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Original poster

Do people tell the truth when they are on morphine?

120 replies

Firefly45 · 05/05/2025 00:03

A very good friend of mine just underwent massive serious surgery. I went to see her a few days later (she asked for me).

A family member warned me she was not herself because of the morphine and the nurse also told me lots of people turn bad tempered with the morphine.

My friend was horrible! Swearing, rude, aggressive, rude to nurses and told me several times to fuck off. It was shocking and scary and very unpleasant. I left because I'm not being spoken to like that and also thought maybe me being there was making it worse.

Ive been texting family but not been back yet. Family said she is now much more normal but still very poorly and in pain. She isn't being nasty now.

Family said they don't want her to know how horrible she was being and she has no recollection of it.

I feel really offended and shocked and hurt and like was this her true self?

Ive seen and been with other loved ones and never seen anyone I love turn nasty like this.
I feel selfish feeling shaken up and hurt by her. I also want to tell her when she's better what happened but obviously family have now told me not to?

Anyone any experience like this?

OP posts:
SlB09 · 05/05/2025 00:05

People react differently to pain killers and surgery itself. I would just notch it down to whatever is going on if it's so out of character and forget about it. Maybe in the months to come you can revisit it but she'd probably be mortified

Okrr · 05/05/2025 00:07

I have seen it and think their anxieties come out but in either a different or exaggerated form. I doubt your friend is nasty and it came out due to the morphine.

BarneyRonson · 05/05/2025 00:09

No it’s just hyper activated neurotransmitters. You know sometimes people with brain injuries shout. The adrenals are destabilised, the brain is flooded with chemicals, it’s really that you saw her while her system was glitching out.

LavenderFields7 · 05/05/2025 00:10

Totally normal, some people react badly to meds, I’ve seen all sorts of reactions including aggression, paranoia, even psychosis. If it were my friend I would be more empathetic, they would probably be mortified if they knew how they had reacted. Have some compassion.

PullTheBricksDown · 05/05/2025 00:15

I haven't seen that happen with morphine, but major surgery, general anaesthetic and strong drugs are all alot to cope with and can do all sorts to you. I would cut your friend some slack, and the kind thing to do would be not to mention it. Saw someone once after they'd come out of surgery and they could talk but it was just total gibberish, and they didn't remember later on that they'd been like that.

Bridestone · 05/05/2025 00:20

BarneyRonson · 05/05/2025 00:09

No it’s just hyper activated neurotransmitters. You know sometimes people with brain injuries shout. The adrenals are destabilised, the brain is flooded with chemicals, it’s really that you saw her while her system was glitching out.

Exactly. It’s actually pretty weird that you’re even thinking that morphine revealed her ‘true self’ rather than assuming the more obvious thing, that she was basically out of her mind because of strong drugs.

WillTheSHTFsoon · 05/05/2025 00:24

Very normal for some people. I didn't recognise my own mother when i was given morphine after an operation and kept shouting for her, she was literally there holding my hand. Apparently I was very distressed. No recollection of any of it.

Your friend would likely be mortified to know how she spoke to you. I'd try to forgive and forget.

Tryingtokeepgoing · 05/05/2025 00:26

I had a call from my late husband once; he was in hospital overnight in London, post operation. He whispered that everyone on the ward had been kidnapped, but they’d escaped and were by the sea. Could I please come and get them 🤣

vipersnest1 · 05/05/2025 00:28

That wasn’t her true self. I had surgery in August and was a bit out of it after I had come round when the surgeon came to see me due to the drugs, and was very surly towards him. When I had a follow up appointment I didn’t get to see him - I still apologised for my behaviour and hope it was passed on, but the houseman said they are used to it, so it seems lots of people are not themselves after surgery and / or the drugs given.

Negroany · 05/05/2025 00:28

My mum was lovely when she was drugged up on morphine. So, no, it doesn't show your "true self". She also saw people who weren't there and described eating bats.

anonymous98 · 05/05/2025 00:29

I would assume she out of her mind.

