Morphine is a type of opioid drug. Opioids are prescribed for pain, with morphine being used for moderate and severe pain in cases where other medications did not help. Morphine is also used for chronic pain that’s expected to last longer than a few days. Right on the box, you’ll see several warnings associated with morphine. Those warnings include a high risk of physical dependence and severe withdrawal symptoms.
So, how long does morphine stay in your body? That depends on the dose, along with other factors. There are several brand names for morphine, including Kadian, MS Contin, Oramorph SR, Morphgesic, Arymo ER, Sevredol, and Roxanol.
Morphine is often prescribed after surgery or injury. It’s also given for severe pain associated with conditions like cancer and heart attacks. However, morphine can also be found on the illicit drug market, where it is used recreationally. Like all opioid drugs, morphine is dangerous and poses a serious risk of dependence.
Whether you’re taking morphine with or without a prescription, addiction is possible. In this guide, we’ll explore how morphine is metabolized by the body. We’ll also review the effects of taking morphine and answer the question: How long does morphine stay in your body?
If you or a loved one are struggling with morphine addiction, Zinnia Health can help. Call us today at (855) 430-9439 to get started.
How Is Morphine Metabolized in the Body?
When a person takes any drug, the body has to metabolize it and excrete it from its systems. The metabolization process varies in length depending on how much you take, along with the efficiency of your liver and kidneys. The liver handles the majority of the metabolization of morphine. It works by producing an isoenzyme known as uridine-5′-diphosphate (UDP) glucuronosyltransferase.
The enzymes produced in the liver begin to break down morphine into metabolites, which are excreted through the urine. Multiple factors impact these processes, including hydration.
Elderly people and those with liver issues will take longer to metabolize morphine. Being dehydrated can also impair your liver and kidney function. At the same time, dehydration makes it more difficult to excrete metabolites because you are not urinating as often, so staying properly hydrated is important to the process. With that said, drinking excess amounts of water cannot help your liver metabolize morphine any faster.
So, if you’re looking up “how long does morphine stay in your body” because you’re trying to clear it out of your system in time for a drug test, the unfortunate answer is that you can’t rush the process. Your body will take as long as it takes. The only thing in your control is making sure you’re hydrated enough to excrete the metabolites as they’re produced.
How Long Does It Take for the Effects of Morphine To Wear Off?
Morphine’s ability to relieve pain will generally stop taking effect within four to six hours after your last dose. With an extended-release formula, the pain relief may last 8 to 12 hours.
However, just because you no longer “feel” the effects of morphine, it doesn’t mean it’s out of your system. In fact, morphine will remain in your body for many hours after you’ve stopped feeling its effects.
The half-life of a drug is the average time it takes your body to eliminate half of the amount present in your system. Morphine has a half-life of about two to four hours. It takes more than one half-life to get morphine out of the body. In fact, it generally takes about five half-life cycles for a single dose to be completely eliminated from your system.
This means the answer to the question, “How long does morphine stay in your body?” is about 10 to 12 hours, but other variables (like taking a very large dose) can hinder your body’s ability to process morphine efficiently.
If you have a drug test coming up or you’re trying to quit morphine for some other reasons, you may be tempted to stop taking it, but that can be dangerous. The physical dependence on morphine develops quickly, and once it does, it puts you at risk of complications.
If you find yourself asking, how long does morphine stay in your body because you’re worried about failing a drug test, Zinnia Health can help by putting you on the path to quitting for good. Call us today at (855) 430-9439.
How Is Morphine Detected on Drug Tests?
Morphine can be detected on a variety of drug tests, including those that take urine, blood, and saliva samples. It can also be detected in a hair follicle test. Drug tests are a standard part of job applications, performance reviews, and certain treatment programs.
That’s why a lot of people find themselves asking, just how long does morphine stay in your body? However, while you already know morphine leaves your system in about 12 hours, a drug test may show positive for some time after that.
The by-products in your body as it breaks down morphine can be detected by specific drug tests for up to months after taking it. So, if you’re asking how long does morphine stay in your body, what you really should be asking is: How long can a drug test detect morphine? Let’s look at the different types of drug tests to review the answer to this question.
Blood drug tests have the smallest window for detecting morphine as morphine generally clears the blood in about 12 hours after the last dose.
Urine drug tests can detect morphine for up to three days after your last dose.
Saliva drug tests can detect it for up to four days after your last dose.
Hair follicle drug tests can detect morphine the longest, showing a positive result up to 90 days after your last dose.
Whether or not you’ll test positive for morphine depends entirely on how quickly your body can metabolize the drug.
