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Morphine

Sounds like 'mor-feen'

Key points about morphine

Morphine is used for the relief of moderate to severe pain such as that caused by an injury or operation, or by a terminal illness such as cancer.
It may also be used to ease breathlessness or cough in palliative care.
Follow the instructions on the label of your medicine, for how much to take and how often.
Find out how to take it safely and possible side effects.

Healthcare worker advising older woman at home on taking medicine Canva 950x690

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Morphine is used for the relief of moderate to severe pain such as:

after an injury or operation
pain caused by a terminal illness such as cancer.

It's usually used when milder pain medicines such as paracetamol or non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), don’t work well enough.

Morphine belongs to a group of medicines called opioids. They act on your brain and nervous system to reduce pain.
Other types of pain relievers such as paracetamol and NSAIDs (ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen) may also be used with morphine.
Read more about pain, pain-relief medication, and opioids.

Morphine is also used to treat breathlessness and cough in palliative care. A regular small dose may help to ease symptoms of shortness of breath. Learn more about breathlessness in palliative care and cough in palliative care.

Morphine is also called:

Sevredol tablets
m-Eslon SR capsules
RA-Morph liquid
Wockhardt morphine liquid
Oramorph.

Some types of morphine are short-acting or immediate release (eg, Sevredol tablets and morphine liquid) – they work quickly to ease your symptoms. Long-acting or slow release morphine (eg, m-Eslon SR capsules) works slowly over several hours to give a constant and more even pain control.

From March 2024, ALL strengths of RA-Morph morphine liquid will be temporarily unavailable, eg, 1 mg, 2 mg, 5 mg and 10 mg in 1 mL

It's been replaced by Wockhardt morphine (2 mg/mL) or Oramorph oral solution (2 mg/mL).
Note: Oramorph contains alcohol as a preservative. The alcohol content in 5 mL of Oramorph is equivalent to 10 mL beer or 4 mL wine. For some people, alcohol in some medicines may be a concern. If you need to avoid alcohol, tell your pharmacist. Read more about medicines that contain alcohol.
The new owner of the company that supplies RA-Morph expects to be able to re-supply all RA-Morph strengths after June 2024.
Learn more about how to safely change to Wockhardt or Oramorph oral liquid [PDF, 183 KB].
Read more about Morphine oral liquid: Supply issue(external link).

The dose of morphine will be different for different people.

Some types of morphine are short-acting or immediate release (eg, Sevredol tablets and morphine liquid) – they work quickly to ease your symptoms.
Long-acting or slow release morphine (eg, m-Eslon SR capsules) works slowly over several hours to give a constant and more even pain control.
Always take your morphine exactly as your doctor has told you. Depending on the cause of your pain, your doctor may advise you to take regular doses or to take morphine only when you need it for pain relief. Make sure you know which is right for you.
The doses of morphine used for breathlessness and cough are much lower than would be used for pain.
The pharmacy label on your medicine will tell you how much to take, how often to take it, and any special instructions.
If you’re drowsy or sleepy, don’t take your next dose until you’re wide awake. Ask your healthcare provider for advice.

Morphine is available as tablets, capsules, oral liquid and injections. Injections are mostly used in hospital.

Follow the instructions on the label of your medicine, for how much to take and how often.
You can take morphine with or without food.
Some types of morphine are short-acting or immediate release and others are long-acting or slow release. Ask your pharmacist if you're not sure about the type you're taking.
If you're taking it regularly and forget to take your dose, take it as soon as you remember that day. But if it's nearly time for your next dose, just take the next dose at the right time. Do not take double the amount.

Formulation	How to take it
Tablets – an example is Sevredol® tablets	These tablets are short-acting or immediate release – they start working quickly to ease pain. These are usually taken every 4 to 6 hours. Swallow the tablets with a glass of water. Tablets may be halved.
Capsules – an example is m-Eslon SR	The capsules work slowly over several hours to give a constant and more even pain control – these are called 'SR' or slow release capsules. These are usually taken twice a day (12 hours apart) or once daily (at the same time each day). Swallow the capsules whole – don't break or chew them as they may release the medicine too quickly and cause side-effects.
Oral liquid – Examples are RA-Morph and Wockhardt morphine	The liquid is usually taken every 4 to 6 hours. It starts working quickly to ease pain or breathlessness and cough. Morphine liquid is available in many strengths. Carefully follow the dose on the label of your medicine. Check the dose every time. Don’t assume that the dose is the same as you were taking previously. Ensure that you know how many millilitres (mL) of the liquid is needed for your dose. If you're not sure, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. It’s best to use a medicine syringe to accurately measure the prescribed dose. Draw the liquid into the syringe until it's level with the mark that shows the right dose. Read more about medicine syringes.

