After effects of Morphine/Anaesthetic

[Abrahammer]

My old man had a major operation on his pancreas last Thursday which involved quite a hit of anaesthetic and since then has been on a heavy dose of morphine.

This had since caused him to be pretty confused and suffer from a bit of memory loss.  It comes and goes but is pretty worrying to see. The docs reckon this happens to a lot of people especially the older generation (he is 72) and should be ok once the dosages are reduced.

Any TEF'ers experienced this either themselves or with family/friends and can offer any advice?

[leefer]

http://www.everydayhealth.com/drugs/morphine/side-effects

Think memory loss is a less worrying side effect(according to this link)

All the best to your dad....hope he recovers well.

[Abrahammer]

He seemed a bit more with it today, you can still be having perfectly normal conversation and he will come out with something right out of left field though.  Docs reckon he could come home within a couple of days if he improves as they hope.

[Whits]

A few years back I was in hospital for 4-5 weeks on morphine, I struggled to concentrate on anything and was very spaced out.... couldn't quite work out what was a dream or what was real and the dreams where very surreal!

It really does help with the pain but puts your head in a different place!!

[Simon Pieman]

I don't think that those side effects are unusual at all, I know plenty of young people who've been out of their faces on morphine whilst laid up in a hospital bed.

You do realise it's a strong opiate? It's going to be more substantial than taking a paracetamol!

[Abrahammer]

You do realise it's a strong opiate? It's going to be more substantial than taking a paracetamol!

Oh yea realise that, It's just that its the first time I've really seen anyone whose had to take it so it's been a bit of shock.  I'm also bit of a pessimist with stuff like this and feared their could be perment side effects.

[Shaw Rosso]

I was on the Oramorph when i was in the GWH a few months back (bowel diseases), this is just a liquid version of morphine and the most administered. Although it is opiate based i didnt get any high or anything like that off it, the only side effect was constipation, so they may well prescribe a lactose to go with it to avoid getting bunged up.

Have to say the pain relief i got from it was bloody awesome, shame you cant nip down to Boots and get some when the toothache from hell kicks in. Best of luck to your dad mate

[oxford_fan]

Short term it's fine, you need to be in a decent amount of pain to be taking it so a bit of confusion isn't too bad a side-effect?

My Mum took it for about 6 months before she died, it's that kind of long term use that will really confuse someone and mash up their head for good. Eventually when she got way too drowsy/slurry/confused they changed the balance of the different painkillers she was on. She wasn't a drug addict by the way, cancer.

[pericarp]

Was on morphine for a few days when I had a leg operation!
It was beautiful. All pain. Gone.
I think I did feel a little high and happy. And drowsy. Just like being tipsy I thought.

No permanent side-effects are showing up yet!

Although I do think I might have got more stupid since then 

[Notts red]

Abrahammer, is your dad still having his morphine through an introveneace  drip? If so the strength will still be high but once reduced like the doc told you I'm sure things will improve with your dads short memory losses. At the moment it's best to keep on top of the pain so don't worry to much as I'm sure your dad is on the road to a good recovery.

[Barry Scott]

I was on it some time back and my memory was fucking shot,  I hallucinated my box off and was completely incomprehensible for some time. I'm fine now, so the effects don't last.

[4D]

Was on morphine for a few days when I had a leg operation!
It was beautiful. All pain. Gone.
I think I did feel a little high and happy. And drowsy. Just like being tipsy I thought.

No permanent side-effects are showing up yet!

Although I do think I might have got more stupid since then 

Really? 

[china red]

This just sounds like daily life to me, general confusion, memory loss etc etc.

I remember when I had a small operation 8 years ago waking up as two nurses were wiping blood from my mostly naked body and me smiling, waving at another nurse and then did the two fingers with the tongue between to her.  20 minutes later when I was more awake I was mortified, even worse when this nurse turned up the next day to remove the catheter.

[Shaw Rosso]

This just sounds like daily life to me, general confusion, memory loss etc etc.

I remember when I had a small operation 8 years ago waking up as two nurses were wiping blood from my mostly naked body and me smiling, waving at another nurse and then did the two fingers with the tongue between to her.  20 minutes later when I was more awake I was mortified, even worse when this nurse turned up the next day to remove the catheter.

Brilliant 

[dporter]

I was in hospital recovering from an op and on morphine the night Michael Jackson died, totally confused me waking to see that on the tv in my drug induced haze. It's very difficult to distinguish between reality and dreams on morphine, almost a trance like state. As others have said it appears your Dad is just suffering normal effects to this very strong pain killer. You'll probably find that even when he comes off it he'll be quite drowsy for several days/weeks afterwards too both due to the effect of the morphine and recovering from the op.