Medication for AD - Having doubts about whether any of it helps at all.. anyone else?

[acacia]

Living in Spain

MOH is continuing to improve with the confusion and short term memory loss, 2 months ago a visiting locum prescribed Citicolina/Somazina its expensive, a months supply would be 90euros, but we only pay a small percentage. a small price to pay for such excellent results. He is also taking coconut oil, Omega 3 and Vitamin B. I did ask our Dr. about other medication he said it he detriorated he would consider these, I feel as if I have my husband back fingers crossed it continues. I do hope you can find the right medication. Has anyone else been precribed citicolina for their loved ones.?
Take care. Acacia.

 

[benjie]

As with all drugs, whether it be alcohol or heroin or Aricept or Quetiapine, each person reacts totally differently - even if you alter the dosage, so really it is always a trial and error situation. I have found good reactions with certain drugs that have been mentioned but I can't say the same for others.

Sorry I can't say any more to reassure you

 

[Witzend]

My Mum was quite far advanced by the time she saw a specialist and was diagnosed. The specialist said she was too far advanced for tablets but she was given Aricept. I don't think they did any good. I do often wonder if they would have helped her had she been diagnosed and given them a few years earlier.

Kim

My mother was also started on Aricept quite late, in that she was pretty bad by then. The only noticeable effect was to bring back the 'nasty' stage that had almost passed, so we stopped it. But it was also very difficult to make sure she took it regularly,since she would often refuse to let in the carers sent to help, and there is no way she would ever remember to take it on her own, regardless of dosette boxes or any reminders. Even if we phoned to remind her she would forget the instant she had walked away from the phone. So I can't be sure whether taking it absolutely regularly would have helped, but I am inclined to think it was started too late. She was not on any other meds that could have affected her, and still isn't at 95 - general constitution of an elephant, although she looks so frail now.

 

[di65]

Hi all. My husband is in early to mid stage. He takes Donepezil and Citalopram for his Alzheimers. He also takes Allopurinol, Aspirin and Donepezil. The last two he has taken since his stroke as preventitives and. the Allorurinal for his gout. The GP suggested halving his Citalopram to see if it cleared up his acne type rash. his lasted two days when sanity (mine) dictated that the full dosage be re-instated. I find that life is now back on an even keel, albeit tiring. I would definitely not want to face this horrible disease without any medication, but it is a personal decision, and as we know everyone reacts differently to both the disease and medication. Whatever you decide - be prepared to re-consider

 

[SailingWanderer]

Aricept

Honestly....??

If it were up to me, I wouldn't medicate at all - my POV is what's the point in medicating this horrible disease at all, whether it works or doesn't....??

Honestly can't say Aricept has made a blind bit of difference with MIL, but even if I'd still wonder what was the point...

My Dad took Aricept for five years and I doubted its use until he was taken off it, the plummet in his dementia was very dramatic I believe down to where he would have been had he never taken Aricept. It was stopped so he could take respiridone due to aggression , I learned later he could have stayed on the aricept as well...too late now but wish we had known this at the time

 

[thewaythrough]

meds

We stopped Aricept for a while with my FIL and he became almost comatose - completely unresponsive, and had lost any sparkle he had left. It was horrible. When he went back on Aricept he was back to how he was minus a bit, but still a lot better than without. With my MIL we have completely stopped Aricept as it seemed to be making her dizzy and she fell over a few times. We haven't noticed any deterioration, other than the normal progression of the illness (memory loss). We are lucky in that they are cared for at home and have each other, so their routine has not been disrupted and they feel secure and stress is minimal. I would try and see how your mother fares without the drugs (check with doctor, but we reduced the dose very slowly until it was nothing over a period of weeks, and the same the other way around when we re-introduced Aricept to my FIL). Good luck!

 

[Los Gallardos]

Living in Spain

Acacia, have you found the coconut oil to be of any benefit? We also live in Spain my husband has both AD and PD, takes Ebixa, Exelon Patches and Sinimet, our main problem is the falling over his BP falls so low it wont register and the medics say there is nothing they can do, we are experimenting with licorice drops which does raise BP but it is the orthostatic hypotension which does not respond.
We see a neurologist every 10 months but to be honest I sometimes wonder if sound common sense from the carer is more relevant to day to day living.

