Thanks all--I AM feeling much calmer today!
The sevredol is morphine sulphate, 10mg., every 4 hours.
Waited til the last moment to take the first one last night expecting an instant 'pass-out'--an hour later I was still awake and in pain and took a co-codamol!
Slept then til 5.30a.m., took the next one and did actually go back to sleep fairly quickly until 8.30,got up, then took the next one at 9a.m.
Felt very sleepy and lay down--instant side pain again, so sat up and took an Ibuprofen at 10a.m.
Got onto the net to look it all up--found an excellent Scottish site which gave brilliant explanations of how it all works--apparently it takes up to 22 hours to reach maximum effect, which is then maintained with the 4-hourly doses.
Tablet number 4 at 1p.m. did start to work much more quickly!
Apparently when I report back to the doc, he takes the total 24-hour dosage that's been effective, splits in 2 and I then get 2, slow-release MST per day. I shall make sure I give him the numbers starting from tonight, and include any additional meds I have to take.
The patch seems to be, in some cases, only given if patients can't take oral medication because of swallowing or nausea issues, although Denise the MacMillan nurse says this isn't the case, it's just that I have to go through every step of the 'pain ladder' starting at the bottom when it comes to Stage 3--opiates.
However, as I say--'Always look on the bright side.....' etc and I have become more comfortable and calm as the day has worn on.
I also think it did me good to bawl for most of the day yesterday--got it out of my system!
My sister, who's been a brick, rang and she got upset as she realised that I was, and that things were beginning to look more hopeless.

However, with new descent of calmness late this afternoon, have emailed the twins and told them that any problems they've had/have now/may have in the future can now be blamed on their mother being an official drug addict!!--LOL!

Also, don't have to use 'chemo-brain' anymore as excuse for typos/forgetting things--brain now buggered from hard drugs!
Hope you're all having a good weekend!

Brenda