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Duker52

Distinguished member
Joined
May 22, 2016
Messages
119
Reason
PALS
Diagnosis
04/2016
Country
US
State
Virginia
City
Alexandria
I have started taking 2.5cc of liquid morphine before I go to bed. We are putting it in juice along with two other medications and then putting it in my feeding tube. Is it alright to feed it directly into the stomach or should it be placed under the tongue? Bill
 
I think it is ok but what did your hospice say? Under the tongue will work faster and eliminate a pass through the liver so it might be a tiny bit more effective.
 
Definitely check with your hospice as under the tongue is often used for clonazepam but it is measured in drops.

Under the tongue means it will be absorbed directly into the blood stream, rather than being digested first.
 
Under the tongue morphine is very very common around here in hospice
 
Oh yes Nikki I wasn't suggesting that sublingual morphine isn't used, it is a brilliant way to deliver. I was just suggesting that the OP check with hospice and be sure they use the right med the way that will give the best delivery and result :)
 
Nikki and Tillie. Thanks for your responses. I will check with hospice today and get their reading. Bill
 
Please let us know Duke :)
 
The hospice nurse came by today and we asked if it was better to take it under the tongue or through the tube. She said either is fine as long as you follow it with some type of food/formula. She said it can cause nausea and food will help ward it off. She also said it is very constipating and many over the counter remedies might not be strong enough. She called in a script and said that if Smooth Move or prune juice don't keep me regular, to take one of the pills daily or every their day. I took my first daytime dose of morphine today, so we will see how things move -- or don't. Bill
 
Bill, why are you taking morphine before bed? There are better/safer pain/sleep agents so I would want to be sure there is a clear indication for this agent/dose and other options have been considered/tried. Hospice has a tendency to lean on morphine in part because of the oncology heritage.

Best,
Laurie
 
Hey bill thanks for this thread cause I too just agreed to " get" the px. Now my hospice nurse suggested morphine to help with breathing as I have labored breathing thru out the day.
Anyway, I was resisting at first but when she said to just have it around in cas of emergence.
Sounded right to me so I said ok to it.
Drops under tongue, also if it slows me down then she also px me senna. I ain't taken it unless I really need it.
Not to happy about this turn of events but glad the resources are there to help if needed. Besides as I am understanding this nightmare ,morphine will eventually be our friend. Love ya chally. Got more to report and ask but I" ll start a new thread
 
Bill, Are you in bad pain or taking the morphine for some other reason?

I take Oxycodone in very small doses under the tongue for pain. I try to avoid taking it at night because it suppresses breathing. Mine is in pill form but I split it in quarters and let it dissolve under my tongue.
 
I have taken the morphine at night on two occasions because of air hunger. I took it again during the day on Wednesday for the same reason. I don't use my bipap because it doesn't help me and also I don't want to prolong this disease any longer than necessary. I am not in any pain. The only problem with the morphine is constipation and hospice just order a px for Senna. I just want to be comfortable and there will come a time when I want to be really comfortable and my spouse in on board with that. Bill
 
You are unlikely to suffer constipation if you just take a small dose of morphine occasionally. The constipation is something to be really aware of preventing when you are on it regularly.

Chris took 5mg before bed for months and I gave him movicol with 500 ml water first up every morning (by peg) before he even got out of bed. He would say whether he needed one or two sachets.

Keeping up fibre using psyllium, prunes/juice, magnesium etc can all prevent constipation becoming too much of an issue. Another big help is massaging the whole stomach area and passive exercise/ROM of the legs. The more stimulation you can supply to the bowels, the more you help them keep on moving.
 
Tillie

Although I have only taken morphine 4 times, and not on consecutive nights/days, it always constipates me. Maybe I just have a sensitive system. And stool softeners don't work -- I have to bring out the big guns and use Smooth Move, a laxative tea. Drives me nuts. Bill
 
wow you must be sensitive then!

Keep those big guns in action, I'm sure you already realise this ... :)
 
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