An Introduction to Kadian Dosage
The dose of
Kadian® (
morphine sulfate ER) that your healthcare provider recommends will vary, depending on a number of factors, including:
- The type and dose of other painkillers you have taken
- The type and severity of your pain
- How you respond to Kadian
- Other medications you are taking
- Other medical conditions you may have.
As with any medicine, do not adjust your dosage unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
The starting dose of Kadian that your healthcare provider recommends will depend mostly on the dosage and type of painkillers you were previously taking. For oral forms of
morphine, a straight mg-per-mg conversion is recommended. Simply add up the total mg of morphine you take per day; this is the recommended Kadian dose, either given as a single daily dose or divided in half and given every 12 hours. For instance, if you are switching from 10 mg of morphine six times a day, the recommended Kadian dosage is 60 mg once daily or 30 mg twice daily.
For injected morphine or any non-morphine painkillers, your healthcare provider will need to convert your current dosage to an appropriate Kadian dosage. It is best to underestimate (rather than overestimate) the dose initially, in order to avoid dangerous
Kadian side effects.
Many people can take Kadian just once a day. However, people who experience excessive drowsiness or who find that Kadian does not last long enough may benefit from twice-daily dosing. Be sure to follow your healthcare provider's instructions.
Your healthcare provider may also recommend a "rescue" medication (a short-acting painkiller) to use in addition to Kadian for times when your pain is especially severe (known as "breakthrough pain," since it breaks through your baseline, long-acting painkiller).
