My 81-year-old father, who takes Nitrocontin, Pacitane 2, Clopitab, Silofast, and Syndopa 110, has started talking confusedly after having a fever for five days; will this confusion go away, and what medicine can be used to treat it?
I understand how worrying it is to see your father confused. In older adults, especially those taking medications like Pacitane (trihexyphenidyl) and Syndopa (levodopa/carbidopa), a prolonged fever can easily cause temporary confusion, known as delirium. The good news is that this confusion usually resolves once the underlying cause of the fever, such as an infection, is treated. Please do not give him any new medications for the confusion. Instead, have a doctor evaluate him promptly to identify the source of the fever and review his current medicines safely. Ensuring he stays hydrated will also help him recover.