Giving pain meds thru a colostomy?

[Blackcat99]

The patient's wife said he can swallow his MS Contin by mouth. He is in hospice now and is having difficulty swallowing his meds. I can't give MS Contin crushed in applesauce by mouth as that would cause an instant overdose right? I was thinking I could put the MS Contin into a gelatin capsule and then insert it into his colostomy. Would this be the correct way to do it? Any advice would be greatly welcomed. Thanks:)

[ray2512]

We put the morphine sulfate solution between the cheek and gum. I absorbs well there and does not drip out of the mouth if you use 1 cc or less. SC morphine is not pain free, labour intensive and expensive.

If your really woried about contamination of the dropper, use a 1cc oral syringe can be thrown away with each use.

[Kinky Slinky RN]

Give morphine SQ all the time. I was surprised too when I got my first order for SQ, I double checked with RPh!

Morphine SQ? Huh? Really? I've never heard of that. IM maybe, SQ? Wow...I learn something new every day. Interesting.

[Blackcat99]

Thanks all for the great information. I have learned so much here at allnurses.