Morphine

Morphine

Generic Name: morphine (MOR feen)

Brand names: Avinza, Kadian, MS Contin, MSIR, Oramorph SR, Roxanol

What is morphine?

Morphine is in a group of drugs called narcotic pain relievers.

Morphine is used to treat moderate to severe pain. It works by dulling the pain perception center in the brain. Short-acting formulations are taken as needed for pain. Extended-release formulations are used when around-the-clock pain relief is needed.

Morphine is not for treating pain just after surgery unless you were already taking it before the surgery.

Morphine may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Important information about morphine

You may not be able to take morphine unless you are already being treated with a similar opioid pain medicine and your body is tolerant to it. Talk with your doctor if you are not sure you are opioid-tolerant.

Morphine may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. This medicine should never be given to another person, especially someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a secure place where others cannot get to it.

Do not drink alcohol while you are using morphine. Dangerous side effects or death can occur when alcohol is combined with morphine. Check your food and medicine labels to be sure these products do not contain alcohol.

Never take more than your prescribed dose of morphine. Tell your doctor if the medicine seems to stop working as well in relieving your pain.

Do not stop taking morphine suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Talk to your doctor about how to avoid withdrawal symptoms when stopping the medication.

Before using morphine

Do not use morphine if you have ever had an allergic reaction to a narcotic medicine (examples include codeine, methadone, Oxycontin, Darvocet, Percocet, Vicodin, Lortab, and many others). You should also not take morphine if you are having an asthma attack or if you have a bowel obstruction called paralytic ileus.

Morphine may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. This medicine should never be given to another person, especially someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a secure place where others cannot get to it.

Before using morphine, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

asthma, COPD, sleep apnea, or other breathing disorders;

liver or kidney disease;

underactive thyroid;

curvature of the spine;

a history of head injury or brain tumor;

epilepsy or other seizure disorder;

low blood pressure;

gallbladder disease;

Addison's disease or other adrenal gland disorders;

enlarged prostate, urination problems;

mental illness; or

a history of drug or alcohol addiction.

You may not be able to take morphine unless you are already being treated with a similar opioid pain medicine and your body is tolerant to it. Talk with your doctor if you are not sure you are opioid-tolerant.

FDA pregnancy category C. Morphine may be harmful to an unborn baby, and could cause addiction or withdrawal symptoms in a newborn. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Morphine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

See also: Morphine pregnancy and breastfeeding warnings (in more detail)

Older adults may be more sensitive to the effects of this medicine.

How should I use morphine?

Use morphine exactly as it was prescribed for you. Never take morphine in larger amounts, or use it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Too much morphine could be very harmful. Tell your doctor if the medicine seems to stop working as well in relieving your pain.

Do not crush, chew, or break an extended-release TABLET. Swallow the pill whole. It will release medicine slowly in the body. Breaking the pill would cause too much of the drug to be released at one time.

To make swallowing easier, you may open the extended-release CAPSULE and sprinkle the medicine into a spoonful of applesauce. Swallow this mixture right away without chewing. Do not save the mixture for later use. Discard the empty capsule. Please note: only extended-release capsules can be opened. Do not break extended-release tablets.

Measure the liquid form of morphine with a special dose-measuring spoon or cup, not a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist where you can get one.

Do not stop using morphine suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Talk to your doctor about how to avoid withdrawal symptoms when stopping the medication.

Store this medication at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and light.

Keep track of how many pills have been used from each new bottle of this medicine. Morphine is a drug of abuse and you should be aware if any person in the household is using this medicine improperly or without a prescription.

After you have stopped using this medication, flush any unused pills down the toilet. Throw away any unused liquid morphine that is older than 90 days.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Since morphine is sometimes used as needed, you may not be on a dosing schedule. If you are using the medication regularly, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and wait until your next regularly scheduled dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

Extended-release morphine is not for use on an as-needed basis for pain.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of icine. An overdose of morphine can be fatal.

Overdose symptoms may include extreme drowsiness, pinpoint pupils, confusion, cold and clammy skin, weak pulse, shallow breathing, fainting, or breathing that stops.

What should I avoid while using morphine?

Do not drink alcohol while you are taking this medication. Dangerous side effects or death can occur when alcohol is combined with morphine. Check your food and medicine labels to be sure these products do not contain alcohol. Morphine can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

Morphine side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction to morphine: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

shallow breathing, slow heartbeat;

seizure (convulsions);

cold, clammy skin;

confusion;

severe weakness or dizziness; or

feeling light-headed, fainting.

Less serious morphine side effects are more likely to occur, such as:

constipation;

warmth, tingling, or redness under your skin;

nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea, loss of appetite;

dizziness, headache, anxiety;

memory problems; or

sleep problems (insomnia).

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect morphine?

Avoid taking morphine if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past 14 days. Side effects can be more severe if you use morphine before the MAO inhibitor has cleared from your body. Do not take this medicine with other narcotic pain medications, sedatives, tranquilizers, muscle relaxers, or other medicines that can make you sleepy or slow your breathing. Dangerous side effects may result.

Before taking morphine, tell your doctor if you are using pentazocine (Talwin), nalbuphine (Nubain), butorphanol (Stadol), or buprenorphine (Buprenex, Subutex). If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to use morphine, or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with morphine. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

More Morphine resources

Morphine Dosage

Morphine Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Drug Images

Morphine Drug Interactions

Morphine Support Group

127 Reviews for Morphine - Add your own review/rating

Morphine Concentrate MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)

morphine Advanced Consumer (Micromedex) - Includes Dosage Information

Astramorph PF Solution MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)

Astramorph PF Prescribing Information (FDA)

Astramorph PF Advanced Consumer (Micromedex) - Includes Dosage Information

Avinza Prescribing Information (FDA)

Avinza Extended-Release Capsules MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)

Infumorph Solution MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)

Kadian Extended-Release Capsules MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)

Kadian Prescribing Information (FDA)

MS Contin Prescribing Information (FDA)

MS Contin Sustained-Release Tablets MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)

Morphine Sulfate Monograph (AHFS DI)

Oramorph SR Prescribing Information (FDA)

RMS Suppositories MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)

Compare Morphine with other medications

Pain

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about morphine.