Suggest Ways To Safely Wean Off MS Contin
I do not have a doctor yet and would like to know how to taper and d/c this medication safely
Best done under guidance of a doctor who can monitor
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
MS Contin (morphine) is an opioid pain medication and needs to be tapered off. Going through the following guidelines should help:
http://www.healthquality.va.gov/guidelines/Pain/cot/OpioidTaperingFactSheet23May2013v1.pdf
https://www.nhms.org/sites/default/files/Pdfs/Safely_Tapering_Opioids.pdf
The initial strategy for tapering would be to increase the duration between doses from say 12 hours to 14, 16, 18, 20 hours and then 24 apart. Another alternative would be to try reducing the dose by 20% daily. However, this is best done under the guidance and follow up of a doctor.
In case you feel that you are getting withdrawal symptoms during the tapering, it would be a good idea to visit a doctor without delay.
Regards