On 3/12/2008 rolly wrote:
My mom has a very late stage stomach cancer. She has been on fentanyl and morphine for about 2 months now. She has become a bit confused and sometimes hallucinates but today she failed to recognize us and seems totally confused. Is this the progression of the disease or side effect of pain medication? Are there any medications to counteract it? We can't decrease morphine bec. of pain issues. She is overseas and there is no formal hospice care. her family doctor is a pediatrician by training and has no clue whatsoever beyond taking blood pressure and prescribing morphine. Suggestions anyone? Thanks!
I am so sorry to hear about your mother - I am also going through this with mine as well, same ugly cancer too. Morphine can certainly cause this but if she has been on the same dosage for sometime and just recently became confused and hallucinating then i would say it may be a progression. If, however, they have increased her dosage or added another medication to the mix it very likely could be the morphine. There are other medications that can effectively keep her pain under control. I would ask the doctor to replace the Morphine with an alternative and then you will certainly know the answer.
Rhonda