My late relative thought he was going to "sing at Notre Dame cathedral" on morphine. He was really agitated about the prospect of being late to this momentous occasion! Another time he told my cousin that we had a family oil reserve worth millions. Reader, we do not.

Newnameforaday88 · 05/05/2025 00:30

No she’s ill, in pain, had traumatic (I’m guessing) surgery then had a bad reaction to Morphine…please stop trying to make this all about you, listen to her family’s advice.

Christwosheds · 05/05/2025 00:30

Bridestone · 05/05/2025 00:20

Exactly. It’s actually pretty weird that you’re even thinking that morphine revealed her ‘true self’ rather than assuming the more obvious thing, that she was basically out of her mind because of strong drugs.

Show quote history

Agree with this. People say all sorts of bizarre stuff on strong drugs. Surgery is traumatic for the body, and they are processing that too and can be angry or aggressive. It really is not some sort of “hidden” side to your friend coming out.

anonymous98 · 05/05/2025 00:30

anonymous98 · 05/05/2025 00:29

I would assume she out of her mind.

My late relative thought he was going to "sing at Notre Dame cathedral" on morphine. He was really agitated about the prospect of being late to this momentous occasion! Another time he told my cousin that we had a family oil reserve worth millions. Reader, we do not.

*was

Flatandhappy · 05/05/2025 00:31

This really isn’t about you, you know, show some compassion.

NoniRose · 05/05/2025 00:32

Please follow the family’s very reasonable and kind wishes. They are right and your friend is going through enough without you holding up how her addled brain has had her behave.

I think @LavenderFields7 has it.

monktasmic · 05/05/2025 00:34

I’m really surprised you’ve centred yourself and your feeling in your friends sickness.

adviceneeded1990 · 05/05/2025 00:35

I told my Mum the nurse was poisoning me.
Grandparent told my Dad he was secretly working for the CIA.
So no, in my experience people on morphine chat bollocks that they’ll barely remember.

TyrannasaurusJex · 05/05/2025 00:35

When I was 18 I was in hospital on morphine and called my parents from South Africa (and probably scared the shit out of them) to ask what kind of bird 'Big Bird' fron Sesame Street was... and then called them both cunts when they couldn't tell me. No memory of it at all, luckily they didn't take it as weirdly personally as you seem to be!

lovegoodlovegood · 05/05/2025 00:40

I’m shocked at these comments! I work on morphine, it doesn’t seem to affect me at all
a usual day could be dihydrocodeine, morphine, naproxen and paracetamol all max doses

Ohthatsabitshit · 05/05/2025 00:41

I think you are being really unkind. Of course don’t tell her afterwards. They’ve explained she has no control over it. Why did you visit if you didn’t think you could be kind about it?

DreamTheMoors · 05/05/2025 00:41

I guess different people react differently to morphine.
I had a serious back operation in my 20s and they gave me morphine.
I loooved it and kept asking for more lol.

Roxietrees · 05/05/2025 00:44

You’re massively overreacting- your friend had just had major surgery and was on an extremely powerful drug. Of course she wasn’t being herself! Weird that you’re making it all about you and your “hurt feelings” when it was your friend who had the surgery. You’ll look like a right dick if you bring it up with her - she won’t remember, will be really embarrassed, won’t know what to say, and will wonder why you’re having a go at her for a symptom of a bad reaction to a drug!

steff13 · 05/05/2025 01:01

My grandfather, the loveliest, kindest man ever, punched a nurse and told us there were horses in the room next to him. My uncle told a nurse that I was his daughter (he didn't have any children). People say and do crazy stuff on medication. The nurse and the family member both told you she wasn't herself, why are you questioning it?

GarlicPile · 05/05/2025 01:03

DreamTheMoors · 05/05/2025 00:41

I guess different people react differently to morphine.
I had a serious back operation in my 20s and they gave me morphine.
I loooved it and kept asking for more lol.

Me, too! But I'm also pretty sure I told the nurse I was going to steal all the hospital's morphine and take it home because I couldn't imagine life without it.

She said something like yes, dear, let's talk about it tomorrow 😁