MS Contin Side Effects
Generic name: morphine
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Sep 23, 2024.
Note: This document provides detailed information about MS Contin Side Effects associated with morphine. Some dosage forms listed on this page may not apply specifically to the brand name MS Contin.
Applies to morphine: oral capsule extended release, oral capsule extended release 24 hr, oral solution, oral tablet, oral tablet extended release.
Other dosage forms:
Important warnings
This medicine can cause some serious health issues
Common side effects of MS Contin
Some side effects of morphine may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.
Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
More common side effects
- cramps
- difficulty having a bowel movement
- drowsiness
- false or unusual sense of well-being
- relaxed and calm feeling
- sleepiness or unusual drowsiness
- weight loss
Less common side effects
- absent, missed, or irregular menstrual periods
- bad, unusual, or unpleasant (after) taste
- change in vision
- dry mouth
- floating feeling
- halos around lights
- heartburn or indigestion
- loss in sexual ability, desire, drive, or performance
- muscle stiffness or tightness
- night blindness
- overbright appearance of lights
- problems with muscle control
- stomach discomfort or upset
- trouble sleeping
- uncontrolled eye movements
Incidence not known
- abnormal dreams
- change in walking and balance
- change or problem with discharge of semen
- clumsiness or unsteadiness
- confusion as to time, place, or person
- false beliefs that cannot be changed by facts
- feeling of constant movement of self or surroundings
- general feeling of discomfort or illness
- holding false beliefs that cannot be changed by fact
- poor insight and judgment
- problems with memory or speech
- seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there
- sensation of spinning
- trouble recognizing objects
- trouble thinking and planning
- trouble walking
- unusual excitement, nervousness, or restlessness
Serious side effects of MS Contin
Along with its needed effects, morphine (the active ingredient contained in MS Contin) may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking morphine:
Less common side effects
- blurred vision
- bulging soft spot on the head of an infant
- burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles", or tingling feelings
- change in the ability to see colors, especially blue or yellow
- chest pain or discomfort
- chills
- confusion
- cough
- decreased urination
- dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
- fainting
- fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse
- headache
- hives, itching, or skin rash
- increased sweating
- loss of appetite
- nausea
- nervousness
- pounding in the ears
- puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
- severe constipation
- severe vomiting
- shakiness in the legs, arms, hands, or feet
- slow heartbeat
- stomach pain
- sweating
- vomiting
Incidence not known
- agitation
- black, tarry stools
- cold, clammy skin
- darkening of the skin
- diarrhea
- difficulty swallowing
- feeling of warmth or heat
- fever
- flushing or redness of the skin, especially on the face and neck
- irregular, fast or slow, or shallow breathing
- lightheadedness
- loss of consciousness
- low blood pressure or pulse
- mental depression
- overactive reflexes
- painful urination
- pale or blue lips, fingernails, or skin
- pale skin
- pinpoint red spots on the skin
- poor coordination
- pounding in the ears
- puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
- restlessness
- shakiness and unsteady walk
- shivering
- talking or acting with excitement you cannot control
- tightness in the chest
- twitching
- unsteadiness, trembling, or other problems with muscle control or coordination
- unusual bleeding or bruising
- unusual tiredness or weakness
- very slow heartbeat
Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur while taking morphine:
Symptoms of overdose
- constricted, pinpoint, or small pupils (black part of the eye)
- decreased awareness or responsiveness
- extreme drowsiness
- fever
- increased blood pressure
- increased thirst
- lower back or side pain
- muscle cramps, spasms, pain, or stiffness
- no muscle tone or movement
- severe sleepiness
- swelling of the face, fingers, or lower legs
- weight gain
For healthcare professionals
Applies to morphine: compounding powder, injectable solution, injectable tablet soluble, intramuscular solution, intravenous solution, oral capsule, oral capsule extended release, oral concentrate, oral liquid, oral solution, oral tablet, oral tablet extended release, rectal suppository, spinal solution.
Nervous system adverse events
- Very common (10% or more): Drowsiness (28%)
- Common (1% to 10%): Dizziness, sedation, fever, anxiety, confusion, tremor, diaphoresis, lethargy, feeling of warmth
- Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Withdrawal symptoms after either abrupt cessation or fast tapering of the drug, headache, chills, flu syndrome, malaise, withdrawal syndrome, pallor, facial flushing, syncope, loss of concentration, insomnia, amnesia, paresthesia, agitation, vertigo, foot drop, ataxia, hypesthesia, slurred speech, hallucinations, euphoria, apathy, seizures, myoclonus
- Frequency not reported: Inflammatory masses including granulomas (some of which have resulted in serous neurologic impairment including paralysis) in patients receiving continuous infusion of opioids via indwelling intrathecal catheter[Ref]
Central nervous system side effects may be either depressant or excitatory. Excitatory symptoms are sometimes ignored as possible side effects of morphine. Severe adverse effects such as respiratory depression can be treated with the opioid antagonist naloxone.
Patients receiving continuous infusion of morphine sulfate via indwelling intrathecal catheter should be monitored for new neurologic signs or symptoms. Further assessment or intervention should be based on the clinical condition of the individual patient.
