I have also wondered about morphine causing hallucinations.

From personal experience, with no prior allergies to anything, I was given a spinal injection when my first son was born by c-section. I immediately broke out in massive hives...inside and out. The recovery nurse walked in, saw me scrubbing my face (and tongue!) with a washcloth for the itching, and instantly gave me an injection to counteract the effects. When I had my second son, also born by c-section, I was told that morphine was NOT an option, and I should consider wearing a bracelet in case I was ever in an accident, and unable to tell the paramedics about my reaction. (Do EMTs still look for these things?)

Anyway, my husband has a known allergy to penicillin and Zithromax. I know they are both antibiotics, and don't really apply to morphine, but he had never been given morphine until his lung lobectomy. About 24 hours post-op he began having hallucinations. At first, he was ripping out IVs, cussing the nurses, "they couldn't tell him that he couldn't use his computer", and he was "getting the hell out of here, and driving home". They had to literally call in security, tie him to the bed, and sedate him. When I came in that afternoon, I saw my husband zonked to vegetablehood. It scared the hell out of our son. Nobody called to warn me of this, and they all knew I was bringing the youngest in for a visit. You can imagine........this baby walked in to see his dad drooling, tied up and looking like he was already dead, and all he wanted to do was give his Dad some magazines that the nurses had told me hours before he would enjoy.

I was then called out into the hall, and questioned about Dennis' alcohol history. Granted, Dennis does drink, but has for 35 years. I've seen him quit cold turkey and never have a reaction like this. Regardless, the doctor tried to say this reaction was totally due to DTs. But, what I can't rectify, is why did the symptoms lessen once the dose of morphine was reduced, and Ativan was added for agitation? Once the morphine was reduced, he became playful. He saw our cat climb the curtains of his room and jump out the window, our dog came in and gave him a kiss, and he would "play" with the bugs on his bedsheets. He would ask the nurses if they saw these things, and they would humor him. Meanwhile, social services is trying to get him into rehab, which he refused once he knew I was able to take him home. Consequently, once home and off the morphine totally, these visions stopped just as suddenly as they appeared. BUT, he continued the Ativan for several more weeks.

My question.......should I inform any future surgeons of his reaction, or take the past doctors at their word and chalk it up to alcohol abuse?

Love,
Mandi