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Original poster

Extreme tiredness morphine

17 replies

Leftylucy85 · 20/10/2018 11:16

I was given morphine 8 days ago due to severe pain which is still being investigated (suspected endo flair up), I’ve had the pain for 4 weeks now.

Since the pain started I’ve been more tired than normal, but I wasn’t sleeping very well. Now since starting the morphine it’s a new level or tiredness, and I’m now sleeping well so it’s not that.

Now I don’t know if the morphine has me acting like a zombie or it’s another symptom! It’s a low dose I’m on (10mg slow release twice a day) and I’m topping up with oramorph generally once a day. I’m having a nap every day and sleeping 8-11 hours at night.

Is this normal? I want to come off it to see how I am morphine free but obviously don’t want the pain....

Full list of symptoms in case relevant: extremely sore lower left abdo pain, upper left shoulder blade ache, Intermittent chest pain (front and back), left shoulder & collar bone pain. I’ve also had years of lower back pain and sciatic pain. Laparoscopy diagnosed small amount of endo 13 years ago. Bowel & bladder seemingly fine, internal scan showed no cysts or twists. Lots of blood taken and nothing showing, ecg & chest X-ray clear. Everything worse when lie on left side.

Awaiting ‘urgent’ gynae referral, and trying not to crack up....

OP posts:

UniversalTruth · 20/10/2018 11:19

It sounds like it could be morphine. Were you on codeine before? What dose were you on?

Fairylea · 20/10/2018 11:20

When I’ve been on morphine for pain it’s made me like a zombie, even at a low dose. I could have slept for weeks on it! I do think some of it though is that being in pain is so intense and awful that when it’s taken away your body does want to rest to recover from it and the morphine just increases that.

Original poster

Leftylucy85 · 20/10/2018 11:41

I was originally on 30/500 codine then moved to tramadol then the morphine. Over the years for my lower back pain I’ve been on dihydrocodine & tramadol (not at
Same time) which I’ve developed a high tolerance for - I could take more than the highest dose (that one was an oversight by me & GP) and still not feel spaced out or anything. Guess that’s why I’m surprised it’s affecting me like this. It make me very sick the first couple of days but now I’m fine with it.

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HouseOfMouse · 20/10/2018 12:40

I was very sleepy when on morphine for a short period in hospital - they (the nurses) said that it has a sedative effect for some people so I guess it is fairly normal.

IcedPurple · 20/10/2018 13:31

About 4 months ago I was on cocodamol for a toothache from hell. It's not morphine but belongs to the same family of drugs. It did knock out the pain - which handfuls of ibuprofen barely touched - but it also knocked me out! Drowsiness is a known side-effect of this family of drugs.

Tramadolmaybe · 20/10/2018 13:36

Morphine (even more so than other opiates) really can make you drowsy. I’ve got a few friends that have had to stop taking it as all they seemed to do was sleep or doze whilst on it.
Please don’t forget that the level of pain you’re experiencing will also be making you tired. Pain is exhausting.
I hope your appointment comes through soon.

Original poster

Leftylucy85 · 20/10/2018 14:03

Thanks guess it is just the morphine, really didn’t think it would affect me as nothing else does! Might have to think about coming off it as with 3dc i’m really struggling. Then again would struggle with the pain too so guess doesn’t matter what I do.

Going to phone and chase them on Monday, although don’t see there being a quick fix unfortunately.

OP posts:

Thecurtainsofdestiny · 20/10/2018 15:17

Well it is named after Morpheus ("god of dreams")

Hope you feel better soon, OP.

VladmirsPoutine · 20/10/2018 17:06

I'm not sure how you'll resolve this. Being in a world of pain vs living like a zombie. I'm not sure how to square that circle but I hope they can find something to help OP. It sounds like your pain was a lot more horrific than your common garden variety of sciatica which was what I had intermittent bursts of.

PMSwithacockinmydress · 20/10/2018 17:15

Did you not read about the medication before taking it?
Morphine is well known to cause drowsiness

Upsy1981 · 20/10/2018 17:56

I literally cannot keep my eyes open on any morphine based medication. Had diamorphine during labour and dozed my way through, only wake up for a contraction or to be sick (due to gas and air). Since then I had oral morphine due to terrible stomach pain and my dh had to literally push me into the car to get me home as I just couldn't wake up enough. Its great pain relief but there's no way I could be on it and any where near functioning.

Karmin · 20/10/2018 18:06

@PMSwithacockinmydress

That came across quite harshly.

OP yes it is very likely to be the morphine, your body will adjust if you are on it long term, you may get some weird dreams as well, and a sense of unreality. For me it also makes everything shiny and I get hyper-sensitive as well as itchy. - Antihistamines can help with itching.

Morphine is a strange one, for me while it takes the edge off the pain, the main impact is that I care less about the pain. If you see what I mean, the response to morphine does vary widely depending on your own individual chemistry processing. Look here

This link shows some of the common interactions

PMSwithacockinmydress · 20/10/2018 18:08

Apologies if it came across harshly. If I'd meant it that way, I could have phrased it much differently
Just I know no-one who wouldn't know the effects of morphine, and equally no-one who would take an unknown medication without reading the information leaflet.

VladmirsPoutine · 20/10/2018 18:25

To be fair, prescribing is often more of an art than an exact science. The OP has been taking it for 8 days so I don't think it's beyond the realms of reason for her to enquire how it has affected others. As the OP said she has been on very high does of Tramadol in the past which hasn't left her feeling spaced out. In my experience Tramadol made me feel as though I'd escaped my body and was floating to the moon.

Original poster

Leftylucy85 · 20/10/2018 20:14

Sorry just catching up, yes I read the leaflet but almost every single meds I’ve had before have said drowsiness etc and theyve never ever had that affect on me before. I know it’s supposed to make you feel more sleepy than others but this level of tiredness is something else.

With all my other symptoms (inc getting out of breath v easily) I genuinely didn’t know if it should make me feel like sleeping 24 hours a day or if it could have been something else. Especially seen as it’s a low dose.

OP posts:

megletthesecond · 20/10/2018 20:16

It'll probably be the morphine. It's a knock out drug for me.

stationaryace · 20/10/2018 20:21

Tramadol left me with a floaty sensation, whilst morphine made me drowsy, although for the latter I was in hospital so it didn't matter so much. I take Abstryl Fentinal on a v low dose as and when needed for lower back pain which dulls the pain without making me sleepy (I take it at night usually but am still up for another few hours after). Might be worth exploring another drug? I ended up handing back loads of different Tramadol packs to the chemist as the gp kept trying to alter the dose (higher, lower, slow release, quick acting) before releasing it was the meds and not the dose affecting me.

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