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If you’ve been through a severe trauma or surgery, or you’ve given birth to a baby, morphine may have been prescribed to help ease the pain. However, the drug is under constant scrutiny for its addictive nature. But what if we told you, that it is a rockstar for patients who are waiting for their deaths? You read that right, hospices too often use Morphine to alleviate pain.
What Does Morphine Do?
Pain is reduced by stopping the transmission of pain signals from the brain to the body via opioid receptors in the central nervous system.
Tablets, capsules, granules, oral liquid, and injections are all forms of this medication.
What Happens If I Take Too Much?
Get medical help right away, or dial 1-800-222-1222 for Poison Help. In children and anyone who misuse opioids without a prescription, an overdose can be lethal. Symptoms of an overdose include lethargy, blurry vision, sluggish breathing, or complete cessation of respiration.
An opioid overdose can be quickly reversed with naloxone, which your doctor may recommend you obtain and have with you at all times. If you stop breathing or don’t wake up, someone who is looking after you can provide naloxone. While you’re waiting for aid, your caregiver needs to rush you to emergency medical attention and may have to perform CPR on you.
A pharmacy or public health department will sell naloxone. Ensure that people responsible for your care are aware of where and how to administer naloxone.
What Do I Need to Watch Out for When Using Morphine?
What does morphine feel like? The most common response is a feeling of utter joy and euphoria. However, there are rules to using the drug. Keep away from booze! There is a risk of serious adverse effects or even death. Don’t get behind the wheel unless you learn how morphine is affecting you. Falling or getting into an accident because of dizziness or tiredness can be extremely dangerous.
Some of the Negative Side Effects of Morphine
You should seek immediate medical attention if you are feeling a morphine allergy. Symptoms include hives, difficulty breathing, and swelling of the lips, tongue or throat.
If you use opioids, your respiration may be slowed or stopped, and you may die. If your breathing is sluggish and pauses are long, your lips are blue, or you are unable to wake up, you should be sent to the hospital immediately.
If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms you should seek immediate medical attention.
- Sighing, weak or shallow breathing, or breathing that comes and goes;
- Symptoms of heart palpitations and chest discomfort;
- Sleepiness to the point of dizziness or fainting.
- Hallucinations, fever, muscular stiffness, twitching, lack of coordination, nausea, and diarrhoea are all symptoms of serotonin syndrome.
- Nausea, vomiting, lack of appetite, dizziness, and increased weariness or weakness are all symptoms of low cortisol levels.
Elderly folks and those who are weak or have a wasting syndrome or persistent respiratory diseases are more prone to experiencing serious breathing issues.
The following are some of the most common adverse effects of morphine:
- Fatigue, sleepiness, and drowsiness;
- Discomfort in the stomach, nausea and vomiting; constipation
- Sweating; or,
- Expressions of intense joy or despair.
Other adverse effects may occur, and this is not an exhaustive list. Call your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about any possible side effects. You can call the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 to report negative effects.
Morphine in Hospice Care
Palliative care or hospice care is an option for people who require round-the-clock attention. The caretakers are experienced and highly qualified in multiple aspects of end-of-life care. One of the many things they are trained and required to do is to reduce pain.
Morphine for breathing is often prescribed to alleviate the symptoms of shortness of breath. It’s possible you’ve heard that morphine can speed up death. When prescribed correctly, morphine delivered in therapeutic settings does not hasten mortality, according to research.
When a patient is near death, lowering discomfort and resolving concerns about breathing can bring much-needed comfort. Pain medicine, unlike a morphine drip, has the potential to produce dizziness, drowsiness, and even hallucinations in some people.
If you find yourself asking what morphine is used for and the side effects of the drug, reach out to us at MyAllAmericanHospice for more than just drug information. Find out how we can help you or a loved one make end-of-life more comfortable. You won’t have to worry about things, small or big, including hospice morphine overdose with us.
FAQS
Do morphine-induced respiratory depressions result in patient death?
No, because morphine’s core depressive effects are antagonized by pain.
Clinically significant respiratory depression is uncommon when the dosage of morphine and time it is used are prescribed by a specialist.
Doctors may consider giving an opioid antagonist such as naloxone 20 microgram IV every 2 minutes until the patient’s respiratory status is satisfactory; however, this is seldom necessary. Iatrogenic overdose and respiratory depression can occur in both purposeful (suicide) and accidental overdoses.
Does it help with cancer-related pain relief?
On a micro level, there have been manifestations of worldwide concerns about the use of morphine to ease cancer-related pain. Morphine’s efficacy as an analgesic is well-documented, yet anxiety persists among patients, health care providers, and caregivers.
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