Hello everyone, I am new to this as this is my first post. My husband is 63 and has dementia. It started most likely about 7 years ago but was diagnosed 2 years ago. He has suffered from depression for many years but antidepressants worked well for him. After he was diagnosed, he was so nice with me. He didn't really know he had alzheimers because I always used cognitive with him. About a year ago, he was started on aricept 5 mg. His behavior changed for the worst over time. It was terrible. The dr prescribed Namenda thinking it would help his behavior. I gave it to him for only 2 days because his agitation was worst. Then I started thinking when his abusive behavior started and I decided to stop the aricept and see how he would be. It has been 3 weeks and he hasn't raised his voice to me once. I realized that the Aricept did help him be more aware and focused but he was focusing on everything he cant do any longer, like driving etc. I do feel somewhat guilty about stopping it. I don't want to be selfish. However, he is so much more peaceful now. I understand this could all change tomorrow. I pray every night for strength and guidance through this, I would like others opinion and their experience if they also stopped the aricept. Thank you.
Stopped Aricept
- Thread starter Katsdog
- Start date
Hello Katsdog and welcome to Talking Point.
It is really difficult working out whether certain behaviours are linked to medication, I think you have weighed up the pros and cons and made the right decision as you describe your husband as being much more peaceful. That has to be good news for both of you.
I don't have any experience of Aricept but am sure other people will reply on your thread.
It is really difficult working out whether certain behaviours are linked to medication, I think you have weighed up the pros and cons and made the right decision as you describe your husband as being much more peaceful. That has to be good news for both of you.
I don't have any experience of Aricept but am sure other people will reply on your thread.
Hi @Katsdog and welcome to the forum.
I'm so sorry to read of your husband's diagnosis - especially as he is still young. I'm glad you found this forum though and I know you'll find it helpful.
My husband was on Aricept for many years and he had no bad side effects. Everyone is different though and I'm sure others will gave different experiences to share.
I don't know if this will be of any use - if not please ignore it!
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/treatments/drugs/drug-treatments-alzheimers-disease
I'm so sorry to read of your husband's diagnosis - especially as he is still young. I'm glad you found this forum though and I know you'll find it helpful.
My husband was on Aricept for many years and he had no bad side effects. Everyone is different though and I'm sure others will gave different experiences to share.
I don't know if this will be of any use - if not please ignore it!
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/treatments/drugs/drug-treatments-alzheimers-disease
My husband started on Aricept from the day his diagnosis. He went from the 5 to 10mg without any bother and we had a near normal life for 4 years. He continued to drive and to run his business. Yes he had help from others because they knew of his diagnosis so hiccups were got over and any unusual behaviour was accepted because his staff understood the reasons. I believe it was Aricept that gave us this four years.
He continued to take it for a long time but the advancement of the disease started to take its toll and other medications were added to the mix, not always doing what they should do.
Aricept was a positive for us but all medications work differently for most people. My husband slept for one hour out of 24 and was given strong medication to help him sleep but it had the opposite effect and was taken off him after a week of no sleep. Doctor could not understand how he kept going for the week, no thought was given to how I had kept going for the week keeping him safe.
He continued to take it for a long time but the advancement of the disease started to take its toll and other medications were added to the mix, not always doing what they should do.
Aricept was a positive for us but all medications work differently for most people. My husband slept for one hour out of 24 and was given strong medication to help him sleep but it had the opposite effect and was taken off him after a week of no sleep. Doctor could not understand how he kept going for the week, no thought was given to how I had kept going for the week keeping him safe.
hi @Katsdog
welcome from me too
I appreciate your reasons for stopping that particular medication, just be sure to let your husband's GP know so they have an up to date picture of your husband's situation - eg should he have a hospital stay and Aricept is on his list of prescribed meds, the medics will probably start him on it again
welcome from me too
I appreciate your reasons for stopping that particular medication, just be sure to let your husband's GP know so they have an up to date picture of your husband's situation - eg should he have a hospital stay and Aricept is on his list of prescribed meds, the medics will probably start him on it again
Hello @Katsdog, as well as telling the GP for the reason given it may be that an alternative med could be tried - such as Rivastigmine(Exelon). That med is from the same class of drug but is slightly different in content and effect. It may be that that wouldn't be suitable but the GP would be best placed to advise.
Like you, my husband (diagnosed in 2013) started on 5mg & then upped to 10mg of Aricept. To start with it was ok but then the anger & violence got worse & worse. It got so bad that one night I was one the verge of calling the police as I really did fear for my safety. I ended up cowering under the kitchen table until he finally fell asleep. To cut a long story short in the end we went back to the doctor who reduced the dose back to 5mg. Within days his outbursts had vastly improved & had become manageable ( still not pleasant) but I did notice a corresponding decline in his mental & physical abilities but it was worth it. I don't think either of us could have continued the way it was.
Medication does affect people differently, so it is well worth a discussion with your husband's doctor to see what he suggests.
In our case, my husband (then 58) was started on aricept as soon as he was diagnosed with dementia. However, due to a natural slow (but healthy) heart rate, he was never prescribed more than the initial 5mg dose as the medication lowers the heart rate further and it could have caused him to collapse.
He remained on the 5mg of aricept for six years - having eventually been taken off of it in February this year as he is now in end stage dementia.
For the first four years we had a pretty decent life, not entirely without episodes of challenging behaviour, but manageable for the most part. After that, the anger issues and general deterioration became more frequent.
In our case I do not feel that the aricept was in any way to blame for challenging behaviour either early on or in later years, but that it was the natural progression of the disease itself. We could go months without issues but then things would change - and change again, such is the nature of the disease.
