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Hallucinations? Mother on Oramorph

(14 Posts)
Frann Wed 20-Apr-22 10:27:24

Hello, wondering if anyone has any experience of anything like this?
My mother, who is 86, is on Oramorph low dose every evening at bedtime. She is convinced that she is being woken up by and can hear a generator being used in her neighbours house. She has said the noise is so loud her bed is moving with the vibrations. My sister stayed with her last week and my mother was complaining that the neighbours were making noise and having a party: there was no noise according to my sister and she spoke to my mother about this the next morning.
The problem is that my mother is now confronting the neighbours in quite a hostile way and has in the past been banging on the wall telling them to be quiet. She has told them she is going to call the police and told me that 'he is growing drugs' or doing something else illegal which of course he isn't.
My question is could this just be mental degeneration or is it the medication? Just wanted to know if anyone else has experienced anything like this as she seems ok mostly during the day? I am at the moment waiting to hear from her Gp.

BlueSky Wed 20-Apr-22 10:38:55

I would say the medication, my late MiL who used to live with us, would often say that she heard knocking on the door at night, which we never heard. She could also see people in her room. She was on a cocktail of meds, including Oramorph, but otherwise no mental degeneration.

Septimia Wed 20-Apr-22 10:48:46

My FiL heard sounds from next door and complained about loud music in the middle of the night. He blamed the son, but the music was 40s and 50s style, so definitely not a teenager playing it!!

He frequently had urine infections and he was deaf, with tinnitus, both of which can cause hallucinations, visual and aural. It's worth checking whether your mother is suffering from either of these problems.

Marydoll Wed 20-Apr-22 10:50:57

When my mother had hallucinations, they were caused by urine infections.

midgey Wed 20-Apr-22 10:58:28

I think oramorph is the culprit. It just doesn’t work for everyone and has side effects . It used to make my husband talk absolute rubbish while doing nothing for his pain.

Frann Wed 20-Apr-22 11:02:28

Thank you everyone; I feel justified in asking her GP to call me now.

Feelingmyage55 Wed 20-Apr-22 11:11:36

When my mother suffered like this there was often a combination of problems.

H1954 Wed 20-Apr-22 11:18:09

I'm sorry that your poor Mum is experiencing problems Fran. I agree with others, it is probably the Oramorph, perhaps this is combining with other medication too and causing further problems. A friend of mine was recently prescribed Tramadol for extreme pain, troublewas , her GP didn't check her notes and Tramadol is contraindicated following a stroke. My poor friend was in a dreadful state until the medication wore off.

Maybe speak to your Mums GP or prescribing practitioner and a quiet word with the neighbours to explain might not go amiss.

I wish you and Mum well.

NotSpaghetti Wed 20-Apr-22 11:22:00

A good friend who looked after her sister told me that her sister was like this at one point- that was also a urinary infection as Marydoll's mothers problem was.

silverlining48 Wed 20-Apr-22 11:22:09

I was given opiates in hospital post op last week and there were times when i hallucinated, it was not dstressing but quite bizarre.

Visgir1 Wed 20-Apr-22 11:31:35

Yep.. Opiates.. My mum was on then once, she had Monkeys in the garden and a chap with an umbrella up across the road watching her. She went completely bonkers on then. Once off, she was able to laugh about it.

Marydoll Wed 20-Apr-22 11:39:24

Whatever the cause, it would be wise to seek medical advice.I hope it is reolved quickly Frann.
We become the parents of our parents, it's not easy.

icanhandthemback Wed 20-Apr-22 11:47:45

Maybe get a blood screen done through the Dr. My mother has dementia but her blood screen showed she had high levels of potassium which signify a parathyroid problem which can cause hallucinations. We are still waiting to see an Endocrinologist but at least we know why sometimes where the man who comes to see her comes from!

Frann Wed 20-Apr-22 12:00:41

Thank you all again; Gp now visiting today so hopefully we should know more soon.