Here are some things to know when you're taking morphine. Other things may be important as well, so ask your healthcare provider what you should know about.

Eat plenty of fibre and drink more water while you are taking morphine

Morphine can affect your bowel movements – it might be hard or painful to poo (constipation).
If this happens, ask your healthcare provider for a laxative, to soften your poo.
Eating foods with fibre, drinking plenty of water and keeping active can help.

Morphine can make you sleepy, drowsy, dizzy or affect your concentration

If you’re drowsy or sleepy, don’t take your next dose until you’re wide awake. Ask your healthcare provider for advice.
Limit or avoid alcohol as it can make these effects worse.
Don’t drive a vehicle, ride a bike or operate machinery (including power tools) and don’t make important personal or business decisions or sign legal papers.

Taking other medicines

Your doctor may recommend taking other pain relievers such as paracetamol and NSAIDs (ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen) as well. If taken regularly, they can reduce the amount of morphine you need to take.
If you're taking any other medicines, or starting a new medicine, check with your doctor or pharmacist to make sure they're safe to take with morphine. This includes any medicines you buy without a prescription (over the counter), such as herbal and complementary medicines or recreational drugs.
If your pain isn’t improving don’t take extra doses. If you’re also prescribed paracetamol or anti-inflammatories, you can use them with morphine. If you're not sure, ask your healthcare provider.
Try other ways to manage your pain. Morphine reduces severe pain but won’t take all of your pain away. Try relaxation techniques, gentle exercises and stretches.

If you’re breastfeeding

Most people can continue to breastfeed while taking morphine for pain relief.
Let your healthcare providers know you’re breastfeeding so they can discuss this with you.
It’s recommended you avoid co-sleeping with your baby when taking morphine. Put your baby to sleep in their own bed.

Morphine is addictive

If you're addicted to morphine, you may find it difficult to stop taking it or feel you need to take it more often than necessary.
It's unusual for people who are prescribed morphine for a short time or for a terminal illness to become addicted to it.
Some people are more likely to develop addiction than others and seem to be very sensitive to the cravings. You may be at risk for addiction if you have mental health problems (such as depression) or a history of substance abuse, including alcohol and recreational drugs.
To reduce your risk of addiction when using morphine for short-term pain relief, use it for the shortest possible time, at the lowest effective dose.
Have a plan in place for how and when to reduce and stop taking morphine.
Talk to your doctor if you're worried about addiction or if you want to know more about how to prevent withdrawal symptoms.

Like all medicines, morphine can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them. Often side effects improve as your body gets used to the new medicine.

Side effects	What should I do?
Feeling sleepy, dizzy or tired Vertigo Problems with concentration	These are common when starting morphine or after increasing the dose. If you’re drowsy or sleepy, don’t take your next dose until you’re wide awake and ask your healthcare provider for advice. Be careful when driving or using tools until you know how this medicine affects you. Don't drink alcohol.
Feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting)	This is common when you first start taking morphine. This usually settles and goes away. Tell your doctor if it's bothering you. You may need an anti-sickness tablet.
Constipation	Constipation is very common and can be quite severe. Ask your doctor to prescribe a laxative which you will need to take regularly. You also need to eat more fibre such as fresh fruit, vegetables, brown bread, bran-based breakfast cereals and drink plenty of water. Read more about how to ease and prevent constipation.
Headache, dry mouth, changes in your eyesight or vision Itching Flushing, sweating	These are quite common when you first start taking morphine and usually go away with time. Tell your doctor if they bother you.
Mood changes, sleep problems, hallucinations, confusion, nightmares Palpitations or feeling like your heart is racing	Tell your doctor if they bother you.
Changes in breathing (slow or shallow), hard to wake up, seizures Difficulty urinating (passing pee)	Tell your doctor immediately or ring Healthline 0800 611 116.
Signs of an allergic reaction such as skin rashes, itches, swelling of the face, lips, mouth, or difficulty breathing.	Tell your doctor immediately or ring Healthline 0800 611 116.