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Can Morphine Be Taken To Treat Depression And Psychiatric Disorders?
Question: I take 70+ conventional antidepressants, benzopdiazepines. antipsychotics, even had brain surgury(Cingulotomy) . The only thing that has ever helped is the opiote Tramadol.I keep reading about people who take Morphine once a week, but I can't find a psychiatrist willing to even listen to me. I don't smoke or even drink coffee. Can you help me find a doctor that would be willing to let me try morphing for 1 week?
I have also spoken with Dr. XXXXXXX Cochran, who is now retired, but he was very optimistic about me trying other medications. I should also add that I had a bad experience with vicotin after my lumpectomy. It caused me to hallucinate, but I've had no other trouble with any other medication.
I have also spoken with Dr. XXXXXXX Cochran, who is now retired, but he was very optimistic about me trying other medications. I should also add that I had a bad experience with vicotin after my lumpectomy. It caused me to hallucinate, but I've had no other trouble with any other medication.
Brief Answer:
Psychiatry department at a university hospital may help.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to Healthcare Magic!
I understand it must have been very frustrating for you to have tried so many medicines without any benefit. You have mentioned that opioids have been of some relief and I guess you must have requested many doctors for a trial of morphine. It is perhaps bewildering for you to have been refused by all these doctors in spite of your not abusing any medicines.
Although it is true that there is some risk of becoming dependent on morphine over time, it is not the main reason for the refusal of doctors. The foremost reason is that morphine is not an approved treatment for either depression or any other psychiatric disorders. Almost all countries have very clear guidelines for treatment of psychiatric disorders. For example, USA has APA guidelines, UK has NICE guidelines, Canada has CANMAT guidelines and so on. Morphine is not approved by any of these. Hence any doctor who prescribes morphine to you for any psychiatric condition will not be able to defend himself if any question is raised about the prescription. there may also be the risk of losing one's licence to practice, if a doctor is ever caught doing this. This is why you will not be able to get any psychiatrist to prescribe you morphine for a mental illness.
But this does not mean that all roads are closed for you. If there is a university hospital accessible to you, then do try to approach the psychiatry department there. If it is ever possible for you to be prescribed morphine, it can only be done in the setting of a university hospital. This is because these places have ongoing research programs and do have mechanisms in place for trying novel treatments after getting ethical clearance. Even then it will not be easy, because they will prefer to try all available options before resorting to something radical like morphine.
I hope this helps you. Please feel free to ask in case you need any clarifications.
Best wishes.
Dr Preeti Parakh
MD Psychiatry
Psychiatry department at a university hospital may help.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to Healthcare Magic!
I understand it must have been very frustrating for you to have tried so many medicines without any benefit. You have mentioned that opioids have been of some relief and I guess you must have requested many doctors for a trial of morphine. It is perhaps bewildering for you to have been refused by all these doctors in spite of your not abusing any medicines.
Although it is true that there is some risk of becoming dependent on morphine over time, it is not the main reason for the refusal of doctors. The foremost reason is that morphine is not an approved treatment for either depression or any other psychiatric disorders. Almost all countries have very clear guidelines for treatment of psychiatric disorders. For example, USA has APA guidelines, UK has NICE guidelines, Canada has CANMAT guidelines and so on. Morphine is not approved by any of these. Hence any doctor who prescribes morphine to you for any psychiatric condition will not be able to defend himself if any question is raised about the prescription. there may also be the risk of losing one's licence to practice, if a doctor is ever caught doing this. This is why you will not be able to get any psychiatrist to prescribe you morphine for a mental illness.
But this does not mean that all roads are closed for you. If there is a university hospital accessible to you, then do try to approach the psychiatry department there. If it is ever possible for you to be prescribed morphine, it can only be done in the setting of a university hospital. This is because these places have ongoing research programs and do have mechanisms in place for trying novel treatments after getting ethical clearance. Even then it will not be easy, because they will prefer to try all available options before resorting to something radical like morphine.
I hope this helps you. Please feel free to ask in case you need any clarifications.
Best wishes.
Dr Preeti Parakh
MD Psychiatry
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
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