Have you found out what will happen here in Spain if you no linger can cope, I am trying to find out but not getting very far.

 

[gingernut45]

aricept

My Dad took Aricept for five years and I doubted its use until he was taken off it, the plummet in his dementia was very dramatic I believe down to where he would have been had he never taken Aricept. It was stopped so he could take respiridone due to aggression , I learned later he could have stayed on the aricept as well...too late now but wish we had known this at the time

hy hubby is on Aricept and respiridone (after a psycotic delusion in January) and it helps alot. GP says the benefits out-weighs the side effects. I'll always describe Aricept as the memory handbrake - it turns a downhill run into a ownhill wander or walk. Nothing will stop dementia altogether yet, at least there is something to slow down its progress. what suits one person may not suit someone else.

 

[acacia]

Acacia, have you found the coconut oil to be of any benefit? We also live in Spain my husband has both AD and PD, takes Ebixa, Exelon Patches and Sinimet, our main problem is the falling over his BP falls so low it wont register and the medics say there is nothing they can do, we are experimenting with licorice drops which does raise BP but it is the orthostatic hypotension which does not respond.
We see a neurologist every 10 months but to be honest I sometimes wonder if sound common sense from the carer is more relevant to day to day living.

Have you found out what will happen here in Spain if you no linger can cope, I am trying to find out but not getting very far.

Los Gallardos. Yes I do think that cocunut oil helps, but what has really made such an improvement in .O.H. is Somazina(Citicolina. Its a liquid he takes l in amorning than has an half hour in bed after that. he is ready for the day and coping well with the day to day activities which he wasn't doing before. Regarding after care there is a home in Murcia that caters for Alzheimers sufferers, our local help the aged does help carers also a new group is forming called Forget me Not which is hoping to provide help, I have a friend whos husband needs carers and she finds the cost much cheaper than the U.K. but there isn't the help here that you can get in the U.K. as you no doubt are finding out. We enjoy our life here and hopefully O.H. will continue to be O.K. Do let me know if you find out anything.
Acacia.

 

[retired]

AD medication

I am new to this but have been drawing comfort from everybody's messages.I am 65 and caring for my wife,69,who I think is about level.She has been on Donepezil but it didn't make any difference so I have stopped it along with our GP's advice.This sounds harsh,even to me,but surely the outcome is inevitable anyway and I can not see any advantage prolonging my wife's suffering even if the pills worked.She is still quite aware of things but nothing has any interest or meaning for her and it's just awful to watch.Only rides in the car has any effect on her happiness and is now costing £80 per week!I don't care about the cost but its not much for her is it.I am just starting to get outside help so maybe I will learn something yet and oh yes the guilt is all consuming.

 

[dave1372]

My Dad has now been prescribed one dose of 10mg of Donepezil and what a difference it has made. Before he was extremely anxious and often very confused and example being he thought he was staying in a holiday home and kept asking when he was going home when he was actually in his own home, he even drove to his previous home at one point thinking he was going back there but fortunately the new owners were very understanding and let us know what he had been upto! He was generally anxious and confused about everything in his daily life, couldn't settle and we were seriously concerned that we would have to get him put in a home but when they started him on the Donepezil I was very pleased at how much it has calmed him down. Don't get me wrong he is still forgetful but he a lot of the confusion has now disappeared his anxiety levels are nearly normal and we can now visit and spend time with him without pulling our hair out and he seems to now have an improved quality of life.
I would recommend certainly recommend people speaking to the relevant people to get this prescribed if appropriate. Hope this helps.

 

[FeistyFifer]

Do drugs help?

My husband, newly diagnosed with vascular dementia following a stroke nearly six years ago, has been taking Memantine for about six months now. It has certainly calmed him down but I know that his hallucinations are getting worse. I am sure that everyone is different and reacts differently to medication. It would be that the doctor prescribes the drug most likely to help, but if that is not the right one, just has to try the next one on his list. Trial and error.

