Korean Job Discussion Forums

[swoodman]

Ok so the long and short of it is......I'm writing a novel in which a character is poisoned by crushed up oxycotin (morphine) tablets. J

Just wondering if anyone with a med knowledge might know of any diseases/conditions children commonly suffer from that require them to use morphine? Ive asked a friend in med school, and yes, aso googled it, but so far only have 1. Sickle cell 2. Chronic facial pain

I want it to be as realistic as possible...the character using morphine is only about 12

[ThingsComeAround]

http://www.erowid.org/

[Sergio Stefanuto]

Essentially, morphine has a profound effect on the lungs (it slows down breathing), the central nervous system (it's a powerful painkiller) and mood (it gets you high). The morphine high is somewhat similar to being very drunk (but without any propensity towards violence). It also produces loss of appetite (and rapid weight loss), loss of sex drive, and generally a loss of concern for outside events.

Morphine is also a powerful cough- and diarrhea-suppressant (it makes you constipated). When morphine (and its derivative, heroin) first appeared on the open market, they were used as general painkillers and cough medicine.

Unfortunately, morphine is (a) physically addictive, (b) highly tolerance-inducing and (c) poisonous and fatal in excessive doses. When a person dies of morphine intoxication, he always enters respiratory arrest first. When someone is in the midst of a morphine overdose, their lips turn blue (because of reduced oxygen from the lungs).

Importantly, however...unless a person has taken a truly monstrous dose, it is possible to save them from a morphine/heroin overdose within hours.

[Sergio Stefanuto]

Itching is one of the most prevalent side effects of powerful, pain-killing drugs like morphine. The opiate-associated itch is so common that even women who get epidurals for labor pain often complain of itching. For many years, scientists have scratched their own heads about why drugs that so effectively suppress pain also induce itch.

Now in mice, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have shown they can control opioid-induced itching without interfering with a drug's ability to relieve pain. The discovery raises tantalizing possibilities for new treatments to eliminate itch in cancer and surgery patients as well as others who rely on opioids to relieve chronic and severe pain.

The investigators report the findings Oct. 14 in the journal Cell.

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-10-block-morphine-itchy-side-effect.html

[rchristo10]

A poor upbringing...