aricept

[Norman]

Do aricept really help in the long term or do they prolong the agony?
The fact that the patient is aware more or less of the situation makes them unable to admit to anything wrong and can become quite awkward and unwilling to discuss the situation.
They refuse to admit that the carer needs a break and that there should be someone to sit with them to enable this?
How do we get round this problem@

 

[Angela]

Hi Norman
Im sorry that the medication appears to be causing you these difficulties. I wonder what the positives are? And do they outway the negative? If not then you really should discuss this with the consultant.
It may be that the client would not want the carer to have a break without the tablets?

The fact is ALL CARERS NEED A BREAK AT SOME TIME. I would suspect that if the carer was to take up the brought in care, then the client would soon not remember this fact. I know this may sound harsh, but its usually true.
Good luck

 

[PeterG]

Hi Norman, I suppose like most people I can only speak from personal experience. My wife Jen is 56 & was diagnosed with Alzheimers in November 2001, but I'm sure she had it at least 1 year prior.

She was put on Aricept 5mg straight away & in August 2002 dose was increased to 10mg once we had had here seen by National Hospital for Neurology consultant.

Her psyc. test (marks out of 30) hav remained the same (14, just 2 over the linit to get the drug) for the last 2 checkups, 1 year now, and I would not want to do without it. Jen has most domestic functionality still working, although of course short term memory is pretty poor.

I think Aricept, together with sensible practices at home, does help. For example, I take photos whenever we go out, so we can look at them together to remember the event, and have covered up the buttons she does not need to use on a new washing machine. I thought we would have problems working the new machine, but she's doing it OK. Good luck to you.

 

[Norman]

thanks for your advice Peter,we have had Aricept now starting like you on 5mg rising to 10 mg,we did pay £140 a month before they went on the NHS!
We are now in about year six and meeting the required scores on our visits to the consultant.
I do most things as you suggest but how do you get on leaving your wife?is she alright when you go out or do you have help?
At the moment I can go out once or twice a week and leave notes and a mobile number for her but I don't know how long this will last.
We do all the household chores together and provided we do not go to many unfamiliar places we are ok I have no one to sit in for me and the problem is convincing my wife that she needs some one there if I am out.
best wishes
Norman

 

[PeterG]

Hi Norman, up to recently I was working full time, and it was sometimes hard to concentrate when I knew Jen was having a bad day at home on her own. We were referred by our local Alzheimers society branch to the Early Onset Dementia team in the Herts area & had a couple of visits from their people at home, with a view to arranging a once a week visit, when the EOD person takes Jen out for 4 hours on a Friday. They also have a weekly meeting with EOD patients, but Jen didn't like that, so we only did it the once. However, the weekly outings are good & Jen does not mind taking part in this. Maybe there is something similiar available to you? Then you could go out while your wife is out with the EOD person?

Jen also takes Seroxat 30mg for depression, in fact this was 3 years ago when she started this. Maybe your wife would benefit from this type of treatment also? Jen knows enough about Alzheimers to get depressed from time to time, but I suppose its a benefit she does understand enough about what's going on.

I've just taken a redundancy package from work (we're both 56) & I'm now filling in all the forms - Disability Allowance, Carers Allowance, Mortgage Protection policy & so on & on. Hopefully, I'll be able to get enough income to not worry about working for at least 2 years, but I have to see if this is going to work out.

While I was working I did set up a webcam at home so I could log in to it at work to see if Jen was OK in the kitchen - that's where the cooker is! Jen always had my mobile number & I always left it turned on at work, irrespective of what meeting I was in, or who I was with. Question of priorities I guess.

We do the weekly shopping together & now of course I'm at home so I'm probably getting under her feet, although Jen still does the washing, ironing & cleaning, but we take turns to cook the evening meal, we keep it fairly simple when its Jen's turn, & I don't comment if she forgets to do any potatoes for example.

Jen has 1 good friend who comes round each week, & they go out together shopping or whatever. Again, I can combine these outings with stuff I have to do.

The one thing for sure is no-one can tell you how long any stage is going to last. Sounds like your wife is doing well if she is still OK for Aricept after 6 years.

Hope this helps, best wishes to you