Aricept and its effects

[Mitzi]

Has anyone here been on Aricept? It has been prescribed to me and I have to admit I'm afraid to take it. I have not done extensive research at all but the little I've read scared the hell out of me. Yet I know you have to take what you read on the net with a grain of salt. I also use other substances, benzos, pain pills, uppers. At any rate, was simply hoping someone could give me some insight on whether the side effects are really bad or maybe even nothing at all, or barely anything at all. Thank you.

[Sudie Nymm]

I've never used it, but from what I have read, it has adverse affects if you take with any over the counter pain relievers...such as aspirin...etc...Personally I would be wary of taking it with a combo, of uppers, benzo's etc. being as it is also used, besides the helping to ward off the dementia, thing....it is also used for more cognitive brain behaviors...They have used it in cases of ADD...so I am not sure if it is a cross between Strattera, and Wellbutron....or any of what I call, the scary SRRI's group....when it was prescribed, is or was your Doctor aware of the other medications you take? I only ask because smart pills, with say, a combo of rits.....not so much of a good idea. and benzo's with that also, seems..in the sense where one substance can impair the cognitive part of the brain function...seems kind of counter productive...mind you this is not a criticism...just an a observation. Where is Dr. Who?...The man knows everything there is to know about medications...that's the dude you want to ask...I am sure he will help you with some real answers..( he's a good man with a wonderful heart and incredible knowledge).I just want to make sure that all is well, and that nothing bad happens.....Because @Mitzi ...we do care about you.

[Mitzi]

Oh thank you so much for your kind and informative reply, Sudie. I did not get an email that there was a reply so I'd best check my settings. Anyway, no, the doctor who prescribed it does not know about my other usage and, although I know definitely that I've got either a memory or ADD problem (I sure can't figure out which), I'm sure, in all honesty, that the drugs I'm taking now are certainly not helping in any way. I've messed myself up pretty well, I have to admit.

I've seen a few of Dr. Who's posts and I thought he was brill!

I will let you all know if I do end up trying it and what the effect(s) are. At this point I'm not actually planning on it, though for all I know, it could be a big help. The doctor who prescribed it is also sending me to a psychiatrist for an evaluation for adult ADD (always thought that was sort of a childhood thing), but the appointment is not until late March. Not wild about seeing a psychiatrist, either. Anyway, thanks so much. I feel very appreciative of your insights!

[Madmanmax]

I was prescribed Aricept and took it for about a year before I stopped using it. I must say that it definitely improved my memory loss. While taking it, I could remember everything that I did or read. But, one of the side effects was I was unable to sleep while using it. My doctor had me try taking it before bed, and when I'd wake up in the morning. Neither time seemed to make a possitve change in my sleeping. Then, they prescribed three different sleep meds, all of them were useless. I was on the highest dose of Ambien CR allowed. But, after having sleepwalking episodes I took myself off of all. So, yes, Aricept definitely fine tuned my abilities to retain memories. I'd still be taking it if it wasn't for the fact that I was getting about 4 hours of sleep a night while using it.

[Mitzi]

Wow, I never saw your post, Madmanmax. I surely would have responded and I appreciate hearing your experience with it. At this point, I have been on it and am now off of it, but found that my fears were unwarranted. I also did have side effects and one of them included barely sleeping, but I was also on Adderall and Prozac and perhaps a few other things at the same time. Because of that it's hard to say if it was the sleeplessness culprit, but I feel instinctively that it definitely contributed. The bad side effect I had in the beginning was stomach upset really bad, vomiting, etc. But then they put me on Zofran and as long as I took that, I was okay. I was actually sort of upset when I was taken off of it. I have been on Namenda too and did not object to that. Right now, I am off of everything except Celexa while they try to figure out if it's total ADD or some form of dementia going on, or a mix. I'm going to some memory disorders clinic that's supposed to be really good at those type evaluations. Hopefully that will just be a one-time thing. As for the psychiatrist I've been seeing, he does seem helpful. I am to see him next week and he may place me on something similar to Adderall, but I really have no idea what the plan is there. I've had a really bad time lately and I'm scared as heck. I'm totally back into some pretty bad drug habiting, too. Well, it's all up to me, isn't it. Anyway, thanks for your reply. It's a shame you had to go off of it. Sounds like it was super helpful for you.

