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Medicine Triggers Musical Hallucinations

Q. I read in your column a while back that a person heard music after taking the antidepressant amitriptyline. My urologist prescribed a similar drug (imipramine) for a mild urinary problem. After a few days, I too started hearing music. My music was a wonderful male chorus each evening. After I pinned the music down to that antidepressant drug I quit taking it. I did miss that wonderful male chorus, though!

A. Drug-induced auditory hallucinations are rare but documented in the medical literature. The person you refer to taking amitriptyline reported: “I hear music all day, both classical and rap.” When the drug was discontinued the music faded away.

One person taking an antidepressant heard a full orchestra playing dramatic classical music:

“The final straw came when I was riding my motorcycle (not a quiet machine) and couldn’t hear the sound of the engine and wind over the orchestra playing in my head! I took myself off the antidepressant, and the hallucinations disappeared.”

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About the Author
Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist who has dedicated his career to making drug information understandable to consumers. His best-selling book, The People’s Pharmacy, was published in 1976 and led to a syndicated newspaper column, syndicated public radio show and web site. In 2006, Long Island University awarded him an honorary doctorate as “one of the country's leading drug experts for the consumer.”.
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