morphine alternatives

[meltoadhall]

my husband has been on morphine tabs for nearly a year now after a serious head injury, does anyone know of an alternative as the side effects are driving him loopy and me up the wall, coping with it all.

thanks

[Bettypat]

You really most consult your husband's doctor about this. I am sure it would be quite dangerous to alter his prescription without proper medical advice. The doctor could refer him back to the hospital who treated him for his head injury and maybe, as a year has elapsed it could be that he could get by on a much lesser drug than morphine. However, he will have to be weaned off this drug in a proper manner. Please don't do anything without proper advice. I wish you and your husband all the best and hope you are able to solve your problem. Let us know how you get on.

[meltoadhall]

sorry I should have said I am taking him back to the dr tomorrow and I am a nurse.
I just wondered if anyone had any info so I could go to the surgery armed with something else he could try.

thanks for your concern and good wishes

[beaniesq]

Hi there, firstly, what side effects is he having?

Have you thought about trying him on Tramadol instead? The only issue there is that Tramadol is NOT suitable for patients who are opioid dependant. So he needs to bite the bullet and come off the morphine completely before taking anything else.

Obviously as you are a nurse you will be able to work with his Dr to supervise his withdrawal from the Morphine. And Tramadol has its own side effects, so it's a risk whether it'll be better than Morphine.

Do you think he'd be able to cope for a while without any pain relief?

[meltoadhall]

tried tramadol - no pain relief, dr and I are going to slowoly wean him off and then look at any other alternatives.
thanks for the advice

[homerbart]

i have been on all kinds of pain killer - you know what - nothing works - i really believe that. you take the medication and you still have the pain - the medication today is not what it was years and years ago. it is all generic - doctors tell you it is the same thing - no way it is

[saxonlynn]

I might be a bit late here answering your question but I am on a Fentanyl patch. I was on morphine but side effects were horendous. The patch is ideal you change it every 3 days and no chance of overdosing.

[meltoadhall]

thanks for the answer, tried the patches unfortuanlty he reacted really badly and had to blue lighted to hospital,
thanks for the reply tho