Myoclonic spasms may occur in patients receiving high dose morphine, particularly in the setting of renal dysfunction. Hyperalgesia has also been reported with high doses.[Ref]
Respiratory
- Common (1% to 10%): Respiratory depression
- Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Hiccup, rhinitis, atelectasis, asthma, hypoxia, voice alteration, depressed cough reflex, noncardiogenic pulmonary edema, bronchospasm[Ref]
Gastrointestinal
- Common (1% to 10%): Dry mouth, constipation, nausea, diarrhea, anorexia, abdominal pain, vomiting
- Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Dysphagia, dyspepsia, stomach atony disorder, gastroesophageal reflux, delayed gastric emptying, biliary colic, increased gastroesophageal reflux, intestinal obstruction[Ref]
Morphine may cause constriction of the common bile duct and spasm of the sphincter of Oddi, thereby increasing intrabiliary pressure and worsening, rather than relieving, biliary colic.
In addition, morphine may cause intense but uncoordinated duodenal contraction and decreased gastric emptying.[Ref]
Cardiovascular
- Common (1% to 10%): Chest pain
- Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, hypertension, hypotension, palpitations, bradycardia, vasodilation[Ref]
Psychiatric
- Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Abnormal thinking, abnormal dreams, depression, fearfulness, agitation, paranoia, psychosis, hypervigilance, hallucinations, delirium
- Frequency not reported: Withdrawal symptoms after abrupt cessation of therapy[Ref]
Genitourinary
- Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Urinary abnormality, urinary retention, urinary hesitancy[Ref]
The risk of acute urinary retention is very high when morphine is administered by epidural or intrathecal injection. Clinicians should be attentive to the increased risk of urosepsis in this setting, particularly if instrumentation of the urinary tract is necessary.[Ref]
Hematologic
- Common (1% to 10%): Anemia, leukopenia
- Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Thrombocytopenia[Ref]
Endocrine
- Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Hyponatremia due to inappropriate ADH secretion, gynecomastia, amenorrhea, reduced libido, reduced potency, prolonged labor[Ref]
Musculoskeletal
- Common (1% to 10%): Asthenia, accidental injury
- Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Back pain, bone pain, arthralgia
- Frequency not reported: Opioid-induced involuntary muscle hyperactivity with chronic high doses[Ref]
Dermatologic
- Common (1% to 10%): Rash
- Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Decubitus ulcer, pruritus, skin flush[Ref]
Ocular
- Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Amblyopia, conjunctivitis, miosis, blurred vision, nystagmus, diplopia[Ref]
Hypersensitivity
- Very rare (less than 0.01%): Hypersensitivity reactions, anaphylaxis[Ref]
Hepatic
- Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Increases in hepatic enzymes[Ref]
Metabolic
- Common (1% to 10%): Peripheral edema
- Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Hyponatremia
References
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2. Bigler D, Eriksen J, Christensen CB (1984) "Prolonged respiratory depression caused by slow release morphine." Lancet, 06/30/84, p. 1477
3. Covington EC, Gonsalves-Ebrahim L, Currie KO, et al. (1989) "Severe respiratory depression from patient-controlled analgesia in renal failure." Psychosomatics, 30, p. 226-8
4. Littrell RA, Kennedy LD, Birmingham WE, Leak WD (1992) "Muscle spasms associated with intrathecal morphine therapy: treatment with midazolam." Clin Pharm, 11, p. 57-9
5. Patt RB, Wu C, Bressi J, Catania JA (1993) "Accidental intraspinal overdose revisited." Anesth Analg, 76, p. 202
6. Westerling D, Frigren L, Hoglund P (1993) "Morphine pharmacokinetics and effects on salivation and continuous reaction times in healthy volunteers." Ther Drug Monit, 15, p. 364-74
7. Ogawa K, Iranami H, Yoshiyama T, Maeda H, Hatano Y (1993) "Severe respiratory depression after epidural morphine in a patient with myotonic dystrophy." Can J Anaesth, 40, p. 968-70
8. Sjogren P, Jonsson T, Jensen NH, Drenck NE, Jensen TS (1993) "Hyperalgesia and myoclonus in terminal cancer patients treated with continuous intravenous morphine." Pain, 55, p. 93-7
9. Morley JS, Watt JWG, Wells JC, Miles JB, Finnegan MJ, Leng G (1993) "Methadone in pain uncontrolled by morphine." Lancet, 342, p. 1243
10. Sjogren P, Dragsted L, Christensen CB (1993) "Myoclonic spasms during treatment with high doses of intravenous morphine in renal failure." Acta Anaesthesiol Scand, 37, p. 780-2
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13. Chambers FA, Mccarroll M, Macsullivan R (1994) "Polyarthralgia and amenorrhoea as a complication of intrathecally infused morphine and dilaudid in the treatment of chronic benign back pain." Br J Anaesth, 72, p. 734
14. Sylvester RK, Levitt R, Steen PD (1995) "Opioid-induced muscle activity: implications for managing chronic pain." Ann Pharmacother, 29, p. 1118-21
15. Kwan A (1996) "Morphine overdose from patient-controlled analgesia pumps." Anaesth Intensive Care, 24, p. 254-6
16. (2002) "Product Information. Roxanol (morphine)." Roxane Laboratories Inc
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20. Zsigmond EK, Vieira ZEG, Duarte B, Renigers SA, Hirota K (1993) "Double-blind placebo-controlled ultrasonographic confirmation of constriction of the common bile duct by morphine." Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther Toxicol, 31, p. 506-9
21. Thorn SE, Wattwil M, Kallander A (1994) "Effects of epidural morphine and epidural bupivacaine on gastroduodenal motility during the fasted state and after food intake." Acta Anaesthesiol Scand, 38, p. 57-62
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Further information
MS Contin side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.
Some side effects may not be reported. You may report them to the FDA.