Hello,
I have been on morphine, 300 mgs/day for my chronic pain, for scoliosis of my spine, mixed connective tissue disorder, lupus, RA and scleroderma. I have been in pain, in a power chair, until my previous doctor put me on the morphine. But, she quit her practice, and I've been forced to see an internist who has been giving me a hard time, being on the morphine, to the point where I had to write a note, in my files, saying I take full responsibility.
Two weeks ago, she ordered a Butrans patch for me. It gave me side effects and heart palpitations, (I have a leaky valve), so I was taken off of it. She only gave me a two week supply of my morphine, cutting it down to 180 mgs/day.
Yesterday, I went to see her, she told me she wasn't going to fill it any more. She claims a DEA agent came and told her to take all her patients off of the opiates. She's putting me on Buprenorphine 8 mg sul tabs, to take 2 x's/day. She told me not to take the few morphine I have left. That I need to go into withdrawal. I ended up in withdrawal, once before, in a hospital, because the pharmacy was out of my morphine. They had to give it to me, intravenously, to stop me from dying, because my b.p. was so high.
Yesterday, it measured 185/84, at the doctors! It has never been that high before, with my suffering chest pains, the last two weeks. She's unconcerned and wants me to go cold turkey. I know I will end up in the hospital again. Plus, I am taking care of a destitute, blind ex-husband who can't care for himself, at all. We have no one to help us, ever.
I talked to my pharmacists, (2), today and they don't understand why she is suddenly doing this. They said if the morphine, has made it possible for me to drive to a nearby store for food, to care for the blind man and to clean my house, why is she doing this to me. Plus, they tell me that the new med, mentioned above, will not help me with the pain, like the morphine. I can't go back to my wheel chair! I have no one to help me.
She also talked about
my going to a hypnotist, pain clinic, etc., but I have gone through all the other medications and those and they didn't help. I also have a tens unit that no longer helps me.
My pain, was level, but since seeing her, has increased to other parts of my body. I didn't ask for an increase in my medication, but have dealt with the serious suffering, the best I can. Yet, now, she wants me to go cold turkey after being on morphine for at least five years, now. The only thing that has helped me.
Please, does anyone know about
this new medication, and should I find another doctor? She is so worried about
loosing her license, since she messed up, with another patient, in her old practice, in Phoenix, that I fear she isn't worried about
my health. I would love any thoughts, suggestions anyone can offer. I wish you all well, in the meantime...
I have made some paragraphs so that it makes your post easier to read. Some of us here at the forum have tracking problems when reading.
Post Edited By Moderator (straydog) : 2/5/2014 5:03:39 PM (GMT-7)