The morphine ativan combination that is so controversial can be a godsend for those at the end of life when used appropriately. Some people like dev's mom are still able to participate in the care plan at that point but with many others family and health providers have to use clues and their experience to guide them. There is an inordinate fear of morphine in the community, it would be a terrible thing to deny anyone ease at the end of life because of it. Once it reaches that point I would much rather my own mother be allowed to slip away peacefully than possibly suffer pain and fear just to accommodate the hope of hearing her final words, but that is only my opinion.
I'll answer you but I'm truly not getting much input on this site. Maybe it's because I'm an activist and I scare people because there is so much wrong with our health system as well as the care giving system and I'm still suffering trauma and financial woes from the so called "agencies" which in my opinion for the most part are a money making racket, not covered by insurance or Medicare and hire incompetent people. Go figure.
Re: Morphine. What I did was have my Mom, who was lucid, tell me the scale of her pain on a scale of one to ten. If it was over a five, I'd give her the oral solution under the tongue. I had advice from a palliative care doctor as she was in pain due to cancer spreading through her body. I based my dosages on her pain, not what the doctors said, as morphine affects a person and puts them in a vegetable state if too much is given. It's not cookie cutter. Every person is different. Some days she didn't need it. In fact, there were weeks she went without and only had tylenol if in a little bit of pain. You know your mother, so I suggest this. If you have hospice coming by, perhaps you can ask them for their opinion also. I guess my point is you don't want to turn your mother into a zombie which morphine can do. Every case is different I realize. Too bad the medical profession doesn't.
4 Answers
Helpful Newest
First Oldest
First
Morphine Oral Solution 10mg/5ml
Adults: Recommended dose: 10-20 mg (5-10 ml) every 4 hours.
Maximum daily dose: 120 mg per day
This indicates 500ml over 14 days is a very conservative dosage.
20 mg per 5 mL (4 mg/mL) strength Oral Solution: Each 5 mL of clear light pink to reddish pink solution contains 20 mg of morphine sulfate.
100 mg per 5 mL (20 mg/mL) strength Oral Solution: Each 5 mL of clear colorless to light yellow oral solution contains 100 mg of morphine sulfate.
Do you mean that 500 mL is being used up over the course of two weeks?
Are the relatives physicians or otherwise medical professionals? Or do them simply want to see your loved one is pain?
How much is being given in each dose, and how much time in between each dose is the real question.
ADVERTISEMENT
Re: Morphine. What I did was have my Mom, who was lucid, tell me the scale of her pain on a scale of one to ten. If it was over a five, I'd give her the oral solution under the tongue. I had advice from a palliative care doctor as she was in pain due to cancer spreading through her body. I based my dosages on her pain, not what the doctors said, as morphine affects a person and puts them in a vegetable state if too much is given. It's not cookie cutter. Every person is different. Some days she didn't need it. In fact, there were weeks she went without and only had tylenol if in a little bit of pain. You know your mother, so I suggest this. If you have hospice coming by, perhaps you can ask them for their opinion also. I guess my point is you don't want to turn your mother into a zombie which morphine can do. Every case is different I realize. Too bad the medical profession doesn't.