Deadly Drugs: Morphine

Morphine is one of the most common opiate medications given in the emergency room. It is used to treat moderate to severe pain. Some of the more general side effects include dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, nervousness, chills, sweating, weakness, decrease in sexual drive and ability, confusion, and mood changes. These are usually mild and will go away as the medication begins to wear off. The duration of effectiveness for morphine is approximately four to five hours. There are several severe side effects that are very dangerous. These side effects include, but are not limited to, a noticeable increase or decrease in heart rate, slow or shallow breathing, blurred vision, seizures, convulsions, and hallucinations (seeing things and hearing things that do not exist). After heroin, morphine is the leading narcotic drug for dependency. It can be found on the streets and is known by such names as China White, Morph, White Stuff, God's Drug, and Dreamer.

Patients are always looking for ways to minimize their risks when it comes to taking medication, whether they be prescriptions or over-the-counter. When doctors write prescriptions they will usually educate their patients about the basics of the drugs that they will be taking and are warned about the side effects they may experience. What doctors fail to tell us is what the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) says or doesn't say about these drugs and their safety. According to the FDA morphine used correctly and under the supervision of a doctor can be very effective in relieving moderate to severe pain. They also go on to tell us that morphine is an addictive drug that can cause not only severe side effects but also death. Most doctors may assume that this is information that should be common sense and isn't something that needs to be said out loud to a patient. Most patients are not aware of these severe side effects and may choose not to receive these drugs if they were well informed and educated about them. Without thinking about it a lot of us will go to the hospital with an emergency and let a doctor that we've never seen before treat us. Their protocol is to give us medications for nausea and pain, do a blood work up, take x-rays, and try to treat us in the best manner they can for the moment being. We put our trust and our lives in the hands of these doctors.

Morphine is not only dispensed in the hospital. It also comes in an oral form and is often sent home as a prescription for patients who have had major surgery, suffer from severe pain as a result of cancer, or have had other procedures in which their pain cannot be managed otherwise. If you are suffering from moderate to severe pain and your doctor is going to administer morphine it would be recommended, especially if you are uneasy about receiving pain medications, that you get a second opinion, ask your doctor for more information, or educate yourself about these drugs before taking them.

Sources:

www.ihc.org
www.webmd.com
www.medlineplus.com
www.drugtalk.com