The speed at which your body metabolizes morphine is based on:
- Liver function
- Kidney function
- Age
- Weight
- Amount taken
Taking opioids in the past, taking morphine for a long time, and taking other medications in combination with morphine also impact how quickly it will clear your system.
Ultimately, there’s no way to avoid a positive drug test except to not take morphine. However, it’s dangerous to stop any opioid intake without tapering off of it gradually.
If you’ve been taking morphine regularly, especially for more than two weeks, it’s essential that you start a detox guided by the advice of a medical professional.
What Happens When I Stop Taking Morphine?
As morphine exits your body, you may begin to feel the onset of withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms occur when a person has become physically dependent on a drug.
In the case of morphine, physical dependence is common. If you’ve been taking morphine regularly, you may be physically dependent on it. This means your brain has become accustomed to the presence of opioids. If you suddenly stop taking it, the absence of opioids can lead to a number of uncomfortable side effects.
Once you become physically dependent on a drug, your brain chemistry changes. Once that happens, you must gradually taper off that drug to restore normal brain function. This process is known as a detox. The withdrawal symptoms of quitting morphine include:
- Physical symptoms: Withdrawing from morphine can lead to physical symptoms. Sweating, back pain, vomiting, diarrhea, widened pupils, muscle cramps, and muscle spasms are common. So is fast breathing, and an elevated heart rate, and/or high blood pressure.
- Psychological symptoms: Irritability is extremely common when withdrawing from morphine. Anxiety is also a common side effect of morphine withdrawal.
- Restlessness: You may experience restlessness, yawning, and difficulty sleeping as you withdraw from morphine. These symptoms can contribute to irritability.
Physical withdrawal symptoms peak within a few days of beginning the detox process. However, the psychological symptoms can last for weeks after–especially in chronic users. Additionally, the severity of withdrawal symptoms combined with drug cravings can lead to relapse and put a person at a higher risk of overdose.
No matter what, don’t try to quit opioids “cold turkey,” especially without the guidance of a healthcare professional. For all of these reasons, a medical detox is the safest way to stop taking morphine and minimize withdrawal symptoms. If you’re interested in learning more about the next steps, contact Zinnia Health today to explore your options.
What Are the Side Effects of Morphine?
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) classifies morphine as a controlled substance. Morphine is derived naturally from the poppy plant. It works well as a pain reliever because it blocks pain signals. However, since morphine impacts the brain’s pleasure centers, it poses a high risk of misuse.
Taking morphine can result in:
- Euphoria: A sense of elation, pleasure, and euphoria are common when taking morphine. This is because of how it interacts with pleasure centers in the brain.
- Pain relief: Morphine blocks pain signals from reaching the brain, so even severe pain is not felt while taking the drug. This relief in itself can prove very addicting.
- Sleepiness and drowsiness: You may feel sleepy when taking morphine. You might also experience drowsiness. Even if you’re getting enough sleep, you may feel groggy in the mornings or throughout the day.
- Reduced anxiety: Morphine can help reduce anxiety by activating pleasure centers. Those centers control relaxation and other positive emotions.
- Relaxation: Morphine can induce calmness and relaxation, even to the point where an individual experiences an unusual or false sense of well-being.
The many positive and powerful effects of morphine contribute to the high risk of misuse. Even someone taking morphine as prescribed by their doctor may begin to take it in greater amounts or more frequently.
This misuse is due to physical dependence, which develops without one’s control. Because of its effects on the pleasure centers, morphine also creates psychological dependence.
How Can I Quit Morphine?
After physical dependence has developed, quitting morphine or any opioid drug requires a medical detox. During a medical detox, a team of professionals will taper off a person’s morphine dose.
They may also use small amounts of detox drugs to help minimize withdrawal symptoms. The person will also be closely monitored to manage the physical and psychological side effects of the detox process.
While detox can be uncomfortable, it’s the crucial first step that helps a person transition off of morphine. Generally, physical symptoms peak in a few days, and they’ll dissipate within a couple of weeks.
However, psychological symptoms may need to be managed for weeks afterward. As soon as a person completes the detox process, they should enter a treatment program that will offer them the support they need to stay clean.
Without treatment, it’s very easy for a person to relapse after completing their morphine detox. The absence of treatment can also worsen co-occurring disorders–like anxiety and depression.
A good treatment plan will address the concerns and challenges of the individual while giving them the resources and tools they need to avoid substance use in the future.
If you’re taking morphine and you need help quitting, Zinnia Health’s caring team of addiction specialists can help. With our confidential and personalized treatment pathways, we utilize proven techniques that will help minimize withdrawal symptoms and get you on track to a healthier lifestyle. Ready to take the next step? Call us today at (855) 430-9439 to get started.
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