Drugs

Dawnee1418

Registered User
Feb 22, 2015
31
0
My father has been to memory clinic for the 4th time he has seen the consultant as the registrar he had been seeing has left. I wrote everything down dad had done each time he went to the clinic so the had a full picture of what he was doing & saying. The registrar had said if he could take medication we would get a prescription through the post back in January. As this never came I wasn't too bothered asi didn't want him being worse with the side effects. I'm up every night 2 or 3 times some nights I'm up with him 3 hours at a time. Today the consultant has said he can take Memantine -Ebixa. Has anyone had any one on this & if so have they been better/ worse. Dads got heart failure kidney disease. I feel we've taken 3 steps back. He won't even send anyone to talk to him about the vascular dementia & Alzheimers
 

chris53

Registered User
Nov 9, 2009
2,929
0
London
Hello Dawnee, I don't have experience of this medication as mum is still on Aricept, but sure others will be along to give help,however I did find the general approach from the memory clinic in the beginning, somewhat laid back in relation to issuing a prescription(and reviewing etc)which "they" said mum should take:rolleyes: may I suggest that you have a consultation with dads GP to see what they can do to balance up communication between the memory clinic and GP and tell the GP these latest problems you and dad are having so you can have help...NOW
Take care
Chris
 

Acco

Registered User
Oct 3, 2011
228
0
Hello, My wife is on Memantime (Ebixa - one trade name) and has been for about 3yrs; she has not experienced any side effects at any time in that period. It is difficult to know if there has been any benefit but I hope that perhaps it kept things at a reasonably stable level for a longer time. I understand it is normally prescribed in the mid to later stages of Alzheimer/dementia.
 

Dawnee1418

Registered User
Feb 22, 2015
31
0
Fear

Thanks Acco does your wife get up on a night or was she getting up ? Dads up every single night last night he was up at 11pm until 1.20am then again at 2.30 I managed to talk him back into bed but 10 minutes later he was up & dressed. My biqgest fear is with some of the drugs if it makes him worse & we don't get any sleep at all. I have epilepsy & lack of sleep is one of the things that makes my seizurs worse.
The Memantime says can cause heart failure which dad already has. He had to have a quadruple bypass & a pacemaker fitted prior to being diagnosed with the chronic heart failure. One Dr says one thing then another is saying it's fine .
 

marionq

Registered User
Apr 24, 2013
6,449
0
Scotland
With your health problems should you be looking after him? Disturbed sleep is common and frequent and for those who cannot take sleeping pills the effect on carers is very damaging.
 

Spamar

Registered User
Oct 5, 2013
7,723
0
Suffolk
Hi dawnee, my OH has been on Memantine for 2 yrs. in his case it was prescribed after delusions which necessitated anti psychotics. Memantine was prescribed to replace these. He certainly hasn't had any sleeping problems, unless it's too much. He can sleep 17 hours is allowed to! If he wakes up with a full bladder he is capable of using a urine bottle kept on the bedside table, often without disturbing me.
His delusions are more or less gone, though he has other problems. I think these are dementia based, rather than tablet based.
 

chick1962

Registered User
Apr 3, 2014
11,282
0
near Folkestone
My OH was on Memantine and it slowed him down and made him drowsy. His concentration was terrible . After 2 years he was put on Rivastigmine and he seemed to bounce right back, much brighter and coherent


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Dawnee1418

Registered User
Feb 22, 2015
31
0
Dads sleeping most of day getting up on a night but as soon as he comes down stairs he falls asleep so he doesn't need slowing down . I feel the registrar was better informed than the consultant & given he saw dad more times knew more about him.
 

chick1962

Registered User
Apr 3, 2014
11,282
0
near Folkestone
Dads sleeping most of day getting up on a night but as soon as he comes down stairs he falls asleep so he doesn't need slowing down . I feel the registrar was better informed than the consultant & given he saw dad more times knew more about him.

Yes, I know what you mean some specialists only see our loved ones for a short while and they don't really know them properly . Hope your dad will be fine x


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Acco

Registered User
Oct 3, 2011
228
0
Dawnee, My wife used to get up and out of bed but only ever at the usual time; she did and still does wake at times through the night but soon settles back down. I appreciate the impact broken sleep can have on you and hope a solution is soon found. Pat used to have periods of aggression but this was some years ago and prior to having Memantine. I agree that those who have seen the person most have a better understanding of their behaviour and are therefor in a better position to know which medication is best.
The only certainty in all our situations is that it is a complex business, not fully understood, so variable in its affect and timing on the individual, some medications suit one person better than another, etc. As one consultant said to us, 'It is a matter of trial and error, wait and see, and try something different if there are adverse side effects'. Our GP also said to us, 'We try our best'.
I have found that activity through the day, and fresh air, and set times for meals, always helped settle Pat better and kept her in tune with day and night times. I appreciate it is not always possible for everyone to be one hand all the time to keep those we care for active. Pat does now tend to have her eyes shut most of the time, and often has patches of sleep through the day; I think this is the brain trying to shut out decision making, and also finding a need for rest having worked overtime trying to make sense of everything that is going on. Sorry for the long post but I hope something I have said may help you to find the right solution for both you and your dad.
 

Dawnee1418

Registered User
Feb 22, 2015
31
0
So many drugs

Thanks everyone I'm just so worried he's kn that many drugs now by adding even more drugs to the mix will make him worse.. Ŵe have to keep an eye on him as he's so sly you can see hai hand go down toward the bin at the side of him & he'll be putting tablets in the bin or pretend to swallow them & take them out & throw them away. I think he would rather not take any medication. The registrar he used to see spoke to dad himself as a person but this consultant was speaking to mum about him & that annoyed dad. He told mum he could have smashed her face in as she only told him the bad points there are no good points to tell. It's a horrible disease that is changing him day by day.
My GP has advised me to ring the local Alzheimers society up for advise as I need to go into hospital for surgery & she wants me to go in sooner rather than later although the surgeons have said I can stay on antibiotics because of my father until I can't cope any longer with an open wound. The consultant at the memory clinic won't even consider referring us. The same Other Dr referred my friends mum & she is no where near as bad as dad so I'm going to ring up myself.
 

sue38

Registered User
Mar 6, 2007
10,849
0
55
Wigan, Lancs
I would speak to your dad's GP - they are usually the best informed on how a drug for one condition will affect another condition. My dad was prescribed Aricept by the Consultant, but the GP said no, due to his arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat). He was then put on Ebixa - I can't say that he improved, and it's difficult to say whether it slowed the progression down as we don't know how he would have been without it.
 

Dawnee1418

Registered User
Feb 22, 2015
31
0
Not started dad on the drug

Sorry for asking again but has anyone that is taking / been on Mamentine got heart Failure & kidney problems to start with ? I've not started dad on the drug yet but that's because I'm waiting on the chemist getting it in & Athens last couple of nights we've had full nights sleep. Apart from him waking to go to the toilet & once to have a wash he's stayed in bed, hoping he's turned a corner. His GP did say as it progressed it would start to settle down on a night with his sleeping tablets . Maybe he's stopped fighting them & accepted after I sat him down & explained I was sorry he had this awful disease & wish he didn't but there was nothing we could do about it we Just had to get on with things
 
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