Morphine Sulfate Tablet: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Morphine Sulfate Tablet contains morphine, an opiate (narcotic) analgesic used to relieve severe pain, including pain severe enough to require daily, around-the-clock, long-term opioid treatment. It acts on the central nervous system to change how the brain and body respond to pain. It is available in several forms, including immediate-release and extended-release tablets, capsules, and an oral solution. Because it can cause serious breathing problems and is habit-forming, it must be used exactly as prescribed.

What is Morphine Sulfate Tablet

Morphine is a very strong painkiller. It belongs to a group of medicines called narcotic analgesics (opioids). It acts on the central nervous system to relieve pain.

Morphine Sulfate Tablet uses

• To relieve severe pain
• To treat pain severe enough to need daily, around-the-clock, long-term opioid treatment
• For the prolonged relief of strong and very strong persistent pain when other painkillers are not enough

Benefits of Morphine Sulfate Tablet

• Relieves severe pain that other pain medicines cannot control
• Prolonged-release forms give steady pain relief over a longer period

How Morphine Sulfate Tablet works

Morphine works by changing the way the brain and nervous system respond to pain. It acts on the central nervous system to relieve pain.

Morphine Sulfate Tablet dosage

Take this medicine only as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it, take it more often, or take it longer than ordered. You may take this medicine with or without food. Take morphine at the same times each day.

Swallow the extended-release tablets and capsules whole. Do not crush, break, split, dissolve, or chew them. Do not use extended-release tablets that are broken. Dividing, crushing or dissolving the prolonged-release tablets will destroy the release system and may lead to severe side effects. Take the tablets whole with enough liquid, such as a glass of water. With the extended-release tablet, part of the tablet may pass into your stool; this is normal.

Measure the oral liquid with a marked measuring spoon, oral syringe, or medicine cup, not a household teaspoon. Do not switch between brands or forms unless your doctor tells you to, as they work differently even at the same dose.

If you have been using this medicine regularly, do not suddenly stop it; your doctor may gradually reduce your dose to prevent withdrawal. The film-coated tablets must not be dissolved and injected. After taking an antacid, wait at least 2 hours before taking morphine.

Available forms and strengths

• Tablet
• Extended-release tablet
• Extended-release capsule (24 hour)
• Extended-release capsule
• Prolonged-release film-coated tablet
• Oral solution (liquid)

Side effects of Morphine Sulfate Tablet

Common

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Drowsiness or sleepiness
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Sweating
• Dry mouth
• Weakness, tiredness
• Abdominal pain
• Loss of appetite
• Confusion
• Sleeping problems
• Muscle spasms
• Flushing
• Relaxed and calm feeling
• Weight loss
• Decreased sexual desire or ability

Serious

• Slowed or difficult breathing, long pauses between breaths, or shortness of breath
• Chest pain or changes in heartbeat
• Serious allergic reaction with hives, rash, itching, swelling of the face, mouth, lips or throat, hoarseness, or trouble breathing or swallowing
• Signs of serotonin syndrome such as agitation, hallucinations, fever, sweating, confusion, fast heartbeat, shivering, muscle stiffness or twitching, or loss of coordination
• Signs of adrenal gland problems such as weakness, tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, or low blood pressure
• Seizures
• Extreme drowsiness or unable to wake up
• New pain or increased sensitivity to pain
• Unusual snoring or long pauses in breathing during sleep (sleep apnea)
• Severe skin reaction with blistering, widespread scaly skin, or pus-filled spots together with fever (AGEP)
• Fainting, lightheadedness, or dizziness when standing up
• Slow heartbeat

Warnings and precautions

• Morphine may be habit-forming. Do not take more or less of it, take it more often, stop suddenly, or take it differently than your doctor directs. 
• Morphine may cause serious or life-threatening breathing problems, especially in the first 24 to 72 hours of treatment and whenever your dose is increased. Morphine may harm or cause death to other people who take your medicine, especially children. Keep it in a safe place so no one else can take it.
• Taking morphine with other medicines that slow the nervous system, such as benzodiazepines, sedatives, or sleeping pills, increases the risk of drowsiness, breathing difficulty, coma, and death. 
• Do not use morphine if you have taken an MAO inhibitor within the past 14 days. 
• If you stop morphine suddenly after using it regularly, you may have withdrawal symptoms. 
• Do not stop without talking to your doctor, who may reduce your dose gradually. 
• Repeated use can lead to tolerance, dependence, abuse and addiction, which may result in life-threatening overdose.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. 
• Morphine should not be used during pregnancy. 
• Taking it regularly during pregnancy may cause life-threatening withdrawal symptoms in your newborn baby. 
• You should not breastfeed while taking morphine. 
• The active substance passes into breast milk, and in some mothers it could lead to an overdose in the nursing baby, causing very serious side effects.
• Use morphine with caution if you have kidney disease. 
• Its effects may be increased because the medicine is removed from the body more slowly. 
• Your doctor may prescribe a lower dose. 
• Use morphine with caution if you have liver disease. 
• Its effects may be increased because the medicine is removed from the body more slowly. Your doctor may prescribe a lower dose.
• Do not drink alcohol while taking morphine. Alcohol can make the side effects worse and may cause serious effects such as shallow breathing, a risk of stopping breathing, and loss of consciousness.
• Morphine may make you drowsy, dizzy, confused, or disoriented and may impair your ability to drive. 
• Do not drive or use machines until you know how this medicine affects you.

Storage

• Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.
• Do not store above 25°C.
• Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
• Keep the medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and in a location not easily accessible by others.
• Store morphine in a safe and secure place so no one else can take it accidentally or on purpose.
• Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
• Drop off any unused narcotic medicine at a drug take-back location. If none is available, flush unused narcotic medicine down the toilet.
• Do not throw away medicines via wastewater or household waste; ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines you no longer use.

When to see a doctor

• If you have slowed breathing, long pauses between breaths, or shortness of breath, call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment.
• If you think you or someone else has taken an overdose, get emergency help at once. In case of overdose, call your local poison control center; if the person has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or cannot be awakened, call your local emergency services immediately.
• Call your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, hoarseness, trouble breathing or swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth, as this may be a life-threatening allergic reaction.
• Stop using morphine and seek medical attention immediately if you notice blistering, widespread scaly skin, or pus-filled spots together with fever.
• Check with your doctor right away if you have anxiety, restlessness, fast heartbeat, fever, sweating, muscle spasms, twitching, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or see or hear things that are not there, as these may be signs of serotonin syndrome.

Alternatives

• Oxycodone
• Hydromorphone
• Fentanyl
• Tramadol
• Codeine
• Buprenorphine
• Tapentadol