When Does Aricept Stop Being Effective?

Jude

Registered User
Dec 11, 2003
2,287
0
70
Tully, Qld, Australia
Dear All,

Oh dear... My father has been exhibiting some extremely odd behaviour patterns during the last few days and I'm becoming a bit concerned that his medication is not working as it should. I'm going to make an appointment for him tomorrow to see the Doctor, but just wanted to check if anyone else has noticed similar signs?

He is becoming ill tempered and accusing 'people' of stealing his clothes and his shaving kit and other personal things, which he has is now putting down in odd places. He keeps a torch by his bed and had moved this on to the hall table several days' ago. This morning he accused me of stealing it, although he's been walking past it several times a day and previously knew where it was.

He usually is extremely keen to do the washing up, but during the last few days has ignored doing it and complained about 'having' to do this and also feeling 'put upon'.

During mealtimes, he 'remembers' something that he 'has to do' and then shuffles off to the bedroom to turn out his chest of drawers, instead of finishing his meal.

He is also becoming extremely intolerant of my Mother's AD and keeps telling me that she needs to 'be put away'. He has now forgotten entirely that he also has AD and is blaming my Mother for his problems, as well as everone else in sight.

His short term memory seems to be MUCH worse during the past few days - he has no recall of events that happened only hours before. His short term memory has always been very good on a daily basis.

These problems that I mention are not on his usual list of dementia symtoms and, coupled with the very early 'sundowning' attacks are causing me quite a bit of anxiety, since it is also having a flow on effect to my Mother, who is tearing up toilet rolls and going to the loo every 5 minutes. We had almost stopped her from doing this sort of thing.

It's turned into a bit of a circus here during the afternoons. Does anyone have any advice.

Many thanks,


Jude
 

kate34

Registered User
Sep 23, 2003
51
0
aricept and efficacy

My dad stopped responding to his medication about 12-18 months after commencing it, the CPN'S said this is about average.
Its designed only for short term use apparently but you would have to clarify that with the CPN who you deal with, and ask if there is anything else. When my Dad went into the psychiatric hospital he was put on Risperidone [anti psychotic] but am not sure that this works for everyone, might be worth looking into?
They eventually took him off all his medication during his final months as it was doing nothing at all.
regards
kate34
 

Jude

Registered User
Dec 11, 2003
2,287
0
70
Tully, Qld, Australia
Dear Kate,

Many thanks for your prompt information. My father has actually been on Aricept for almost 5 years, so I guess he's done extremely well to maintain a fairly stable level of mental health. He's been on 10mg for the last 2 years now.

Looks like we may have to find an alternative shortly, if possible.

Thanks again,

Jude
 

Norman

Registered User
Oct 9, 2003
4,348
0
Birmingham Hades
Dear Jude
My wife has been on Aricept for about 7 years now and I can see a gradual decline.
She now at times gets quite offensive to me,shut up,drop dead and similar remarks.
She doesn't understand TV at all,has difficulty in telling the time,never reads and complains about being tired,in fact the last few days she has gone off to bed at 8.30.
Her walk is very unsteady,and she says she cannot see for the sun,even when there is no sun
I only have to be upstairs,in the loo or missing for a few minutes and she is looking for me.
Her short term memory is zero.Anything I tell her is forgotten instantly. We now have a cleaner and help from crossroads,she doesn't remember either after they have left.
She doesn't cook,do any sort of work at all.
She cannot remember the grand kids names.
Jude I don't think there is any time span on Aricept,I have tried to show my situation after 7 years,getting worse by the day but in a different way to yours.
It really is day to day isn't Jude

Norman
 

carol

Registered User
Jun 24, 2004
196
0
Surrey/Hampshire
Hello Jude,

My mother in law has been on Aricept 10mg, for approx. 2 years. Recently she saw the consultant who asked her a few questions, not the full mmse questionaire, she thought the month was February, he told her it was a summer month but she again said it was February. He estimated her mmse score to be 12-14, my husband who sat in on the appointment asked the consultant how long she would be able to take Aricept, and he said he had to follow guidelines and stop the Aricept when her score was down to 12. NICE, National Institute for Clinical Excellence states that the drug should only be continued while their mmse score remains above 12 points, and their global, functional and behavioural condition remains at a level where the drug is considered to be having a worthwhile effect. When the mmse score falls below 12 points, patients should not normally be prescribed any of these drugs.