Of course, being on the 5mg dose may well be what made the difference in our case - 10mg might have shown us an entirely a different picture right from the start.
You only refer to your husband being given a 5mg dose so I am assuming it was never increased to 10mg? However, if he did progress to the higher dose, the GP might well suggest reducing it 5mg again.
I was disappointed that my husband could not take the full dose but I was reassured that he would still be gaining some benefit from the lower dosage - and in all honesty, I believe it did help him.
In our case, my husband (then 58) was started on aricept as soon as he was diagnosed with dementia. However, due to a natural slow (but healthy) heart rate, he was never prescribed more than the initial 5mg dose as the medication lowers the heart rate further and it could have caused him to collapse.
He remained on the 5mg of aricept for six years - having eventually been taken off of it in February this year as he is now in end stage dementia.
For the first four years we had a pretty decent life, not entirely without episodes of challenging behaviour, but manageable for the most part. After that, the anger issues and general deterioration became more frequent.
In our case I do not feel that the aricept was in any way to blame for challenging behaviour either early on or in later years, but that it was the natural progression of the disease itself. We could go months without issues but then things would change - and change again, such is the nature of the disease.
Of course, being on the 5mg dose may well be what made the difference in our case - 10mg might have shown us an entirely a different picture right from the start.
You only refer to your husband being given a 5mg dose so I am assuming it was never increased to 10mg? However, if he did progress to the higher dose, the GP might well suggest reducing it 5mg again.
I was disappointed that my husband could not take the full dose but I was reassured that he would still be gaining some benefit from the lower dosage - and in all honesty, I believe it did help him.
I was so interested in your comment" For the first four years we had a pretty decent life, not entirely without episodes of challenging behaviour, but manageable for the most part. After that, the anger issues and general deterioration became more frequent.
In our case I do not feel that the aricept was in any way to blame for challenging behaviour either early on or in later years, but that it was the natural progression of the disease itself. We could go months without issues but then things would change - and change again, such is the nature of the disease."
I am with you on this. My OH is on 10 mg Aricept a day. And when he gets really bad...ie repetitive behaviors and sundowning I give him1/2 Dipiperon, more often in the last six months but still not daily. He behaviors vary from day to day and he has good and bad days.
The medications just treat symtoms for awhile and our team of doctors told us this from the beginning. There is no cure, the medicines are simply there to help with some of the symtoms of the disease and the success and effectiveness of these meds is individual, But eventually the symtoms and the disease will prevail.
Hi. My dad's behaviour changed for the worse when his Aricept was increased from 5mg to 10mg. It was so bad that we thought we'd no longer be able to care for him. Reducing the dose back to 5mg meant that his behaviour was fine and we could manage.
Thank you for your response. During the year, the dose was increased to 10 mg for about a month or two but it caused my husband to lose his appetite and he lost a lot of weight. He then went back to 5 mg. The horrible nasty outbursts were nightly. I was up at night with my heart beating out of my chest until he fell asleep. I had to give him xanax and his sleeping pill to calm down. Now without the aricept, he stopped his abusive behavior. No xanax needed.
Thank you for sharing with me. I too was close at times wanting to call for help. I went to sleep almost every night with my heart pounding. Had an episode in a parking lot etc. He never really remembered the next day of anything happening. Since I have stopped the aricept (3 weeks or so), no more outbursts. I know the decline will be faster, and I am so sorry for that, but things are so much better between us without the medication.
my husband is 70 and has had dementia for at least 6 years i tried him on a drug and within two days he was angry and grumpy and i stopped it i felt quilty but he has never been a angry man which made our relationship so special he has been prescribed another drug now but like you i am nervous as if it makes him more alert it may make him more aware and more frustrated he can't follow tv or read or follow a conversation but loves to go out in the car being driven around or being pushed in his wheelchair and is gentle and passive. is it wrong not to try the drug i just don't know i think we have to follow our gut feeling its a hard road the dementia road
Hi, If any other drug is offered, I will decline it. The disease is bad enough. What's the point of being more aware of what he cannot do anymore. That was all is did for my husband. Made him angry and blame me for not being able to drive anymore etc. It was horrible. I would rather give him something to calm him down if needed. I understand Aricept does help a lot of others, and I am happy for those that it does. My husband wasn't a gentle and passive person to begin with like yours. So I don't need anything to stir those feelings. He seems to be in a more peaceful place without the drugs. He has taken antidepressants for some years and he has been fine. It seems the Aricept was preventing them from working. I would go with your gut. So far, I am happy I did.
Oh my dear, that last thing you said about YOU keeping going for the week, keeping him out of harm's way. How on earth do they think PWD function? It has to be with someone alongside, suffering in some way ... I am so sorry. Thank you so much for posting.My husband started on Aricept from the day his diagnosis. He went from the 5 to 10mg without any bother and we had a near normal life for 4 years. He continued to drive and to run his business. Yes he had help from others because they knew of his diagnosis so hiccups were got over and any unusual behaviour was accepted because his staff understood the reasons. I believe it was Aricept that gave us this four years.
He continued to take it for a long time but the advancement of the disease started to take its toll and other medications were added to the mix, not always doing what they should do.
Aricept was a positive for us but all medications work differently for most people. My husband slept for one hour out of 24 and was given strong medication to help him sleep but it had the opposite effect and was taken off him after a week of no sleep. Doctor could not understand how he kept going for the week, no thought was given to how I had kept going for the week keeping him safe.
