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Morphine is used to reduce breathlessness and cough.
Take morphine as directed with a glass of non-alcoholic drink.
Measure the liquid carefully with an oral syringe. Leave at least four hours between doses.
It takes at least 20 minutes to start working. Try taking it before activities that you know make you breathless like showering, or before you go out.
Your dose is: ____________________________________________ Date: __________________
If you are taking morphine regularly for your breathlessness, take the missed dose as soon as possible. If it is close to the time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and carry on as normal. Do not take two doses at the same time.
If you are only taking it when you need it for breathlessness, then you don't need to take it.
Tell your pharmacist or doctor about all medicines or treatments that you may be taking, including vitamins, herbal products or recreational drugs.
The doses used for breathlessness are much smaller than those which would be used for pain, so the side effects are usually minimal. Side effects that can happen with morphine used in doses for pain relief are listed below.
Side Effects | Recommended action |
---|---|
Slow or shallow breathing, hard to wake up Change in heartbeat |
Tell your doctor immediately |
Constipation, confusion, dizziness, agitation, mood swings |
Tell your doctor |
Drowsiness, weakness, headache, trouble sleeping Nausea, vomiting, stomach upset Dry mouth or throat, changes in vision, trouble peeing Swollen feet or legs Sweating |
Tell your doctor if troublesome |
If you notice any other effects, discuss them with your doctor or pharmacist.
This leaflet contains important, but not all, information about this medicine.
Prepared by the PILs Committee at Christchurch Hospital, Canterbury District Health Board, New Zealand. September 2020
For more general information about this sheet annd its contents, see: What does a My Medicines sheet cover?
Te Reo Māori information sheets supported by Health Quality and Safety Commission New Zealand
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My Medicines Patient Information Leaflets (PILs) contain important, but not all, information about the medicines they describe.
For more information about the sheets, see: What does a My Medicines sheet cover?
My Medicines is developed by a team at the Canterbury District Health Board. Our team is made up of doctors, pharmacists, and a non-medical person to help us keep to plain language. We also discuss our information with specialist health professionals or groups when needed