The use of a stepped care approach to pain management utilizes lesser potent analgesics and then increasing to other stronger medications if needed then to morphine if required. Individuals with drug addiction are those driven by psychological and social needs for the use of narcotics. Hospice patients do not have a psychological need for drugs. Their needs relate to their pain and control of pain. When pain is controlled they have no need or desire for narcotics.
Narcotics can cause sedation for a few days.
Individuals should be advised that this side effect usually passes within a few days and their narcotics should not be discontinued without discussing this side effect with their physician. When morphine is prescribed appropriately, with small initial doses and a gradual increase if necessary, breathing difficulties usually are not a problem. Individuals occasionally express that they experience strange or unusual feelings after they start taking morphine. This may be temporary and may not recur. For individuals who are allergic to morphine other medications are available.