Morphine or morphine sulfate is a powerful painkiller that affects the central nervous system. It’s an opiate, which means it’s derived from the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum. You may also hear morphine referred to as an opioid, which refers to any drug that binds to certain receptors in the brain the same way as an opiate.
If you or someone you love is addicted to morphine and needs help now contact us today at 888-995-5265. If you have insurance from a major provider some or all of your treatment may be covered. Click here to complete our no-cost, 100% confidential insurance verification form so you or a loved one can start treatment today.
Many people may legitimately need morphine. It’s often used to ease severe post-operative pain or chronic conditions with pain that’s difficult to manage with NSAIDs (non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs). The problem with morphine is that it’s addictive and can lead to dependency. If morphine is not taken exactly as prescribed, it could lead to severe illness or even death. Understanding morphine overdose symptoms and how to deal with an overdose could save someone’s life.
What Medicines Contain Morphine?
Like many medications, morphine is often provided to a patient as a branded product. All of these medications contain morphine sulfate:
- Roxanol
- MorphaBond
- MS Contin
- Kadian
- Infumorph
- Duramorphy
- Depodur
- Astramorph
- Arymo ER
If you’re unsure if you’ve been prescribed morphine or an alternative, check with your doctor or the prescribing pharmacist.
Why Is a Morphine Overdose Dangerous?
Too much morphine can cause a dangerously slow or irregular heartbeat and can slow breathing so much that it can lead to a lack of oxygen to the brain. This is called respiratory depression and can lead to brain damage if the person doesn’t receive oxygen and further treatment. Other dangers include the person harming themselves if they become confused or lose coordination. They may fall or hurt themselves while trying to use machinery or drive.
Opioid overdoses are currently on the rise. As of September 2022, drug overdose became the leading cause of accidental deaths in the United States. While most of these fatalities come from heroin or synthetic opioids, prescription opioids are also a major contributor. Becoming dependent upon pain medication is a real possibility and can lead to long-term addiction if not discussed with a professional.
If you’re worried about your morphine intake or know someone who needs support with other substances, contact us here at Summit Detox. Our opiate detox program helps people return from dependency and get their lives back on track. Call (888) 995-5265 for more information.
Typical Morphine Overdose Symptoms
Even when used as prescribed, morphine can have severe side effects simply because it’s such a powerful drug. These side effects should occur only within the first one-three days of starting morphine. If you notice any of these in yourself or someone who has been taking morphine for longer than three days, they could be morphine overdose symptoms. Side effects include:
- Constricted (small) pupils
- Behavior changes or mood swings
- Sleepiness or fatigue
- Rapid or slowed heartbeat
- Difficulty or pain when urinating
- Confusion
- Feeling faint or actually fainting
- Stomach pain
- Cramps
- Nausea or vomiting
- Twitching or even seizures
- Sweating
- Visual or auditory hallucinations
- Muscle stiffness
- Lack of coordination
- Changes in appetite
- Menstruation changes
- Dry mouth
- Fever
- Irritability or nervousness
- A blue or purple color to the skin
- Lack of responsiveness
If the person is unresponsive, their skin is blue, or if they experience a seizure or seem so confused they could harm themselves or someone else, seek emergency assistance. In addition to these well-documented side effects, possible morphine overdose symptoms include:
- Skin that feels clammy or cold
- Blue lips or fingertips
- Blurred vision
- Breathing that’s much slower than normal, irregular, or labored
- Slow heartbeat
- Muscles going limp or floppy
- Feeling very sleepy
- Losing consciousness
- Coma
If any of these symptoms occur, call 911 or the appropriate emergency number immediately.
What to Do if Someone Displays Morphine Overdose Symptoms
Immediately call for emergency services if you believe someone has taken too much morphine. If you’re unsure the person has consumed a harmful substance, you can also get information from the poison control center. They are available 24/7/365 and provide emergency information on what to do in a poisoning situation.
Do not assume you need to force the person to throw up. Morphine is often taken orally, but it can also be injected and taken via skin patches, so making someone vomit could harm them. Always follow the instructions of the medical team.
If the person stops breathing, you may be able to perform mouth-to-mouth breathing. Again, seek advice from the emergency medical team regarding this.
What to Tell the Emergency Team
The government resource Medline states that, if possible, you should have the following information to relay to the emergency medical team:
- The person’s age
- Their weight
- Are they conscious, alert, confused, or passed out?
- When was the morphine taken?
- How much was taken?
This information will allow the medical response team to understand how to treat the patient best.
Possible Treatments for Morphine Overdose
If you accompany someone who displays morphine overdose symptoms to the emergency room, you can expect they’ll be provided oxygen to help them breathe. They may be intubated with a tube inserted into the airway (trachea) to keep it open and ensure constant oxygen flow. This helps to prevent possible brain damage. Patients may also need a ventilator.
A common treatment for morphine overdose, when morphine is taken by mouth, is activated charcoal. This helps absorb some of the opioid medication and prevent it from causing further damage. Activated charcoal should be administered as soon as possible but no longer than three hours after the morphine was taken.
Patients often require intravenous fluids to keep them hydrated while treatment is ongoing. They will also undergo numerous tests to determine what damage the morphine has caused. These tests may include:
- Blood tests
- Urine tests
- CT scan of the brain
- Chest x-rays
- Electrocardiogram (ECG)
Understanding how the body is responding to the morphine helps determine the next steps in treatment. Naloxone may be administered as an antidote to morphine. In severe cases, gastric lavage, which means washing out the stomach, may be required to physically remove drugs that were taken orally. You might have heard this procedure called “stomach pumping.”
Recovery from Morphine Overdose – The Prognosis
Whether someone recovers fully after a morphine overdose depends on how quickly the overdose was treated and how much morphine was taken. It may also depend on other factors such as:
- The overall health of the person
- Any other medications they were taking
- Whether they had alcohol or other drugs in their system at the time of the overdose, including caffeine
- Their age and weight
Only a medical professional can definitively state the prognosis for each case. Morphine overdoses are incredibly dangerous and could lead to long-term issues like kidney problems and irreversible brain damage.
Preventing a morphine overdose could be as simple as understanding more about the substance, its addictiveness, and the potential harm it can cause. Many people know that their loved ones need morphine but may not realize that the person is not taking the drug correctly.
For example, some morphine tablets are extended release, which means they must be taken whole to slowly release the morphine into a person’s system. If the person decides to snap that tablet in two to take a half dose, perhaps because their pain level is lower, they could accidentally cause an overdose. It’s vital to understand the medication you’re taking and follow instructions from the prescribing medical professional.
When someone has relied on morphine or other opioids for a long time, breaking that dependency can be very difficult. That’s when professional help from an addiction specialist becomes essential.
From morphine detox support to residential stays, Summit Detox provides a range of services to help anyone struggling with addiction get their life back under their control. We can talk you through how to prepare for a stay at one of our expert facilities, answer any questions you might have about the recovery process, and discuss what you can bring with you to make your stay comfortable and beneficial.
Contact the team here at Summit Detox at (888) 995-5265 and talk to an expert about the right support for you or your loved one.
