Sucess with medication
- Thread starter gillybean
- Start date
Yes, my Dad was prescribed it about nine months ago and showed considerable improvement in "awareness" - there was a lot less confusion, and misidentification of people and time.
Do be aware, though, that the drug only treats the symptoms, not the underlying cause.
All patients are of course different, but we were told that the best we could expect was a temporary slight improvement or slowing down of the decline.
We found that it made little difference to the memory problems, we were warned about this.
Sadly some people don't respond to the drug at all.
Do be aware, though, that the drug only treats the symptoms, not the underlying cause.
All patients are of course different, but we were told that the best we could expect was a temporary slight improvement or slowing down of the decline.
We found that it made little difference to the memory problems, we were warned about this.
Sadly some people don't respond to the drug at all.
Hi
My Dad has taken aricept for approx 2 years.
Before Aricept he was very vague and withdrawn. After approx 6 weeks taking Aricept, we noticed a difference. He was more with it, more socially aware, cracking small jokes ( he was a very witty person pre AD) His memory didn't improve, but he was with us, and still is.
On the other hand, Mother has never been prescribed Aricept. 2 Phyco-geriartrics have said it would not work. Why, I don't know. Maybe heart condition?? She has deteriorated faster than Dad and is much more difficult to deal with (personality maybe.) Maybe Dad has AD and Mum has Vascular Dementia??
Mother-in Law has been diagnosed with mixed Ad and Vascular Dementia and takes galantamine, she is rapidly deteriorating, but not as fast as my Mother.
It is all soo confusing, this disease.
At the present moment I have 3 and they are all different.
Mother- in- Law doesn't live with us.
Alfjess
My Dad has taken aricept for approx 2 years.
Before Aricept he was very vague and withdrawn. After approx 6 weeks taking Aricept, we noticed a difference. He was more with it, more socially aware, cracking small jokes ( he was a very witty person pre AD) His memory didn't improve, but he was with us, and still is.
On the other hand, Mother has never been prescribed Aricept. 2 Phyco-geriartrics have said it would not work. Why, I don't know. Maybe heart condition?? She has deteriorated faster than Dad and is much more difficult to deal with (personality maybe.) Maybe Dad has AD and Mum has Vascular Dementia??
Mother-in Law has been diagnosed with mixed Ad and Vascular Dementia and takes galantamine, she is rapidly deteriorating, but not as fast as my Mother.
It is all soo confusing, this disease.
At the present moment I have 3 and they are all different.
Mother- in- Law doesn't live with us.
Alfjess
Gonna hyjack this thread to 'talk' just to you Alfjess.
To deal with one loved one with any form of AD is monumental.............to deal with "three" I just take my hat off to you.
You have my admiration, and I guess that you "care, with love", anything else that you wan't to add. You make me feel so small. (No, that's not right) I just, sincerly, admire you.
Take care now,
To deal with one loved one with any form of AD is monumental.............to deal with "three" I just take my hat off to you.
You have my admiration, and I guess that you "care, with love", anything else that you wan't to add. You make me feel so small. (No, that's not right) I just, sincerly, admire you.
Take care now,
alfjess said:
Hi Alfjess. I agree with Connie. I don't know how you cope with three members of the family with AD. You are amazing.
Have you got any further with the respite? I guess you need it.
Love,
Hi
Thanks for your concern, but it isn't really as hard as it sounds, I have support from my daughter, husband (who has taken early retirement to support me) and my cousin who helps in the mornings.
My Mother-in -Law has recently moved to stay with my Bother-in Law, so that has eased thihgs somewhat.
Yes I have got respite for my Mum and Dad, but that was only with the support of our local councillor, after having to write letters of complaint and attending his surgery.
Must admit he was very sympathetic, because his wife had cared for her Mum for 14 years and then, I think had a nervous breakdown. So he is now worried more about me than my parents.
At the moment we have a routine and it works, well most of the time!
The point I was trying to make in my last post, is how this terrible illness affects everyone differently.
What works for one, doesn't work for all
Alfjess
Thanks for your concern, but it isn't really as hard as it sounds, I have support from my daughter, husband (who has taken early retirement to support me) and my cousin who helps in the mornings.
My Mother-in -Law has recently moved to stay with my Bother-in Law, so that has eased thihgs somewhat.
Yes I have got respite for my Mum and Dad, but that was only with the support of our local councillor, after having to write letters of complaint and attending his surgery.
Must admit he was very sympathetic, because his wife had cared for her Mum for 14 years and then, I think had a nervous breakdown. So he is now worried more about me than my parents.
At the moment we have a routine and it works, well most of the time!
The point I was trying to make in my last post, is how this terrible illness affects everyone differently.
What works for one, doesn't work for all
Alfjess
alfjess said:
Hi Alfjess
Iknow what you're saying, and I agree. And I know you weren't complaining.
But I don't take back the admiration!
