Roxanol
- Generic Name: morphine sulfate
- Brand Name: Roxanol
Roxanol (Morphine Sulfate) side effects drug center
Roxanol Side Effects Center
What Is Roxanol?
Roxanol (morphine sulfate) is a highly concentrated solution of the narcotic analgesic morphine sulfate for oral administration used for the treatment of severe, chronic pain.
What Are Side Effects of Roxanol?
Side effects of Roxanol include:
- constipation,
- nausea,
- vomiting,
- stomach pain,
- diarrhea,
- loss of appetite,
- weight loss,
- headache,
- dizziness,
- spinning sensation,
- anxiety,
- flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling),
- memory problems, or
- sleep problems (insomnia or strange dreams).
Dosage for Roxanol
The usual adult oral dose of Roxanol is 10 to 30 mg every 4 hours or as directed by physician.
What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Roxanol?
Roxanol may interact with alcohol, other narcotic pain medications, antidepressants, sedatives, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, other medicines that can make you sleepy or slow your breathing, cimetidine, buprenorphine, butorphanol, nalbuphine, pentazocine, or diuretics (water pills). Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.
Roxanol During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
It is not known whether morphine can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman, so morphine should be given to a pregnant woman only if clearly needed. Morphine readily crosses the placental barrier and if administered during labor, may lead to respiratory depression in the neonate. Morphine has been detected in human milk. For this reason, caution should be exercised when morphine is administered to a breastfeeding woman.
Additional Information
Our Roxanol Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.
Roxanol Consumer Information
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Opioid medicine can slow or stop your breathing, and death may occur. A person caring for you should seek emergency medical attention if you have slow breathing with long pauses, blue colored lips, or if you are hard to wake up.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
- slow heart rate, sighing, weak or shallow breathing, breathing that stops;
- chest pain, fast or pounding heartbeats;
- extreme drowsiness, feeling like you might pass out;
- serotonin syndrome--agitation, hallucinations, fever, fast heart rate, muscle stiffness, twitching, loss of coordination, nausea, diarrhea; or
- low cortisol levels--nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, dizziness, worsening tiredness or weakness.
Serious breathing problems may be more likely in older adults and people who are debilitated or have wasting syndrome or chronic breathing disorders.
Common side effects may include:
- drowsiness, dizziness, tiredness;
- constipation, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting;
- sweating; or
- feelings of extreme happiness or sadness.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Read the entire detailed patient monograph for Roxanol (Morphine Sulfate)
Roxanol Professional Information
SIDE EFFECTS
THE MAJOR HAZARDS OF MORPHINE, AS OF OTHER NARCOTIC ANALGESICS, ARE RESPIRA-TORY DEPRESSION AND, TO A LESSER DEGREE, CIRCULATORY DEPRESSION, RESPIRATORY ARREST, SHOCK, AND CARDIAC ARREST HAVE OCCURRED.
The most frequently observed adverse reactions include lightheadedness, dizziness, sedation, nausea, vomiting, and sweating. These effects seem to be more prominent in ambulatory patients and in those who are suffering severe pain. In such individuals, lower doses are available. Some adverse reactions may be alleviated in the ambulatory patient if he lies down.
Other adverse reactions include the following
Central Nervous System: Euphoria, dysphoria, weakness, headache, insomnia, agitation, disorientation, and visual disturbances.
Gastrointestinal: Dry mouth, anorexia, constipation, and biliary tract spasm.
Cardiovascular: Flushing of the face, bradycardia, palpitation, faintness and syncope.
Allergic: Pruritus, urticaria, other skin rashes, edema, and, rarely hemorrhagic urticaria.
Treatment of the most frequent adverse reactions
Constipation
Ample intake of water or other liquids should be encouraged. Concomitant administration of a stool softener and a peristaltic stimulant with the narcotic analgesic can be an effective preventive measure for those patients in need of therapeutics. If elimination does not occur for two days, an enema should be administered to prevent impaction.
In the event diarrhea occurs, seepage around fecal impaction is a possible cause to consider before antidiarrheal measures are employed.
Nausea and Vomiting
Phenothiazines and antihistamines can be effective treatments of nausea of the medullary and vestibular sources respectively. However, these drugs may potentiate the side effects of the narcotic or the antinauseant.
Drowsiness (sedation)
Once pain control is achieved, undesirable sedation can be minimized by titrating the dosage to a level that just maintains a tolerable pain or pain free state.
Drug Abuse And Dependence
Morphine Sulfate, a narcotic, is a Schedule II controlled substance under the Federal Controlled Substance Act. As with other narcotics, some patients may develop a physical and psychological dependence on morphine. They may increase dosage without consulting a physician and subsequently may develop a physical dependence on the drug. In such cases, abrupt discontinuance may precipitate typical withdrawal symptoms, including convulsions. Therefore the drug should be withdrawn gradually from any patient known to be taking excessive dosages over a long period of time.
In treating the terminally ill patient the benefit of pain relief may outweigh the possibility of drug dependence. The chance of drug dependence is substantially reduced when the patient is placed on scheduled narcotic programs instead of a “pain to relief-of-pain” cycle typical of a PRN regimen.
Read the entire FDA prescribing information for Roxanol (Morphine Sulfate)
&Copy; Roxanol Patient Information is supplied by Cerner Multum, Inc. and Roxanol Consumer information is supplied by First Databank, Inc., used under license and subject to their respective copyrights.