[Mitzi]

This thread is so old, I don't know if it's proper to update here or make a new one. Anyway, my life has been going along very strangely for a long, long time now. I've been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and major depression, and I'll diagnose myself with incredible mood swings and inability to do regular tasks for so long I cannot even remember. Having always been an organized and focused person, this was upsetting to me beyond belief. I have put my husband through some very not so nice times just being crazy. My memory has seemed pretty destroyed. I used to exercise and eat well but for the longest I've been existing on popsickles and junk only, having had 360 degree turnabouts in my tastes. Can't stand the thought of meat or most of the things I used to eat. Anyway, let me not go on too long. I am now going in soon for a second opinion on whether I have multiple sclerosis. Better that than ALS, which can come after FTD, but doesn't always. I am having crazy pains in my legs and feet and a numb thumb for weeks, but here's the thing I really want to say...I am currently still taking Aricept (no longer need nausea medication with it, used to it I guess and it's fine), Prozac, and Adderall. I'm also prescribed Clonazepam but don't take it that much. I sometimes use Ritalin and sometimes use pain killers. But I recently have taken Ketamine in very, very low dosages IM and I did not expect this, but I feel like my old self. I feel like I can tackle tasks, I don't feel depressed, I feel like ME! I have been eating better (not perfect) the last few days and have gotten my ambition to get back to exercising. It doesn't matter if I'm any good at anything anymore, I'm not, but I know I've got to move. I am also prescribed Lyrica but read that it makes you gain weight, so I will not take it as I've already gained too much weight and I cannot stand that. Anyway, I just wanted you all to know how much better I am feeling. And how happy I am to be a part of this forum. You folks are wonderful. I thank each and every one of you.

If any of this is inappropriate, please feel free to delete. I'm feeling like my old self but my comprehension still leaves a terribly lot to desire. Yesterday while being part of a racquet demo tennis event, man oh man I could not get it! Rotate, do this, do that next time, so on. But that's okay. I didn't freak out over it. I can't freak out over it. I am doing a lot better. Hope each of you are well. Again, thank you for this forum.

[Mitzi]

On the subject of Ketamine...I realize this post is very old but I feel compelled to come back and say that now, I don't think so much of that substance. It seems to be OK (don't literally freak out) if I am alone, but I did end up in the ER last year after taking it at home while my husband was here. What happened was that it was late, I believe he was asleep or upstairs anyway but my memory isn't the greatest, and anyway, when I tried to go up the steps to the bedroom, I could not move my foot or leg to even the first step. And apparently,I started screaming my you know what off and at some point my hubby came to help me, but that made me just scream more. I could not open my eyes, either, or wouldn't, or was afraid to. He ended up calling 911 and the fire department came. As I said I went to the ER, where they diagnosed a panic attack (yeah right), and that whole bit was worthless and the bill was astronomical.

I still do it on occasion, always alone. It does have a sort of eerie pull on me. It does give me one strange experience, which is luckily short-lived. Let's say I like it and I don't like it. How that makes sense, you got me. I wish I knew how to use it in another way besides IM injection, but I get it in liquid form and I wouldn't know what to do otherwise.

I posted this as a precaution for other folks and to eradicate the impression I gave in my previous post, that it was so wonderful. I no longer think so.

