Jim - side effects of opiates

[Guest guest]

Hi Jim -

Certain opiates actually keep me wide awake - hydrocodone being

one. Oxycodone doesn't bother my sleep, but if I take even one

Vicodin before bed, I might as well give up sleeping for the next

several hours. It's as good as several cups of coffee. I think

that's probably true for other people as well.

If after a few weeks of regular use you're still having trouble

sleeping on your morphine, talk to your doctor about switching to

another opiate and see if that helps.

I also wanted to respond to another statement you made. You said:

> Most people look at me like a junkie as soon as I tell

> them I'm on morphine daily and it gets VERY

> frustrating when they all assume your lying to get it.

My philosophy is that NOBODY, absolutely NOBODY outside of my

husband and my doctors needs to know what medications I take. That

is completely confidential information. Even family members other

than my husband don't know. There are lots of reasons for that -

security being one, since opiates are at risk for being stolen and

you never know who tells whom what; and perceptions like you mention

being another.

But basically it's just nobody's darn business.

I don't know who it is that you're telling that you're on morphine,

but if you're not strictly limiting that information to those who

need to know, you're sharing far too much information. And I

suspect you're telling people who don't need to know, because those

few people who do need to know aren't likely to " look at you like a

junkie " because they will be knowledgeable about your situation and

the medical facts. Change your approach, and start keeping this

information to yourself, for your own safety and your own peace of

mind.

Cheryl in AZ