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Does Taking Vicodin Causes Mental Distress?
My 99 year old mother is recovering from an operation for a broken leg 6 weeks ago. She is being giver Vicodin on an 8 hr interval. This seems to cause severe mental distress. She moans and yells, but she says she is not hurting when you get her attention. Is this a side effect of the Vicodin?
Thu, 28 Feb 2019
Hello,
Vicodin is an opiate medication which can often cause mental side effects, especially elderly patients.
I would suspect that her altered mental status is due to the Vicodin, and if she can have her medications changed, it may help. I would suggest trying Paracetamol to see if that helps control the pain since Paracetamol rarely has any of these side effects.
If she is continuing to have pain that is uncontrolled, perhaps a different opiate medication can be tried, such as Tramadol, which she may tolerate better than the Vicodin.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Aaron Branch, General & Family Physician
Vicodin is an opiate medication which can often cause mental side effects, especially elderly patients.
I would suspect that her altered mental status is due to the Vicodin, and if she can have her medications changed, it may help. I would suggest trying Paracetamol to see if that helps control the pain since Paracetamol rarely has any of these side effects.
If she is continuing to have pain that is uncontrolled, perhaps a different opiate medication can be tried, such as Tramadol, which she may tolerate better than the Vicodin.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Aaron Branch, General & Family Physician
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