Zomorph 10mg modified release capsules

Hi Tam1 

Thanks for getting in touch with our online community. My name’s Louise and I’m one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialists here. 

Because we don’t have access to medical records here on the Support Line we can’t give medication advice. However, we can give general information that will hopefully help.  

Morphine is a commonly used medication for managing cancer pain. Long-acting (modified pain relief) capsules like Zomorph work by slowly releasing morphine to give a steady dose of background pain relief. 

If long-acting medication is stopped or a dose is missed the morphine slowly leaves the body and the pain relief effect will gradually wear off, meaning you may start to experience pain again. Sometimes missing a dose of medication can cause side-effects too.  

Oramorph is known as a short-acting pain killer. This means it works quickly to help with pain. It is used for what’s known as ‘breakthrough pain’ which people can experience at certain times of the day or when doing certain activities, for example. 

Most people start taking Oramorph before starting on a long-acting medication like Zomorph. A doctor then calculates how much short-acting morphine the person has needed and converts this to the equivalent long-acting morphine dose. 

Many people with cancer experience bowel problems such as constipation, and medications such as morphine can cause this. There are different medications to help with constipation and keep your bowels moving regularly.  

To get the best benefit from medications, instructions given by your doctor and pharmacist should be followed. People can miss doses for different reasons, but it is important to discuss this with a health professional to get the right advice. It is also important to make sure you are comfortable when you start your immunotherapy.  

Your specialist nurse is certainly there to answer questions and talk things through, but sometimes it’s important to speak with someone more urgently. We would suggest you contact 111 straight away for assessment and to talk through the best way to manage your pain. You can also talk through your concerns about constipation.  

It might also be helpful to call us. One of our nurses would be happy to talk things through. 

Kind regards   

Louise, Cancer Information Nurse Specialist   

You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email.   

Our Ref:  LR/ GMcR 

Thank you for answering Louise. I phoned the support line and talked to one of the nurses. I’m so glad theres people like you here to help. Thanks again