Jude, you say your father has no recall of events some hours before, my mother in law has no recall of events some 5 mins. before. She attended a day centre for the first time last Monday, but had no recollection of being there once she came away, she can look through a pack of photos, and look through them a second time several minutes later and not realise she has already seen them.

Hope this is of some help. Is your father seen regularly by a consultant?

Best wishes,

Carol
 

carol

Registered User
Jun 24, 2004
196
0
Surrey/Hampshire
Hello Norman,

My mother in law seems very similar to your wife, except that I know that she can still tell the time, and she does sometimes read aloud some of the newspaper, I suspect she reads it aloud to try and make more sense of it, but she obviously can't follow the thread of a story because she forgets, same goes for tv programmes. Mother in law cannot cook, clean, iron or do washing, occasionally she will wash up a few things in the kitchen sink and any personal issues are virtually nil. She will put on the same clothes for days on end, regardless of the cleanliness of them.

Have a lovely holiday, hope the sun shines for you both!!

Carol
 

Sheila

Registered User
Oct 23, 2003
2,259
0
West Sussex
Hi all, sorry things are so tough Jude. My mum was similar to your wife Norm, but they wouldn't give her Aricept as she had empysema/COPD too. She was on Risperdal for two and a half years, but it was withdrawn from many patients early this year as it was causing little strokes, - mum was already having TIA's but I thought it was because she had mixed origin, AD & Vascular. You need to talk to the proffessionals Jude. What help do you get, you are carrying a mighty heavy load there right now aren't you?:( Love, She. XX
 

Jude

Registered User
Dec 11, 2003
2,287
0
70
Tully, Qld, Australia
Dear All,

Thanks so much for such rapid responses. I am literally GOING BONKERS this afternoon.

My father has decided that I'm some sort of alien spy from Planet Glich, and has been in my bedroom taking all my clothes and personal stuff out of my cupboards. OK I can put it all back again later on. He just keeps on accusing me of 'stealing' his things. The things are pretty unspecific.

My mother is wandering around whingeing about going to the toilet and moaning 'Where Are You' in this weird voice.

I really feel like taking them both for a ride in the car and ditching them in the woods somewhere.

I'm going outside for a good SCREAM.......!! After that, I shall make them dinner as usual.

Talk soon. It's Mission Ridiculous here....

Jude xxx
 

Sheila

Registered User
Oct 23, 2003
2,259
0
West Sussex
Jude you need a break, soon, have you tried Crossroads, failing that, get on to your GP, I know you are going to see him soon, but get a letter in first stating all these things because if it's any thing like our situation you couldn't say it in front of them or things got even worse. I had this going with our GP, I'd take mum in for whatever, but he would leave my letter on the desk on the skew so I knew he had read it and then he would steer round to my /her problems needs and try to help. He was brilliant, I am sure yours will be too if you say how desperate things are right now, I know that doesn't help tonight, but at least it's a light in the tunnel! Love She. XX
 

Jude

Registered User
Dec 11, 2003
2,287
0
70
Tully, Qld, Australia
Dear Sheila,

I will have a chat to the GP.. BAD DAY...!! Tomorrow will be better. Just realised it's full moon tonight. Maybe that's why we've all gone crackers here.... it takes 3 nights and days of madness to get past it.

Think I'll whip up a few offerings to the Gods this evening and have an early night, if possible.

We seem to be past the worst of things now that they've had dinner and are settled watching the TV. Well, for the moment anyway.

