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What Do Hallucinations And Abnormal Behavior When On Ambien Indicate?
Question: My boyfriend was having halucinations in the middle of the night while taking hydrocodone and ambien I think. didn't know where he was and was talking gibberish. We had only known each other for a 4 months. I told him I could not deal with that and would not continue the relationship if he kept it up. He scared me. I live in Fl and he lives in Vt. We are together about 2 out of 5 weeks. He could have wandered off and gotten into his car or who knows what!!! He has a plate in his back and does have pain which is better now because he went for physical therapy and learned exercises. He has been off of both since about August. He just got a new prescription from his Dr for the hydrocodone and I am very upset. He also takes zolpidem at night some times along with advil. He also takes 4 melatonin. His Dr told him to stop the advil because he has high elevations in his kidneys. He is a very fit man at 75 years old. Can bike 20 miles and is thin, What is your opinion?
Brief Answer:
May not be a cause for concern
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to Healthcare Magic!
I understand you are quite worried about the abnormal behavior you noticed. However, some of the symptoms that you have mentioned may not actually be a cause for concern. For example, if someone wakes up in the night and is confused, this is something which may happen with anyone and usually people become oriented in a few minutes. Since your boyfriend was on medicines which are sleep-inducing, he would be more likely to have such problems if he wakes up from deep sleep. I am more concerned about the hallucinations you mentioned. If this was a single episode and his behavior was otherwise normal at other times, then again you need not worry. Sleep related hallucinations are very common and can occur in normal people as well. Use of sleep inducing medicines is likely to increase the possibility of these hallucinations. If this happens frequently, then your boyfriend should be evaluated for epileptic seizures and sleep disorders like narcolepsy.
Summing up, I feel that you shouldn't worry unless this happens frequently or is associated with any abnormal behavior in the daytime as well. In that case, his doctor should be informed so that he can be assessed properly. It would no doubt be better if he were not to use either hydrocodone or zolpidem, but I guess he takes these because he finds these absolutely necessary.
I hope this helps you. Please feel free to ask in case you need any clarifications.
Best wishes.
Dr Preeti Parakh
MD Psychiatry
May not be a cause for concern
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to Healthcare Magic!
I understand you are quite worried about the abnormal behavior you noticed. However, some of the symptoms that you have mentioned may not actually be a cause for concern. For example, if someone wakes up in the night and is confused, this is something which may happen with anyone and usually people become oriented in a few minutes. Since your boyfriend was on medicines which are sleep-inducing, he would be more likely to have such problems if he wakes up from deep sleep. I am more concerned about the hallucinations you mentioned. If this was a single episode and his behavior was otherwise normal at other times, then again you need not worry. Sleep related hallucinations are very common and can occur in normal people as well. Use of sleep inducing medicines is likely to increase the possibility of these hallucinations. If this happens frequently, then your boyfriend should be evaluated for epileptic seizures and sleep disorders like narcolepsy.
Summing up, I feel that you shouldn't worry unless this happens frequently or is associated with any abnormal behavior in the daytime as well. In that case, his doctor should be informed so that he can be assessed properly. It would no doubt be better if he were not to use either hydrocodone or zolpidem, but I guess he takes these because he finds these absolutely necessary.
I hope this helps you. Please feel free to ask in case you need any clarifications.
Best wishes.
Dr Preeti Parakh
MD Psychiatry
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Neel Kudchadkar
Answered by
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