Hi Kent,

I am quite familiar with situations such as yours.  This probably is not the forum for me to discuss a lot about it, but depending on the etiology/source of pain, appropriate therapies can be directed; so..diagnoses first.  Next, just about no matter what the cause, medications are NOT the only option.  Finally, opioid medications can be used, such as in your case, but usually shouldn't be used alone, without the benefit of adjuvant analgesics, and nonsteroidals.   The reason you are on a boatload of morphine is the same problem for anyone with chronic pain who is started on an opioid: Habituation.  All narcotic analgesics produce habituation; it is a normal phenomenon.   This means you/anyone will need more dosage for the same pain relief effect as time goes on.   Theoretically, this can go on FOREVER, for as long as you take the medication.  The only silver lining, is that unlike most medications, opioids have no CEILING effect...they can constantly be increased in dosage for more effect.

The only option you have (by the way, sedation or feeling zoned is NOT good, and means you have too much on board...your care provider should cut you back to an acceptable pain level preferably in order to get rid of some of the sedation/zoning side effect)....is to reduce dosage gradually, while adding other adjuvants, or to rotate opioids.  Rotation means, you reduce say, Morphine Sulfate, and add Dilaudid (hydromorphone) or Methadone etc...Often, if you are burning out of response to Morphine, the other drug more than takes the place of the reduced Morphine dose. 

I am a firm believer in alternative therapies; have any been tried?   Massage, whirlpool, healing waters, meditation, TENS unit etc..

OK, no  more shop talk on the DB board.  Call or Email me privately for more, if you'd like.

Gene