Morphine and Drowsiness: What Users Say

• Rio...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 15, 2014

Morphine for Chronic Pain "Taking MS Contin 30mg four times a day for over five years. I use 4mg Hydromorphone for immediate release, breakthrough pain when and if needed. Usually (if needed) the Hydromorphone dose required is about 8 mg. Because I am taking these medicines for a serious back injury in which I suffered 3 crushed vertebrae, occasionally the pain gets out of control. Usually after ill-advised physical activity at a level beyond that which I am accustomed to. At those times, it often requires the MS Contin and a dose of Dilaudid (Hydromorphone) to bring the pain back to a controlled level. When taking MS Contin and Hydromorphone together, there is a period of drowsiness that passes in about 1/2 hour. I just make sure I am not driving or out and about if such a dose is needed."

• Anonymous
• March 29, 2012

For Pain "I broke my back in 2000, and I've had several compression fractures since then and now have developed osteophytes. I was in pain every day and couldn't work, so I ended up on disability. I recently started Morphine ER, and it has worked wonders. I no longer need to take 8-12 pills a day like I used to. It's been a godsend. I can get around much better and am relatively pain-free. I don't get drowsy or dizzy, in fact, I don't seem to have any side effects. My quality of life has improved significantly since I started this new medication. Thank goodness my doctor decided to try this. I will admit, after dealing with this for so long, I had lost hope it would get any better. I wish I had known about this years ago, better late than never."

• tul...
• March 31, 2011

Morphine for Pain "As of the results from heavy continued lifting for over 20 years, my back was sacrificed. I now suffer from chronic lower lumbar pain due to bulging discs and stenosis, as well as frequent nerve pain. The doctor prescribed Oxycodone 5/325 4x daily. This worked for relief but only for short periods of time. After talking again with my doctor, she prescribed Morphine Sulfate SR 15 mg 2x daily and left me on the Oxycodone for breakthrough pain. The Morphine SR started working after about the 2nd day and gave me the steady relief I was looking for without making me drowsy. This combination works great and gave me back my life and the chance to be part of the family again."

• Per...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 29, 2022

Morphine for Chronic Pain "I take 15 mg four times a day of immediate-release morphine. The doctor tried several pain medications, but morphine is the only one that worked for me. I always felt like I was almost there in controlling my pain, but not quite. When the doctor put me on morphine, I couldn't believe how much better I felt, and I'm not tired or groggy at all. I can function really well, and I'm so thankful that my pain management doctor put me on morphine. I did want to mention one thing: it seems to start wearing off about 3 hours after you take your immediate-release pill. So sometimes you have to take another pill a little bit earlier, but the doctor said that would be OK as long as I don't go over the amount of pills I'm allotted for the day."

• Anonymous
• May 8, 2010

Morphine for Pain "I have had chronic pancreatitis for 6 years and have to be careful about taking pain medicines because I'm a recovering alcoholic. In fact, I have to be careful about taking anything at all. But I was living in pain regularly and needed something for the chronic abdominal pain, and the medicines given were a slippery slope for me. I was referred to a pain clinic where they set me up with Avinza. It has been a true blessing! I have no euphoria, drugged feeling, cravings, or any problems or side effects with Avinza. It takes care of the pain for the full 24 hours, and I do have Percocet as needed for breakthrough. I have been on the regimen for several years now and have not had to increase the dose. It has given me my quality of life back."

• way...
• November 12, 2015

Morphine for Chronic Pain "My doctor prescribes Morphine Sulfate IR 15 to me for chronic pain. I get a really bad pain in my abdomen immediately after I take a dose, it happens every time. Does anybody have this problem? The only thing I like about taking Morphine is that I don't get groggy from it, but it doesn't seem to 'kill' my pain completely. My doctor used to prescribe me Oxycodone 40 mg, I couldn't stand the way that it made me feel. I'd get drowsy and feel like I was on heroin or something, and it didn't take away my pain."

• way...
• November 12, 2015

Morphine for Chronic Pain "My doctor prescribes Morphine Sulfate IR 15 to me for chronic pain. I get a really bad pain in my abdomen immediately after I take a dose, it happens every time. Does anybody have this problem? The only thing I like about taking Morphine is that I don't get groggy from it, but it doesn't seem to 'kill' my pain completely. My doctor used to prescribe me Oxycodone 40 mg, I couldn't stand the way that it made me feel. I'd get drowsy and feel like I was on heroin or something, and it didn't take away my pain."

• ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 21, 2022

Morphine for Pain "During a very bad period of face pain from trigeminal neuralgia, I call those flares. This one was particularly awful, and I was afraid to even speak because of the sensitivity. I went to the ER, and they prescribed me seven MS Contin 30 mg pills. It worked really well. I was a bit, I'd say, sedated, but I could drink water and eat food without it feeling like someone took a glowing hot drill and put it through my nose and eye. It didn't get rid of the pain, but it made it much less triggerable, and it made the pain less intense when I, for example, answered a question. When I was a child, I got attacked by a dog. This isn't related to the pain from TGN, but it puts it into perspective. During the attack, half of my face was torn off by the teeth-not deep enough to damage anything or bleed heavily, but still was the color of raw steak. The pain of the dog ripping a layer of skin off half of my face was an 8 compared to the neuralgia at that time, which was a 10. After it was a 5, and this med probably kept me from suicide, 10/10."