Morphine Sulfate – What It Is, How To Use It And Side Effects!

Morphine Sulfate: What It’s For, How To Use It And Side Effects You May Not Know About. Also, this medication is used to relieve moderate to severe pain. Morphine Sulfate belongs to a class of drugs known as opiate (narcotic) pain relievers. It works in the brain to change the way your body feels and responds to pain.

Read the leaflet provided by your pharmacist before you start taking morphine and each time you get a refill. If in any doubt, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

How to Use Morphine Sulfate:

Take this medication by mouth as directed by your doctor. You can take this medicine with or without food. If you have nausea , taking this medication with food may help. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about other ways to lessen nausea (such as lying down for 1 to 2 hours with as little head movement as possible).

If you have this medicine in liquid form, carefully measure the dose using a special measuring device. Do not use a household spoon as you may not get the correct dosage. Ask your pharmacist or doctor if you are not sure how to check or measure your dose.

Dosage is based on your medical condition and response to treatment. Do not increase your dose or take the medication more often or for longer than prescribed. Pain medications work best when they are used when the first signs of pain occur. If you wait for the pain to get worse, the medication may not work as well.

If you have ongoing pain (such as from cancer), your doctor may advise you to also take long-acting opioid medications. In that case, this medication can be used for sudden (breakthrough) pain only when needed. Other pain relievers (such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen) may also be prescribed with this medication.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist about using morphine safely with other medicines. This medication can cause withdrawal reactions, especially if it has been used regularly for a long time or in high doses. In such cases, withdrawal symptoms (such as restlessness, watery eyes, runny nose, nausea , sweating, and muscle aches) may occur if you suddenly stop using this medication.

To avoid withdrawal reactions, your doctor may gradually reduce your dose. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for details, and report any withdrawal reactions immediately. When this medication is used for a long time, it may not work as well. Talk to your doctor if this medicine stops working well.

Although it helps many people, this medication can sometimes be addictive. This risk may be higher if you have a substance use disorder (such as drug or alcohol abuse or dependence). Take this medication exactly as prescribed to reduce the risk of addiction. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for details. Tell your doctor if the pain persists or gets worse.

Missed Dose:

If you are taking this medication on a regular schedule and you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.

Storage:

Store at room temperature away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medications out of the reach of children and pets. Do not flush medications down the toilet or down a drain unless recommended. Dispose of this product properly when it expires or is no longer needed.

Interactions About Morphine Sulfate:

Drug interactions can change the way your medications work or increase your risk of serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all products used (including prescription, over-the-counter and herbal products) and share with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop or change the dosage of any medication without your doctor’s approval.

Some products that may interact with this drug include: certain pain relievers and naltrexone. The risk of serious side effects (such as slow breathing or severe drowsiness/dizziness) may be increased if this medication is taken with other products that may also cause drowsiness or breathing problems.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking other medicines, such as other opioids for pain or cough medicines (such as codeine, hydrocodone), alcohol, marijuana, sleep or anxiety medications (such as alprazolam, lorazepam, zolpidem), relaxants such as carisoprodol, cyclobenzaprine) or antihistamines (such as cetirizine, diphenhydramine).

Check the labels of all your medications (such as allergy or cough and cold products) as they may contain ingredients that cause drowsiness. Ask your pharmacist about using these products safely.

This medication may interfere with certain laboratory tests (including amylase/lipase levels), possibly causing false positive results. Make sure laboratory personnel and all your doctors know that you use this medication.

Precautions:

Before taking Morphine Sulfate , tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to this compound; or other pain medications (such as codeine); or if you have other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which may cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for details.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: brain disorders (such as head trauma, tumor, and seizures), breathing problems (such as asthma, sleep apnea, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), kidney disease, liver disease, mental and mood disorders (such as confusion and depression), stomach and bowel problems (such as obstruction, constipation, and diarrhea due to infection), difficulty urinating (due to an enlarged prostate), disease of the pancreas (pancreatitis), or illness of the gallbladder.

This remedy may make you dizzy or drowsy. Alcohol or marijuana can also make you more dizzy or sleepy. Do not drive or use machines or do anything that needs attention until you can safely run. Avoid alcoholic beverages. Talk to your doctor if you are using marijuana.

Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist about all products used (including prescription, over-the-counter and herbal products).

Liquid products may contain sugar, aspartame and/or alcohol. If you have diabetes , alcohol dependence, liver disease, phenylketonuria (PKU) or any other condition that requires you to limit or avoid these substances in your diet, caution is advised. Ask your doctor or pharmacist how to use this product safely.

Older adults may be more sensitive to the side effects of this medication, especially having confusion, dizziness, drowsiness, and slow or shallow breathing. During pregnancy, this medication should only be used when needed as it may harm an unborn baby. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.

It is worth remembering that this medicine passes into breast milk and may have undesirable effects in infants. Tell your doctor right away if your baby develops unusual drowsiness, difficulty eating or breathing. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Morphine Sulfate Side Effects:

Nausea, vomiting, constipation, dizziness, drowsiness or sweating may occur. Some of these side effects may subside after using this medicine for a while. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

To prevent constipation, eat a proper fiber diet, drink plenty of water, and exercise. Ask your pharmacist for help with choosing a laxative (such as a stool softener type of stimulant). To reduce the risk of dizziness, get up slowly when sitting or lying down.

Remember that your doctor prescribed this medication because he thought the benefit outweighed the risk of side effects. Many people who use this medication do not have serious side effects.

Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including: mental and mood changes (such as agitation, confusion, hallucinations), abdominal pain, difficulty urinating, signs that your adrenal glands are not working well (such as loss of appetite, unusual tiredness, and weight loss ).

Seek medical help right away if you have any very serious side effects, including: fainting, seizure, slow or shallow breathing, severe drowsiness, and difficulty waking up.

A very serious allergic reaction to this remedy is rare. However, seek medical help right away if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching, swelling (especially of the face, tongue and throat), severe dizziness and difficulty breathing. This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

Overdose:

If someone overdoses and has severe symptoms such as fainting or difficulty breathing, give naloxone if available and call 911. Symptoms of overdose may include: slow or shallow breathing, slow heartbeat or coma.

Grades:

Do not share this medicine with others. Sharing is against the law. This medication was prescribed for the current problem only. Do not use later for another problem unless directed to do so by your doctor. A different medication may be needed in this case.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist if naloxone is available to treat opioid overdose. Teach your family or family members about the signs of an opiate overdose and how to treat it.