 

[clareglen]

Bad side effects

My mum has Parkinson's Dementia (closely related to AD) & was on Donepizil (Aricept). I thought her dementia was getting rapidly worse so they upped the dose. After a few months I realised it was the Donepizil that was making her aggressive, stomach cramps, aches more than usual, depression, etc. Her consultant agreed with me to try stopping it. I now realise how much it was doing in stemming her hallucinations. She is totally barmy now but not being nasty to me & her mood is better so I can cope with her better being off it.

 

[Tornado]

My Mum was diagnosed a year ago and went onto Donepezil in March. The difference has been astonishing. I even noticed that she walked with more purpose and energy. The one thing she never remembers is that it is Alzheimer's she suffers from!

 

[bigsis]

Hi,
My husband was diagnosed with early onset dementia, probably Alzheimers in November. He was prescribed Aricept which gave him dizzy spells and an upset stomach. He also has very vivid dreams. He takes certraline too. The consultant at the memory clinic felt that the side effects from Aricept were unacceptable and prescribed him Exelon patches. Most of the side effects got better, however, the patches irritated his skin; and to top it all, he got shingles from his tummy button to his mid-spine, so we couldn't use the patches! The CPN from the Early Onset team who is monitoring him suggested swopping to exelon capsules and these seem to suit him much better. I sometimes wonder if the meds do work, but am frightened about what would happen if he stopped. Would he deterorate rapidly? I feel it's a risk we can't take, as I have another 10 years before I can retire and I need to work full time for as long as I can. It's a big dilemma

 

[Rowena C.]

Looking for things to do when I visit Mum as all she does is beg me to get her out of there and take her back home! need to occupy her mind somehow. Any suggestions?

 

[Noorza]

Looking for things to do when I visit Mum as all she does is beg me to get her out of there and take her back home! need to occupy her mind somehow. Any suggestions?

Hi Rowena and welcome to TP. I think you'll get a far greater response if you start a new thread

I would suggest here:
http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/forumdisplay.php?70-I-care-for-a-person-with-dementia

and there is a NEW THREAD link near the top of the page on the right hand side.

Your post could get lost at the end of another's thread and I'd really like you to get the widest choice of ideas to help your mum.

 

[WarwickCV]

My experince re my wife who has AZ is that Exellon (and its cheaper successors) do seem to have made a difference. Nights are much less disturbed but dressing, washing, remembering where things go and short term memory still remain problems

 

[Tony H]

......Tonys Story...

Dear Bellagirl25.....I have Early Onset Dementia/most likely Alzheimers...Diagnosed 2007.....I control this insidious disease using ADRENALIN......my story is on the internet, look up Tony's story....... ....Kindest Regards.....Tony

My husband has AD, middle stages, I am torn between whether the 'cocktail' of drugs he takes are doing him any good at all. I feel they are either having no effect, therefore what is the point?

I sometimes feel they make him worse! He get meds checked every 6 months by a Neurologist. What I can't understand is when you look at some of the side effects of these drugs...they can cause the very symptoms they are being taken for in the first place...'confusion' 'lethargy' 'mood swings' 'tiredness' disorientation' 'memory loss'etc etc , I could go on and on.

I know there is no cure for AD, is it just me or are we being prescribed drugs that could either be doing nothing at all, or indeed making the person worse? I believe most Doctors are mainly advised by the drug companies, so who do we believe. I just wonder what is best...taking a cocktail of chemicals, or let nature and the body take it's own course. I just see NO improvement, in fact the complete opposite.

The drugs he takes for AD: Memantine(Ebixa), Setraline, Mirtazapine, and some Prometax (patches) which I haven't started yet...

Anyone's comments please?? I don't think I am alone here.

PS I live in Portugal, therefore I have to pay around €150.00 a month for these meds, it's not the money, but if I saw some benefit at least it would seem worthwhile.

 

[fritzli]

Donepezil

I haven't posted for a long time, but read the posts with interest. My husband broke his hip 7 weeks ago and the hospital put him on 10mg of Donepezil for AD. Since a week, he is back home after spending four weeks in a rehabilitation centre. This morning he became very aggressive, for the first time, as a helper from the rehab team tried to get him up. He is still in bed, refuses to get up. Could it be because of the medication?