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UNNECESSARY MORPHINE FEARS

QUESTION: I'm a 50-year-old woman with multiple sclerosis that was diagnosed in 1981, and I will soon be undergoing major surgery to treat a complete thoracic 8 and 9 disc herniation. I know that surgery can be hard on people with multiple sclerosis. My neurosurgeon has already informed me that he’ll prescribe morphine after my surgery. Is there anything just as effective that doesn't depress breathing? I'm also aware that I can’t take my low-dose naltrexone while I’m being treated with narcotic pain medication, and this greatly concerns me. Do you have any ideas about alternatives to the drugs that they plan to give me? If I can't avoid taking those medications, do you have any advice about supplements that I could take to counteract their effects on my system? This is a serious situation, and I'm just trying to take the best care of myself to ensure the best possible outcome.

ANSWER: Please DON'T fear morphine. It is by far the best pain reliever available. Nothing else comes close. The idea that morphine causes respiratory problems is basically a myth that has survived over the decades. IN the early days morphine wasn't as pure as it is today. The impurities of yesterday were often the cause of problems. Morphine will NOT depress your breathing when used in proper doses. Doctors today are extremely well-informed about how to use morphine effectively without causing harm.

When ordered properly, morphine relieves pain and does not cause any serious adverse effects.

The risk of addiction is so small that it is nonexistent. When we were involved in home IVs we once filled morphine orders for a cancer patient. The patient's dose was s2Gm per day (several HUNDRED TIMES the usual dose). When her tumor had shrunk and was no longer causing serious pain, the doctor began a program of weaning the patient off the morphine. Her dose was reduced and discontinued in under 10 days. Even though the patient was receiving extremely high amounts, she was able to stop WITHOUT A PROBLEM in just a little over one week. She did not become addicted. While addiction to morphine is possible, the chance is extremely small.

When surgery is necessary, it’s important to completely trust the surgeon and his or her drug orders. You are correct in saying that you can't take low-dose naltrexone while you are taking morphine, the last thing you'd want is a substance that would counteract the effects of the drugs that they will be giving you in the hospital.

Your decision to have surgery requires certain treatments that should not be tampered with. While you are in the care of the surgeon — and the hospital — you would do best by heeding all of their orders. After you've healed, you can regain control of your treatment.

One final note, many people (including health care professionals) hold the mistaken belief that we should put off using strong pain killers until they are absolutely necessary because they somehow cannot be given in doses above a certain level. The fact is that when done properly doses of powerful painkillers can be increased to the level of pain relief, regardless of the amount needed. And, it can be done safely. The story above demonstrates how a small, elderly woman was able to tolerate a daily dose of morphine that was hundreds of times the usual recommended dose yet did well and was not impaired. Also, she was able to reduce her daily dose to zero in just a few days.

Please, DON'T FEAR MORPHINE