1. Popular Pain Relief
Morphine is a strong narcotic known as an opiate analgesic. Doctors frequently prescribe it to relieve moderate to severe pain, but drug dealers also sell it illegally on the street. Morphine comes in either extended-release tablet form for long-term pain or less-powerful tablets used for short-term pain relief.
2. Don't Mix Medications
Morphine can cause an extreme allergic reaction, particularly if you've had reactions to other narcotics, such as Vicodin, OxyContin, Percocet and codeine. Morphine also causes severe interactions when taken with other substances, such as alcohol, MAO inhibitors, muscle-relaxers, sedatives and tranquilizers. Mixing these substances can cause drowsiness or breathing problems.
3. Dosing Done Right
Always follow your doctor's orders when taking morphine, and take only the prescribed amounts in the time frame determined by your physician. Overdosing on morphine is dangerous and even deadly, so it's important to swallow your tablet, and never chew or crush your pill, which can result in too much morphine entering your system at once. Do not stop taking morphine abruptly, or you may experience severe withdrawal symptoms. Talk to your physician about weaning off the drug slowly. Never, under any circumstances, share morphine with anyone else.
4. Solve Morphine Emergencies
If you think you've taken too much morphine, seek medical attention immediately or call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. Overdose symptoms include fainting, confusion, shallow breathing, extreme drowsiness, slow heartbeat, weak pulse, blurred vision, small pupils and cold and clammy skin. If you miss a dose and it's almost time for another dose, skip your missed dose. If only a short time has passed since your scheduled dose time, take it as soon as you remember. Err on the side of caution because it's better to miss a dose than overdose.
5. Kick the Habit
Those with a history of drug addiction or abuse should not take morphine, because it's very habit-forming. Physical and psychological dependence on the drug develops quickly. If you have a morphine addiction, never try to detox on your own. Withdrawal from morphine addiction requires professional help, because when done improperly, it can lead to stroke, heart attack and even death. Detoxing from morphine also puts addicts at risk of developing an additional addiction to depressants. Even outpatient morphine detox is rarely successful. Studies show the safest, best way to detox is at an inpatient drug rehabilitation center.
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