question from the uninformed....

[martikadragoon]

hi all. I'm new to this particular group, not diagnosed with anything but had a few questions...

#1) can any medications cause a person to hear voices?  and I'm speaking of voices of any kind, whispers, talking, etc. nothing violent.
Due to a back injury over the last year and a half (not in the last 8mo tho), and under doctors supervision I had taken Soma, norco, (recently) Neurontin, baclofen, atarax (for sleep) and low dose ambien (for sleep) as well as unisom on occasion.  I'm 8 months pregnant also, which is why I hadn't taken the soma during the last 8 months. I'm under care of a high risk perinatologist for other reasons, since my first son has down syndrome (it just happened)

I have delt with severe depression as a child/teen off and on, suicidal at a couple points but was never diagnosed because family didn't notice it. I've always been one to educate myself and keep myself informed on things.

now...the reason I ask:  We keep white noise on in our room (a fan) and on more than several occasions recently (last few months), I've "heard" people whispering, or talking. Usually a couple or more ppl, almost like a tv that's left on low sound. it's REALLY destracting, and I've only ever heard it while here and normally at night when everyone is in bed.. There have been a few times I thought I heard a knock on the door (during the day) but there wasn't anyone there.

this last thing COULD be due to the fact that I live in a house with 6 other ppl (mom, sister, 2 brothers, SIL, hubby and son.)

Since my last episode of depression as a teen, I haven't had any others. no I wasn't treated for it, it actually took a friend killing herself my sr yr of highschool to get me to see things straight. I've been happily married 4 years. I haven't discussed this with anyone because I didn't think anything of it other than maybe my overtired brain was just working too hard (my first son is 14mo old and I do good to get 4hrs sleep a night)

I didn't deal with any PPD or anything (you would think I'd have had some depression after what we went throug w/our son being really sick for the first 6mo of his life) and as far as I know no severe mental disorders run in my family. I dont know my biological father's side because he himself was adopted and I've never met him.


Just wondering what you all make of this......
ttyl
Cindie

[ILADVOCATE]

Soma can commonly be addictive. I was told not to take it by my neurologist (I have dystonic spasms) but I have already built up a tolerance to Flexaril which is a muscle relexant although it does not have any personality alterations. Norco has that potential. Ambien can sometimes cause this effect. Although you have not misused these medications in anyway they can have personality altering side effects. Speak to your doctor about this and what could be potential replacements. As for sleep, Rozerem is a sleep aide that works like melatonin to adjust the sleep cycle but is safe and non addictive. I don't know if that can be taken during pregnancy. You could ask your doctor about that. The hormonal alterations during pregnancy could bring back any tendencies you have towards depression. I am not sure about psychosis but if your doctor can't rule anything else out they might refer you to a psychiatrist but they should check for medication side effects first.

[martikadragoon]

I know soma can be addictive. I had a stepfather die last year of an overdose of soma and Darvon. (him and my mother were in a car accident, and he'd been a recovering meth addict w/10 years under his belt.)

I no longer take Soma and haven't in over 8 months (closer to 10 actually) due to unwanted side effects. I'm currently on a dose of flexeril 10mg 3x a day. thank you for your reply!

Unfortunately, many ppl in my family have a natural high tolerance to medications. my doseage of Norco had been fairly high, 2 10/325 tabs every 6hrs. Something I DID notice was when taking norco, I was more prone to anger... my family noticed it too. I had to concentrate to not get mad so easily when taking it so I'm glad my dr changed me to another medicine. She said that I wouldn't have a tolerance to the new med since the norco I'd been on for well over a year and probably DID have that tolerance to.

I also no longer take norco, as my pain mgmt dr decided to start me on Oxycodone 5mg/3hr (I FINALLY got in to see them after waiting 4 months)  
And due to more mixups with insurance, I haven't been to see them or had ANY pain medication for about 4 days. Odd thing is, I'm finding I may no longer need constant pain control... it's off topic but they told me it was a sacral illiac injury from a fall down the stairs and the other day I sat down and something "popped"... since then my pain has been manageable with neurontin and tylenol except for a few occasions.

so Rozerem has never worked for me, neither has lunesta. my tolerance has gone down to the point where the ambien works some, however I don't like to take it every night.   I've tried melatonin (dr ok'd it) and don't notice any change.

I'll definitely ask my dr about the medications causing personality changes. I don't like them, it's unnerving, destracting, and plain annoying.

[corlenbelspar]

Well some medications like certain sleep aides according to their commercials on TV which I haven't bothered to look into further because I don't know I just never thought to say they can cause hallucinations and I remember agitation and such is a common side effect of a lot of medications.  From what you described I'm guessing you're not depressed now so this next information is probably irrelevant for you but it's just an unwanted educational experience I guess like nearly all my school life was.  Severe major depression can actually cause a person to hallucinate, I don't know if it's the same for major depression but one of my aunts for example have bipolar disorder and when she was pregnant she kept hallucinating and hearing music in the distance and thought her kids were playing it and every time she asked them to turn it down they were confused because they didn't even have anything playing.  This was the only time she ever hallucinated in her life.

[martikadragoon]

corlenbelspar~ thanks. :) And no, I don't feel I'm depressed. That's interesting about your aunt. my SIL's mom is bipolar... you can always see one of her low points coming on.