Jude
 

Sheila

Registered User
Oct 23, 2003
2,259
0
West Sussex
Jude, your right about the full moon, mum was always worse then too. But don't discount a UTI,I hadn't given that a thought but it could be. Thing is Jude, your dealing with double trouble and one winds the other up, poor you! Love, She. XX
 

Jude

Registered User
Dec 11, 2003
2,287
0
70
Tully, Qld, Australia
Dear Sheila,

Dad seems much more 'himself' this morning.

I will ring the Consultant Psychiatrist today to find out what he's thinks is the best course of action and whether he feels that Dad is becoming 'immune' to Aricept or not. Our local Doc is very helpful and he understand the problems, so I can have a chat with him before he speaks to Dad. Will definitely check out the UTI side of things too. Perhaps a short course of 'happy pills' will fix things.

Double trouble is dead right. Still, at least they aren't running off in different directions fortunately, or I'd have big dramas.

We had a surprisingly good night. They both must have been exhausted from all the mental strain. Me too... This weekend has been a horror.

Jude
 

Brucie

Registered User
Jan 31, 2004
12,413
0
near London
Hello Jude, sorry to hear of the difficult weekend.

Jan never did gain any benefit from any of the three main medications for Alzheimer's. She also accused me of taking her stuff very frequently. That wasn't so bad, it was when she accused me of taking her memory that things were more painful.

Things go up and down from day to day. Hang on in there!
 

Jude

Registered User
Dec 11, 2003
2,287
0
70
Tully, Qld, Australia
Dear All,

I've been on the phone to the Consultant this morning. He doesn't suspect anything untoward with the Aricept just yet. Tends towards physical stuff, such as constipation or UTI's or the fact that my father feels let down over the weekend. We have an appointment with the new MD on Friday morning, which is the earliest one I could get. Apparently our usual Doctor retired last week - if I'd known that, then I would have got the oldies checked out before this week. Now we have to begin all over again with them getting used to a new face....

Jude
 

Kriss

Registered User
May 20, 2004
513
0
Shropshire
Hi Jude

only just picked up this thread - what a co-incidence that I posted re the full moon yesterday not having seen this before. Spooky or what!

Have things started to settle at all this afternoon? I'm sure the ratio of carers to oldies should be 2 to 1 not the reverse. How the hell do you cope?!

Hope you're feeling a bit stronger today - I know this is your 6 month "stint" but you really should try to give yourself more of a break while you're here.

Perhaps we all need to move to a single County then we could all team up to take turns - just imagine the chaos! Shredded tissues - or in my experience very neatly folded ones, escapes, accusations, the "conversations" - oh boy!

I'm just away to howl at the moon...

Kriss
 

Jude

Registered User
Dec 11, 2003
2,287
0
70
Tully, Qld, Australia
Dear All,

Things are resuming what passes for 'normality' again. Thank God for that...!! Crikey, wot a weekend....

I'm proposing that we should ban all Full Moons; toilet tissues that are pink; Doctors that retire without letting you know; and all care situations where the ratio is less than 14/2. Included in this is also rabbits that eat your petunias for fun, certain CPN's and probably Tiscali for dropping me off the web every five minutes or so without warning.

Apart from THAT lot, things ARE basically returning to the norm. [Sorry Norm, no disrespect intended].

How's things your ends?

Jude xxx
 

Kriss

Registered User
May 20, 2004
513
0
Shropshire
Just what would we do without toilet tissue - no don't answer that!

I just conjured up the picture of "mine" folding away neatl squares and "yours" coming along and shredding them.

By the way, once folded, Aunt insisted on giving me a piece as a pressie! Dad just used to keep his safe.

Kriss
 

Sheila

Registered User
Oct 23, 2003
2,259
0
West Sussex
Mum had many a happy hour rolling tissues into ciggies the size of large joints then putting them in her mouth to light two at a time!! She did this completely on her own, no input from us at all, we had to try really hard to keep straight faces as it was deadly serious business to her. I think it went back to how they rolled their own in the war. It's one of those memories that still make me smile in spite of everything, AD does have a few silver linings and golden moments. Love She. XX
 

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