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What is morphine
 Morphine
is in a class of drugs called narcotic analgesics. It relieves
pain.
Morphine
is used to treat moderate-to-severe pain.
Morphine
may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this
medication guide.
General medical information about morphine
Do not stop taking morphine suddenly if you have
been taking it continuously for more than 5 to 7 days. Stopping
suddenly could cause withdrawal symptoms and make you very
uncomfortable. Your doctor may want to gradually reduce
your dose.
Do not crush, chew, break, or open controlled-release
forms of morphine such as Oramorph SR, Kadian, and MS Contin.
Swallow them whole. They are specially formulated to release
morphine slowly into your system. Breaking them would cause
too much of the drug to be released into your blood at one
time.
Morphine will cause drowsiness and fatigue.
Avoid alcohol, sleeping pills, antihistamines, sedatives,
and tranquilizers that may also make you drowsy except under
the supervision of your doctor.
Morphine will also
cause constipation. Drink plenty of water (six to eight
full glasses a day) to lessen this side effect. Increasing
the amount of fiber in your diet can also help to alleviate
constipation.
Never take more morphine than is prescribed
for you. If your pain is not being adequately treated, talk
to your doctor.
Who should not take morphine
Morphine is habit forming and should only be used
under close supervision if you have an alcohol or drug addiction.
Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have:
- kidney disease,
- liver disease,
- asthma,
- urinary retention,
- an
enlarged prostate,
- hypothyroidism,
- seizures
or epilepsy,
- gallbladder disease,
- a head
injury, or
- Addison's disease.
You may not
be able to take morphine, or you may require a lower dose
or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of
the conditions listed above.
Morphine may cause addiction
and withdrawal symptoms as well as other harmful effects
in an unborn baby. Do not take morphine without first talking
to your doctor if you are pregnant.
Morphine may
also cause addiction and withdrawal symptoms in a nursing
infant. Do not take morphine without first talking to your
doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
If you are
younger than 18 years of age or older than 60 years of age,
you may be more likely to experience side effects from morphine
therapy. Use extra caution.
How should take morphine Take morphine exactly as directed by your doctor.
If you do not understand these directions, ask your pharmacist,
nurse, or doctor to explain them to you.
Take each
dose with a full glass of water.
Take morphine with
food or milk if it upsets your stomach.
Never take
more of this medication than is prescribed for you. Too
much morphine could be very harmful.
To ensure that
you get a correct dose, measure the liquid form of morphine
with a special dose-measuring spoon or cup, not with a regular
tablespoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device,
ask your pharmacist where you can get one.
Do not
crush, chew, break, or open controlled-release forms of
morphine such as Oramorph SR, Kadian, or MS Contin. Swallow
them whole. They are specially formulated to release morphine
slowly into your system. Breaking them would cause too much
drug to be released into your blood at one time.
Use the suppositories rectally as directed by your doctor.
If you do not know how to use them, ask you doctor, nurse,
or pharmacist for instructions.
Do not stop taking
morphine suddenly if you have been taking it continuously
for more than 5 to 7 days. Stopping suddenly could cause
withdrawal symptoms and make you feel uncomfortable. Your
doctor may want to gradually reduce your dose.
Morphine
will cause constipation. Increase the amount of fiber and
water (at least six to eight full glasses daily) in your
diet to prevent constipation.
Do not share this medication
with anyone else.
Store morphine at room temperature
away from moisture and heat.
Discard any opened bottle
of morphine solution after 90 days.
If you miss a dose: Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Do
not take a double dose of this medication. Wait the prescribed
amount of time before taking your next dose.
What happens if you overdose: Seek emergency medical attention.
Symptoms
of a morphine overdose include slow breathing, seizures,
dizziness, weakness, loss of consciousness, coma, confusion,
tiredness, cold and clammy skin, and small pupils.
Avoid while taking morphine Avoid alcohol while taking morphine. Alcohol will
greatly increase the drowsiness and dizziness caused by
morphine and could be dangerous.
Also avoid sleeping
pills, tranquilizers, sedatives, and antihistamines except
under the supervision of your doctor. These medications
also may cause dangerous sedation.
Use caution when
driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous
activities. Morphine may cause drowsiness. If you experience
drowsiness, avoid these activities.
Possible side effects of morphine If you experience any of the following serious side
effects, stop taking morphine and seek emergency medical
attention:
- an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing;
closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or
face; or hives);
- slow, weak breathing;
-
seizures;
- cold, clammy skin;
- severe weakness
or dizziness; or
- unconsciousness.
Other,
less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue
to take morphine and talk to your doctor if you experience
- constipation;
- dry mouth, nausea, vomiting,
or decreased appetite;
- dizziness, tiredness, or
lightheadedness;
- muscle twitches;
- sweating;
- itching;
- decreased urination; or
-
decreased sex drive.
Morphine is habit forming. Do
not stop taking it suddenly.
Side effects other than
those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about
any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially
bothersome.
What other drugs will affect morphine Do not take morphine if you have taken a monoamine
oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as isocarboxazid (Marplan),
phenelzine (Nardil), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) in the
last 14 days. Dangerous side effects could result.
The most serious interactions affecting morphine are with
those drugs that also cause sedation. The following drugs
may lead to dangerous sedation if taken with morphine:
-
antihistamines such as brompheniramine (Dimetane, Bromfed,
others), diphenhydramine (Benadryl, Nytol, Compoz, others),
chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton, Teldrin, others), and
others;
- tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline
(Elavil) and doxepin (Sinequan), and serotonin reuptake
inhibitors such as fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft),
and paroxetine (Paxil);
- other commonly used antidepressants,
including amoxapine (Asendin), clomipramine (Anafranil),
desipramine (Norpramin), imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline
(Pamelor), and protriptyline (Vivactil);
- anticholinergics
such as belladonna (Donnatal), clidinium (Quarzan), dicyclomine
(Bentyl, Antispas), hyoscyamine (Levsin, Anaspaz), ipratropium
(Atrovent), propantheline (Pro-Banthine), and scopolamine
(Transderm-Scop);
- phenothiazines such as chlorpromazine
(Thorazine), fluphenazine (Prolixin), thioridazine (Mellaril),
and prochlorperazine (Compazine); and
- tranquilizers
and sedatives such as phenobarbital (Solfoton, Luminal),
amobarbital (Amytal), secobarbital (Seconal), alprazolam
(Xanax), diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan), flurazepam
(Prosom), and temazepam (Restoril).
Do not take any
of the drugs listed above without the approval of your doctor.
Drugs
other than those listed here may also interact with morphine.
Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription
or over-the-counter medicines. |
