Is Melamine good for people who seem calm and well adjusted, although memory impaired

[whileaway]

My 94 year old father was diagnosed with Mixed Dementia. He is calm and reasonable, patient, and loving. We are about to be dropped from the roles of the Memory Clinic, because I have not given him the tablets, and that is because I've not found in on-line researches that it has helped with any, but behavioral, issues. Also it seems difficult to drop once begun. (When I ask doctors for advice, they will not say definitively that it has improved their particular patients, only that it is recommended.)

I do not want him sedated. He is already sleepy much of the time, and this drug appears to have a sedating effect. Please do let me know if it works for your loved ones in which the cognitive powers are still good, (although memory and awareness of world events is much compromised). I fear any side effects, and do not see from anything I read that it prolongs cognitive function over all, but, rather, just calms restless and unhappy behaviors. I know the science behind this drug, protecting channel blockers and all, but want to know from the experience of this group!

 

[marionq]

Do you mean melatonin or memantine?

 

[lin1]

P

Have no idea how that P got up there, so deleted post

 

[lin1]

Hi, if it's Memantine (Ebixa) my mum was on it for several years, Mum did not actually improve but it did help to slow down even stop her rapidly advancing Dementia for many years , when it started to progress again it was at a very slow rate compared to before.
It did not have any sedating effects on mum.

The the trouble with all medications prescribed for Dementia , their are no guarantees that they will work on that person., even though they have the same symptoms as someone who is taking it and it works well , sadly it is a case of try it and see.

Mum suffered no side effect but some people do

 

[LynneMcV]

My husband has been taking memantine for about three years now, not because of any behavioural issues, he is and always has been a very placid man.

In our case he was put on memantine because, having a slow heart rate, it was not possible for him to take the normal dose of donepezil (which slows the heart rate further) - so to give him the best chance they added memantine to his prescription.

Does it work? No idea, but he has done well over the years in general - though 2015 saw a couple of big dips. Having said that he is alert, loves to get out and about (needs someone with him these days), enjoys the occasional meal out, likes tv quiz shows, walks and keeps up with current affairs and sports.

All in all, despite the inevitable dips you get with this disease, I would say he does well on memantine. He takes it at night before bed, so if there are any side effects he sleeps through them anyway.

 

[marmarlade]

hubby has been on menantine and rivastigmine patches for 3 years although he is in care [couldnt do 24/7 on my own after 5 years] hes been in care for a year now and there really is no difference in him,hes alert chatty to everyone joins in all that goes on in the home we take him out, i really think these medications have helped slow the dementia down not sure if melamine is the same as menantine

 

[whileaway]

Sorry,

Do you mean melatonin or memantine?

Oh my! I mean Memantine!

 

[whileaway]

My husband has been taking memantine for about three years now, not because of any behavioural issues, he is and always has been a very placid man.

In our case he was put on memantine because, having a slow heart rate, it was not possible for him to take the normal dose of donepezil (which slows the heart rate further) - so to give him the best chance they added memantine to his prescription.

Does it work? No idea, but he has done well over the years in general - though 2015 saw a couple of big dips. Having said that he is alert, loves to get out and about (needs someone with him these days), enjoys the occasional meal out, likes tv quiz shows, walks and keeps up with current affairs and sports.

All in all, despite the inevitable dips you get with this disease, I would say he does well on memantine. He takes it at night before bed, so if there are any side effects he sleeps through them anyway.

Thank-You! My father has a slow heart rate as well. I think I will start him on the pills, from the responses today- if it's not too late for the memory clinic to keep us on.

 

[velocity]

Hi
My Mum has been taking Donepezil for a couple of years very happily, but I've noticed of late Mum has seemed to deteriorate a little, does anybody know the differences in these drugs, for instance if Donepezil isn't as effective would the drug Memantine or one of the others be classed as the next step or are they on par.
I hope I have spelled the name of the drugs correctly!!!!
xxx

 

[canary]

Hi
My Mum has been taking Donepezil for a couple of years very happily, but I've noticed of late Mum has seemed to deteriorate a little, does anybody know the differences in these drugs, for instance if Donepezil isn't as effective would the drug Memantine or one of the others be classed as the next step or are they on par.
I hope I have spelled the name of the drugs correctly!!!!
xxx

Hi velocity, donepezil (memantine too, for that matter) doesnt actually stop Alzheimers from progressing - it just slows the progression down. Ultimately, there will be progression, as you have noticed.

 

[Sianh]

Memantine

Hi there. I have just joined because I wanted to let others know about the dramatic improvement my mother has experienced with initially donepezil for 2 years and then adding on memantine when the donepezil started to fail. Each medication has resulted in the " rebirth " of my mother- the changes have been dramatic almost miraculous .
After about 10 weeks on donepezil she changed from someone who was anxious , distraught and unable to carry out the activities of daily living to a person who was able to carry on living on her own , which was her preference , for the next 2 years. She also lost the anxiety and became happy in herself
Then about 3 months ago she started to decline- becoming withdrawn, only answering with monosyllables and lost an understanding of the need to eat and drink. She started putting tea bags in the kettle and we would find mouldy left over food in strange places in the house- exactly the same as before she started the donepezil

6 weeks ago memantine was added to the donepezil and over the last 2 weeks she has again returned to how she was in her first 2 years on the donepezil-
I realise it is very early days but my initial observations are that the memantine is helping her cognition to a major degree ( she had no behavioural issues )
Also for the first few weeks of taking it she seemed worse if anything- more drowsy - not wanting to get out of bed. However after 4 weeks or so this stopped and she suddenly improved again dramatically.

 

[Cat27]

Welcome to TP Sian

 

[whileaway]

6 weeks ago memantine was added to the donepezil and over the last 2 weeks she has again returned to how she was in her first 2 years on the donepezil-
I realise it is very early days but my initial observations are that the memantine is helping her cognition to a major degree ( she had no behavioural issues )
Also for the first few weeks of taking it she seemed worse if anything- more drowsy - not wanting to get out of bed. However after 4 weeks or so this stopped and she suddenly improved again dramatically.

I am happy it has been buying her time. I didn't give it to my father for 2 months. And even then, it might have been spoiled for I kept it in a drawer which got to 24 degrees, being over the radiator, and it is not to go over 25. But I fear it is making him worse, less responsive, that is. He is silent and says he is not asleep or dosent feel different, but acts far away, deep in his shell. I plan to go back to half a pill. Ive done a whole pill for 3 days now after a week of halves.