Memantine

Mark 42

New member
Jun 11, 2019
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I would like to hear from carers who have experience of Memantine and people with Dementia
 

Janelle

New member
Feb 2, 2019
2
0
Hi Mark, My Mum has been taking Memantine for over a year. She doesn't seem to have had any side effects, but I couldn't really say whether it helped her or not. She has continued to decline, maybe she would have declined further without the Memantine.
 

RosettaT

Registered User
Sep 9, 2018
866
0
Mid Lincs
My OH was placed on memantine because donapezil gave him head and stomach ache. He's been taking it for 18mths. At first he was brighter and quicker in his thinking and we were ticking along quite nicely. However he collasped at christmas with an infection and has had 7 since so his abilities have declined since then.
I have not noticed any side effects but it was suggested to me he take at night as it could make him sleepy.
 
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Canadian Joanne

Registered User
Apr 8, 2005
17,710
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70
Toronto, Canada
My mother was on memantine for a number of years. It helped her a great deal. Even when her disease had progressed to a point that the meds were considered not to be having an effect, I refused to having them discontinued. My and my sister's opinion was that Mum was to take the drugs as long as she was physically able. She took them until about a week before she died.
 

Ken-Elizabeth

New member
Jun 12, 2019
3
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I would like to hear from carers who have experience of Memantine and people with Dementia
My mom has been on this along with a few other things and her dementia has progressed to last stages but dementia is a incurable disease as of today it’s a awful disease does the meds slow it down? I may be wrong but I say no she has not improved at all but over the last 2 weeks out of the blue she has dramatically gotten worse and it’s hard to handle if you don’t understand stand it’s not the person it’s the dementia
 

Rach1985

Registered User
Jun 9, 2019
412
0
My dad has started taking them and the only affect so far is drowsiness, but we believe this is a good thing as he was actually struggling to sleep and now he is getting a proper nights sleep in which I think can only help the brain. I know there is no cure, but I believe if this drug can slow it down then it’s the best thing, and if it makes no difference then nothing has been lost, just my opinion
 

Woo2

Registered User
Apr 30, 2019
3,652
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South East
Hi
My mum been on Memantine for about 5 years , no adverse affects , I would say there is a natural progression of the disease , not affected either way by the drug.
 

tryingmybest

Registered User
May 22, 2015
638
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What type of dementia has been diagnosed? Memantine should only be prescribed for Alzheimers or Alzheimers/mixed dementia not for Vascular Dementia if its that.
 

hillyjay

Registered User
Jun 14, 2019
135
0
My husband has been on both Rivastigmine and Memantine for the last 4 years. I would say that the Memantine has held progression back for a time though I think it is now starting to lose effect. Who knows how he would have been without it though?

He has had no ill effects from Memantine at all.
 

Rach1985

Registered User
Jun 9, 2019
412
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These are my thoughts too, my dad is now on memantine and we’ve decided any side effects are worth the potential slowing down of the disease
 

myss

Registered User
Jan 14, 2018
449
0
I also would like to know of carer's thoughts on Memantine and how it has affected their pwd. My dad's been taking it for the past three weeks now having been on Donapezil for years.

His dementia has declined to at least past middle stage and can't do much for himself. Initially he was going to be put on Donapezil and Memantine with the idea of weaning him of Donapezil at some later stage, but the Memory Clinic changed their mind and took him off it completely as his blood pressure was low.

The effect I see is that Memantine appears to make him more alert than before, which might sound good, but it's obvious that he needs sleep that he is now missing, so I'm surprised to read a couple posts say that it's made or can make their pwd drowsy!

I'm hoping that it's just down to the transition from one tablet and his body getting used to another, and thankfully someone from the Clinic will be visiting next week so we can raise these points with them, but I'd love to hear more viewpoints from other carers.
 

Abbey82

Registered User
Jun 12, 2018
95
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My Dad has tried Memantine now on two separate occasions 6 months apart and it hasn’t worked for him. He because more agitated and restless and just generally more hyper, hence we decided to take him off them both times. Also worth noting that my Dad is super sensitive to medication and can currently only maintain Trazadone.
 

hillyjay

Registered User
Jun 14, 2019
135
0
My OH began Memantine on a low dose gradually building up to higher one and while I can’t say there were any immediate changes, after a while I did notice that his mood was slightly calmer and his memory blanks decreased.
 

Rach1985

Registered User
Jun 9, 2019
412
0
My Dad has been on memantine building up the dose and only issue is it has made him more tired but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing as he is now sleeping better at night. It has helped him with his short term memory as he remembered certain appointments this week without needing to be reminded. I know this won’t cure him, but we are hoping for it to slow things down
 

Lindie16

Registered User
Nov 25, 2018
37
0
I would like to hear from carers who have experience of Memantine and people with Dementia
Mum was on Donepezil but changed to Memantine as the Donepezil was making her have really bad stomach ache. There have been no side effects over the last 2 years - in fact when she first changed medication she was definitely a lot brighter and was not as sleepy
Since then mum has declined - natural progression of disease rather than Memantine.
Each person will respond differently and whilst it was fine for Mum it may not be for the person you care for. It needs to be a constant review with trial and error until you find what is right. I wish you the very best of luck
 

myss

Registered User
Jan 14, 2018
449
0
I thought I'd give an update since my last post.

My dad is fully on Memantine now and I think what I described before as being alert was the transition period from Donapezil. He does appear a bit more sleeper than usual but we have also notice little moments of coherence in that he seems to understand a little more of what we say to him or that he is just that docile.

He does also have moments of mischievousness, for example he seemed to have developed th habit of turning on taps and leaving them on - nearly causing a flood in the garage, but I am unsure if this is just an increase of usual mischievousness that can come with dementia or if this is something new.Thank goodness for hard floors!