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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Hallucinations While On Meclizine?

My 96 year old dad had a prescription for meclizine for inner ear problems and it was only to be taken as needed. This was written on his medication list. He is in an assisted living facility and recently had pneumonia and had to be hospitalized. When the released him, they sent him back and listed the meclizine to be taken 3 times a day. He was very tired and after a period of 3 weeks of this dosage he started having hallucinations and mood changes. He became nasty and that is not his personality. I caught this medication mistake because I had to take him to a orthopedic doctor and his facility gave me a medication list.They stopped the meclizine 4 days ago and the nastiness stopped but he remembers the hallucinations and is still confused. This was never a problem for him. He was a very alert 96 year old.Does it take a while for the meclizine to get out of his system. He is very upset about what is happening to him and I would like to be able to have an explanation.
Fri, 7 Sep 2018
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General & Family Physician,  's  Response
Hi,

I'm sorry to hear your dad was having this reaction from the Meclizine. I also believe his confusion is from the Meclizine, as you have already suspected.

Actually, this medication is typically avoided in patients 65 years and older because of these kinds of problems. It usually takes about 5 hours for the liver to get rid of half of the Meclizine in our body; however, those levels may have built up in your dad and it may take his body longer to get rid of it. I would expect that by 1 week after stopping the medication, it should no longer be having an effect on your dad.

Hopefully in the next few days the confusion will improve. If not, there may be another cause.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
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What Causes Hallucinations While On Meclizine?

Hi, I m sorry to hear your dad was having this reaction from the Meclizine. I also believe his confusion is from the Meclizine, as you have already suspected. Actually, this medication is typically avoided in patients 65 years and older because of these kinds of problems. It usually takes about 5 hours for the liver to get rid of half of the Meclizine in our body; however, those levels may have built up in your dad and it may take his body longer to get rid of it. I would expect that by 1 week after stopping the medication, it should no longer be having an effect on your dad. Hopefully in the next few days the confusion will improve. If not, there may be another cause. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.