Terminal Cancer (drugs clash)

[elementalgrace]

My Dad uses amitryptaline (sp?) and morphine to manage his pain. Recently the pain got worse so the doctors upped the amitriptiline and he has started hallucinating. He's very creative in his hallucinations, and is fully aware that he's doing it. However, on the plus side, it means that he is now sleeping a reasonable number of hours a night.

Has anyone else come across this, or has any recommendations? It seems very much trial and error to find dosages and drugs that suit him which is okay, but if anyone else has perhaps experienced this, it would be very helpful to hear any suggestions.

Many thanks
EG

[ozzysmum]

Hi I use amytriptelene been taking 4 25mg a night for years, they dont make me hallucinate but they give me a good sleep, ive been on them for 11, 12 years now, also they are addictive, I dont use it for pain its for depression, hope this is of some use.....Lesley

[Maryann]

Hi EG

My Mum takes 150mg Amitripyline daily. Mum is prescribed It for depression, in the early days Mum would of got a dry mouth, but no other side effects. I would suggest speaking to your Dads doctor as you say its trial and error. I remember we had to try a few different ones at first, problem is it takes so long before you are able to monitor an change!

Take care
Maryann x

[late of this parish]

My husband takes Amiltriptyline to help control pain and the Dr warned him that when he started taking it he would get very vivid dreams but that they would wear off after a while and that's what has happened. At first the dreams were quite peculiar and he'd also get weird, very real feeling daydreams when he relaxed during the day ( auditory as well as visual hallucination types) but they have reduced in frequency too. He said that because the Dr had told him what to expect he knew he wasn't going potty, it was just side effects from the drug and it has helped reduce the pain to a bearable level