What Does Morphine Look Like?

Morphine is a narcotic drug used to treat pain. Oftentimes, it is given to patients after receiving major surgery or if they are suffering from chronic pain conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, or fibromyalgia.

Morphine is indicated as a controlled substance due to the high risk of misuse and addiction. Powerful opioids such as morphine bring sedative and euphoric effects to the brain and body, leading to substance use disorder. If you are suspecting if a loved one is suffering from morphine abuse, it can be crucial to know about morphine’s physical appearance, dosages, and how to get addiction help.

What Does Morphine Look Like?

Like any other drug, morphine can come in different forms. The popular brand name for morphine is MS Contin and Kadian. You can find both rapid release and extended-release versions of the drug depending on what the patient needs. Below, you will find what each branded drug looks like per their milligram dosage:

What mg is morphine (different colors)?

MS Contin

• 15-milligram tablet: Blue, round, has an imprint of “M 15” and “P F”.
• 30-milligram tablet: Purple, round, has an imprint of “M 30” and “P F”.
• 60-milligram tablet: Orange, round, has an imprint of “M 60” and “P F”.
• 100-milligram tablet: Gray, round, has an imprint of “100” and “P F”.
• 200-milligram tablet: Oblong, round, has an imprint of “M 200” and “P F”.

Kadian

• 10-milligram capsule: Light blue, oblong, has an imprint of “Kadian 10 mg”.
• 30-milligram capsule: Purple, oblong, has an imprint of “Kadian 30 mg”.
• 60-milligram capsule: Pink, oblong, has an imprint of “Kadian 60 mg”.
• 100-milligram capsule: Teal, oblong, has an imprint of “Kadian 100 mg”.
• 200-milligram capsule: Light brown, oblong, has an imprint of “Kadian 200 mg”.

After understanding what color is morphine, plus the most well-known tablet and capsule branded versions, it is also essential to be aware of the generic variants of the drug:

What does generic morphine look like?

Generic morphine is often described as morphine sulfate. It can come in tablets, injectables, or oral suspension drugs. Below are the most common morphine generic versions:

• 15-milligram tablet: White, round, has an imprint of “54 733”.
• 30-milligram tablet: White, round, has an imprint of “54 262”.
• 15- milligram tablet (another variant): White, round, has an imprint of “15 273”.
• 30-milligram tablet (another variant): White, round, has an imprint of “30 274”.
• Oral suspension 20 milligrams / 5 milliliters: Comes in a bottle labeled “Morphine sulfate”, colored green liquid.
• Oral suspension 10 milligrams / 5 milliliters: Comes in a bottle labeled “Morphine sulfate”, colored blue-green liquid.

Understanding the morphine colors, along with their tablet and oral suspension forms can help you identify if a loved one is using either the branded or generic variants.

Having an idea of what the drug looks like is the first step towards taking action towards addiction recovery. It is important to identify suspicious drugs right away, as taking large doses of any addictive substance can lead to adverse health conditions and life-threatening complications such as overdose.

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Signs and Effects of Morphine Abuse

Morphine abuse can start if the person has been prescribed the medication or if they are taking substances sold illegally. Either way, you will notice these signs and effects of morphine abuse in yourself or a loved one:

• Taking the drug more than what is recommended, often running out of prescriptions
• Doctor shopping or frequent changes in healthcare facilities to obtain the drug
• Loss of interest in previous activities (work, school, relationships)
• Feeling sleepy most time of the day
• Irregular heartbeat
• Slow breathing or respiratory problems
• Pale skin, bluish lips, and nails
• Weight changes
• Withdrawal symptoms when not taking the drug
• Dry mouth
• Constipation or irregular bowel movements

If you observe these symptoms in yourself, a family member or any other loved one after you discovered morphine abuse, it is possible that they are developing an addiction problem. Getting help as soon as possible will prevent any dangerous effects.

When morphine addiction progresses, there can be extensive organ damage such as those relating to the heart and lungs. In some cases, drug toxicity can happen which leads to overdose. Morphine overdose is a medical emergency and it is best to call healthcare responders when you notice a loss of consciousness, weak pulse rate, and slowed breathing.

How to Get Help for Morphine Addiction

Morphine addiction can seem like an overwhelming problem, but help is available. You can take the first step by following the strategies below:

Call a morphine abuse treatment center

A treatment facility specific for morphine abuse can help you gather support and information in your first steps for addiction treatment. If it’s a loved one who is going through morphine abuse, they can help you arrange an intervention. Otherwise, they can also help you verify your insurance to know the coverage plus other payment options at no cost or initial commitment.

Gather support from trusted people

You can reach out to trusted family members, loved ones, or other professionals to confide in about morphine abuse. Having a supportive community during addiction treatment can help your receive any type of support you need–whether it’s financial, logistics, or emotional.

There is no shame in opening up about a medical condition such as substance use disorder. In fact, being open to trusted people will empower you to be accountable towards others.

Find resources

Getting educated about addiction and morphine abuse, in general, can help you avoid the negative health effects and dangerous complications such as overdose. Reading through informative blogs, finding online discussion spaces, and calling addiction treatment centers can give you a great start with addiction awareness.

Morphine Abuse: Identifying the Drug, Observing Signs, and Recovery

There is a way out from morphine addiction. By being able to identify the different variants of morphine, understanding the symptoms of addiction, and taking a step towards addiction rehab, you can help a loved one or yourself break away from the chains of narcotic abuse.