[Crypto]

While this subject is old the topic is still relevant. My father-in-law was on it and it seemed to help for about six months then they had to add or switch to a stronger med (can't recall the name...no pun intended). My sort of friend who I was getting ready to break all ties with turns out to very likely have early onset Alzheimer's or some form of memory loss and/or dementia and now I just feel bad for him and a little guilty but I didn't understand. I called him Jekyll and Hyde because he changed from happy to angry so frequently in one day. I attributed it to alcohol consumption but realized the day before his doctor's appt. to get his MRI results on a brain scan that he actually forgot an entire conversation we had earlier in the day during which I got rather upset with him for his lack of patience and disinterest in what I had to say even though I would politely listen to the details of his job because I knew he needed someone to listen. He had to reference his phone log to even know we had talked and he was not drunk.

He has epilepsy and has been on Dilantin since he was 13. He is now 59. When I feel up to it I will do some research on Dilantin to see if it causes memory loss or actual dementia. He didn't ask the doctor and the test results were inconclusive.

I feel for anyone suffering any kind of dementia. I feel grateful for what health I do have and to just have the kind of memory loss where I need Google to reference actors names and I can use post it notes and my phone's calendar for things I need to remember.

[endicott1]

My mother has recently been diagnosed with dementia--not early stage. I knew without a doubt she had dementia two years ago, because I spent four months with her at the start of the pandemic, and really--there was no question. For some reason, neuropsych testing indicated mild cognitive impairment, which drove me crazy.

I did manage to get my mother to have an appointment with a respected neurologist (I sat in on the Zoom meeting with her, because she was unable to make make much sense of things or communicate clearly). He wanted her to take Aricept. My mother was insulted and has refused to take it. When I spoke to the neurologist a few weeks later, he told me not to push on the Aricept. His take was that it seems rarely to help, anyway. That was obviously disappointing (and surprising) to hear. I know a few other people who have thought Aricept helped a family member to some extent for some period of time, but it's just very hard to tell. More recently, as my mother's cognitive decline has been EXTREMELY rapid, I revisited the question with her psychiatrist, too (I have blanket permission to speak to all her doctors alone at this point). He reiterated what the neurologist said a year and a half ago--don't bother. So it's a battle we haven't fought. Then there's that new controversial med, which is also not a option. Very difficult to not have any treatment. I so wish there were some way for science to make some real progress on this. I assume it's not for lack of trying.

[endicott1]

This is an offshoot to my previous post: My mother's doctors have suggested that her dementia may have been set in motion (assuming a preexisting vulnerability to it), because she had been taking Xanax, which is not indicated for the elderly. In her case, her earlier psychiatrist prescribed it when she was about 75, and even though the dose was small based on standards for a non-elderly patient, it was clearly not so for her. She lost 50 pounds, became totally focused on when her next pill was coming, and became seriously addicted and had to go inpatient to detox. I do know from elsewhere that too much benzo can make you basically lose cognitive functionality, and I happen to think the doctor's conjecture is sound.

[lella]

Yes benzos increase risk of dementia in elderly. Lots of medications become more harmful as we get older. NSAIDs should be avoided for kidney health. Anything with anticholinergic properties can trigger delirium and contribute to cognitive decline ( gravol, benadryl, ***butynin) likely the same pathways that Aricept improves by increasing acetylcholine.

[chillax]

It’s a shame some people get this. I knew a man from when he was 89-92, before he quickly died, and he took 15 mg of Restoril, as I did at the time, nightly. He told me he tried to quit and felt just terrible, and I told him that at his age, it probably would be best to just stay on it. He was a very pleasant person, wore his hearing aids, sometimes glasses, sometimes used a cane, and was sharp as could be expected. He was able to play cards regularly, drive even after dark to and from the gym and he did volunteer work at a nearby hospital. My husband is 86, rapidly declining, sometimes still volatile unpredictable mood swings and other times, easily confused and a blank face and a shuffling gait. His doctor won’t do cognitive tests. These people are hell to live with, and were it not for the horrible job and housing market and hyperinflation, I’d cut loose.I think a better treatment or a cure won’t be found because it would kill an entire industry based around it all. Adult daycare, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, paid caregivers and the agencies that employ them, etc. No money in the cure.