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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Suggest Treatment For Itching Rashes When Diagnosed With End-stage COPD

My brother-in-law has end-stage COPD. He is taking morphine MS for pain and breathing for about 10 days. He has begun to itch with no visible signs of rash, but it is driving him crazy. His hospice nurse suggested Benedril. He has taken 6 pills in the last 24 hours. The itchy feeling is better but now it has made him hyper and can t sit still or sleep well. Is there something else OTC he can take that won t make him hyper?
Fri, 13 Mar 2015
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Dermatologist,  's  Response
Hi. Itching is a common side effect of morphine as it interacts with both pain and itch receptors. So, it appears severe itching in your case is due to morphine use. Just to confirm, did itch started after morphine use? Or was it earlier too? I think solutions are 1. switching to other morphine-like drug like tramadol 2. Using a different class of analgesics called NSAIDS (many of them cause gastric irritation) 3. Using a sedating antihistamine like hydroxyzine and doxepin. Hope it helps.
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Suggest Treatment For Itching Rashes When Diagnosed With End-stage COPD

Hi. Itching is a common side effect of morphine as it interacts with both pain and itch receptors. So, it appears severe itching in your case is due to morphine use. Just to confirm, did itch started after morphine use? Or was it earlier too? I think solutions are 1. switching to other morphine-like drug like tramadol 2. Using a different class of analgesics called NSAIDS (many of them cause gastric irritation) 3. Using a sedating antihistamine like hydroxyzine and doxepin. Hope it helps.