not so great side effects.

All in all, the drugs are pretty awesome and you wake up on top of the world. Enjoy!



Edited by wiffmaster on Saturday 5th December 21:15

fluffnik

20,156 posts

234 months

Saturday 5th December 2009
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TheEnd said:
Everyone i know who's had morphine reckon it's the best thing ever.
Not me.

I had a self administration morphine pump when I broke my back and I pushed the button once; getting my mind back was better than the pain was bad.

I just can't see any recreational value in opiates, and I like most drugs...

TDutchy

Original Poster:

661 posts

202 months

Sunday 6th December 2009
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I am going under general, two hour op. Havent spoken with the consultant in months!
I will also have be given an epidural for the affected area (left shoulder). From what i remember; i would be primarily on Morphine afterwards with the possibility of Voltarol (Diclofenic). Apparantly one of the best/strongest painkillers going? This whole sepository lark though? Not sounding too fun!

Oh and is hospital generally as bad as the stereotype? Ha!

tank slapper

7,949 posts

290 months

Sunday 6th December 2009
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fluffnik said:
I just can't see any recreational value in opiates, and I like most drugs...
Depends if your life is better or worse than the state you are in when high I guess. I imagine many people use them to escape the reality of their life rather than for enjoyment as such.

otolith

58,917 posts

211 months

Sunday 6th December 2009
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Diclofenac, as far as I can tell, has no perceptible effect. Well, obviously it effectively reduces pain and inflammation, but I mean you can't feel it working. Not like codeine, for example, which leaves me monged in prescription doses.

wiffmaster

2,608 posts

205 months

Sunday 6th December 2009
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Yeah, Diclofenac worked effectively as a painkiller, but the only other effect I felt was that it made me incredibly tired all of the time.

JakeS

2,270 posts

192 months

Sunday 6th December 2009
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I would do most things to get my morphine pump back - Been in hospital on 2 occasion for a few days each both with morphine as a pain killer. It is good stuff nuts

ucb

1,039 posts

219 months

Sunday 6th December 2009
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TDutchy said:
I am going under general, two hour op. Havent spoken with the consultant in months!
I will also have be given an epidural for the affected area (left shoulder). From what i remember; i would be primarily on Morphine afterwards with the possibility of Voltarol (Diclofenic). Apparantly one of the best/strongest painkillers going? This whole sepository lark though? Not sounding too fun!

Oh and is hospital generally as bad as the stereotype? Ha!
Shoulder surgery is usually performed with some form of regional anaesthetic technique for pain relief. If you look up 'Interscalene block' you should find any answers, but it involves an injection in the side of your neck to anaesthetise the nerve roots from your neck. It should last approximately 12hours, although has been reported past 24hrs. The benefits are reduction in pain postop and painkiller requirements, reduced nausea as you dont need as much morphine-type drugs and an improved quality of wakeup.
Postop you are likely to be getting regular paracetamol and diclofenac with a morphine PCA pump (pump with handset to give you a bolus of morphine on demand) The diclofenac is pretty effective at reducing morphine requirements, and you dont 'feel' it working or develop sedation as a side-effect. It primarily reduces inflammation at the site of surgery and reduces sensitisation of pain receptors, so you may notice that pain control is better 2-3hours after a dose.

Edited by ucb on Sunday 6th December 14:14

Lois

14,706 posts

259 months

Sunday 6th December 2009
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I was recently in hospital, hated it. Working there every day certainly doesn't make it easier, although they say staff make the worst patients! I'm a light sleeper anyway so had to have my eye mask and ear plugs as I swear the nurses made no attempt to be quiet.
Never had morphine but I was on max dose codeine and tramadol, couldn't focus on anything and the world was in slow motion.
Take plenty with you to entertain yourself and a few snack treats as the food really is cr@p!

TDutchy

Original Poster:

661 posts

202 months

Sunday 6th December 2009
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Thankyou guys/girls very much, all info is much appreciated. Drop a note back in when i get out, probably Wednesday.

Regards.

Wheelrepairit

2,947 posts

211 months

Sunday 6th December 2009
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I was on it for almost a month when in intensive care after breaking my back, my god the dreams/nightmares I had were just awesome/scary.

After being brought round after 3 weeks I too had a pump which I could operate myself, didnt really find it helped with the pain, but then I had broke my back in 5 places and had 8 broken ribs.

Lil' Joe

1,548 posts

193 months

Sunday 6th December 2009
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Coming from an ex drug addict, the morphine IV rush is nice, but wait for the Midazlolam, a benzodiazipine in the sane family as Valium, temazepam etc)they use to put you to sleep.

They always use a little more than one wouls use for pleasure, to put you to sleep obviously, but those ten seconds as your going out beat morphine by a mile.

Happy to give advice on thiss type of drug thing, PM if you want privacy, or just start a thead.

Joe

whirligig

941 posts

202 months

Sunday 6th December 2009
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fluffnik said:
TheEnd said:
Everyone i know who's had morphine reckon it's the best thing ever.
Not me.

I had a self administration morphine pump when I broke my back and I pushed the button once; getting my mind back was better than the pain was bad.
Me too - I had it after a C-Section and hated it. I would rather have a clear mind and try and cope with the pain via some other drug.

duncancallum

845 posts

185 months

Monday 7th December 2009
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When I mashed my hip up I was on morphine, it didnt seem to numb the pain but it made me not care about it. Very stange feeling

As for Codeine+Tramadol I use both though not at the same time, Tramadol sends me mental, can't sleep even though Im drowsy, I feel quite aggitated on it. Not a nice feeling.

Codeine is very similar although I can still just about function on it, I take 60mg+500mg of paracetamol when my legs bad in work and im not very productive but I can just about do my job.

one side affect of codeine I have noticed is it can make me quite depressed if I use it for more than a few days, although that might just be because I'm sore

whitechief

4,430 posts

202 months

Monday 7th December 2009
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I had Morphine when I was in for an accident on my arm, it didn't really have any dramatic effect on me other than it allowed me to get a little sleep, I was plugged in to all sorts that needed changing every couple of hours for two weeks. The Codeine I was fine on, didn't mong me at all, Diclofenic I stopped taking after two doses as it just made me feel awful with nausea.


wiffmaster

2,608 posts

205 months

Monday 7th December 2009
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duncancallum said:
one side affect of codeine I have noticed is it can make me quite depressed if I use it for more than a few days, although that might just be because I'm sore
I found the same. Something in my tramadol/codine/diclofenac/paracetamol/ibuprofen supermix made me constantly tired, very moody and incredibly depressed. So, I stopped taking all but the paracetamol and ibuprofen. Oral painkillers seem to do bugger all anyway, so I decided I may as well come off them for the sake of my sanity.

Silent1

19,761 posts

242 months

Monday 7th December 2009
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If you're on it for more than 3-4 days you will want to rip your skin off though.

wiffmaster

2,608 posts

205 months

Monday 7th December 2009
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Silent1 said:
If you're on it for more than 3-4 days you will want to rip your skin off though.
OP, three days after operation.