Pain Management with Morphine
Pain management with morphine should only be utilized while under a doctor’s care. Morphine is a Class C narcotic, which means that pain management with morphine should be avoided by women who are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or who are nursing. Morphine can be addictive to an unborn or nursing baby. Morphine should also not be taken by people who have a history of drug addiction.
Pain management with morphine is very effective. Morphine is commonly used to treat acute pain and pain from diseases such as cancer. Morphine should never be used for pain management unless prescribed because it can be a very dangerous drug. If you are prescribed morphine, never allow others to take it for pain and keep it away from children or anyone who you don’t trust to leave it alone.
Morphine is a controlled substance. This means that you will only be able to fill a prescription once a month and you will need a new prescription every time you go to the pharmacy. You will not get refills on a morphine prescription. If you find that you are running out before your next prescription can be filled, find out if someone else is taking your morphine or consider if you might be taking too much of it. If you are taking too much then it is likely that the morphine dose is not correct and your doctor will need to evaluate your pain management with morphine and prescribe another dose or another medication.
When using morphine for pain management make sure to use it only as prescribed. Never use more morphine than the doctor authorizes because an overdose of morphine can be fatal. Some signs of morphine overdose include excessive drowsiness, disappearing or pinpoint pupils, weak pulse, clammy cold skin, shallow breathing or inability to breathe deeply, passing out or inability to breathe at all. Any sign of overdose should be dealt with swiftly and professionally. Call 911 if you think you or someone else has overdosed on morphine; do not try to get yourself to the hospital.
Pain management with morphine should not be used by people who suffer from a number of medical conditions, which include, but are not limited to, asthma and other breathing related problems, kidney disease, epilepsy or seizure disorder, a history of brain tumor or traumatic head injury, and people with mental illness. Morphine will also not be prescribed to anyone who has had problems with drug or alcohol addiction of any kind.
Pain management with morphine can cause side effects and your physician should be consulted immediately at any sign of side effects. Immediate emergency care may be indicated for side effects like hives or rash, difficulty breathing, or swelling of any part of the face, tongue or throat. These can be indications of an allergic reaction and can lead to fatality. Pain management with morphine is effective, but only for the right candidate. Do not attempt to manage your pain on your own with morphine or any other prescription medication.