Guest guest Posted September 2, 2001 Report Share Posted September 2, 2001 Maybe your husband needs something for anxiety, not taken off his memory enhancer. How long has he been on Aricept?? Jan.1 was his first low dose of Aricept, we started with 2.5mg and worked our way up to 10. Our big problem is that there is Parkinsonism along with theLBD. the tremors the last while were not to be believed. We have an appointment with the internist in a few weeks and I will put the question of anxiety meds to her then. The neurologist did say that we could always return to the Aricept...perhaps if I suggested a lower dose, although nothing I have ever suggested has been tried. thanks Ev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2001 Report Share Posted September 3, 2001 The neurologist did say that we could always return to the Aricept...perhaps if I suggested a lower dose, although nothing I have ever suggested has been tried. thanks Ev It take about 3 months to see the benefits of Aricept, and that is true even if you have been on it and discontinued. It is also true for each dose inrease. You say nothing you ever suggested has been tried? Your neuro knows your husband better than you? Ev, we are all different...and please do whatever works for you, but if I know what I'm talking about and the doctor won't even listen to me, then I would get another doctor. Mai-Liis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2001 Report Share Posted September 3, 2001 but if I know what I'm talking about and the doctor won't even listen to me, then I would get another doctor. me again, but do I know what I am talking about? That is the question..he is one of the top men in movement disorders in the country. Also while it takes some time to feel the effects of Aricept, how come we have found so many physical and mental changes in the past week? I'm afraid I have just about had it.... Ev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2001 Report Share Posted September 3, 2001 me again, but do I know what I am talking about? That is the question..he is one of the top men in movement disorders in the country. Also while it takes some time to feel the effects of Aricept, how come we have found so many physical and mental changes in the past week? I'm afraid I have just about had it.... Ev I see your point! How can you argue with one of the top people in this specialty!? Does he know a lot about LBD? Although almost every LBD patient written about on this board is totally different, I guess Jack and I got lucky in that the drugs we chose (neuro just went along), all came from what I learned here, coupled with research on my own. I even received kudos from the geriatric psychiatrist at Stanford. Anyway, there must be a few 'givens'.....? Mai-Liis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 29, 2001 Report Share Posted October 29, 2001 My husband, , takes one 10mg in the evening. He also takes 25 mg. Seroquel. The combination has held his hallucinations and intense confusion in check for about a year now. I'm noticing an increase in cognitive dysfunction lately, but he is still doing better than before we started the Aricept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 25, 2001 Report Share Posted November 25, 2001 Hi, Ruth. Sorry to see your husband is in a decline. You said physical, but can you be more specific? I wonder if the fact that your husband has improved cognitively already in 3 wks on Aricept might be related to the usual hills and valley's of this disease, as it typically takes about 3 months for it to kick in. When we doubled my husband's last winter he improved after the expected 3 month wait, did well for some weeks, then took a terrible nosedive that lasted for several months. After that he rebounded for another few months, which was wonderful, but is on a gradual decline again. Rollercoastering, as I call it. My husband also takes Sinemet, which has also worked quite well for him. He has a lot of Parkinsonism, which has been well controlled with one exception: it has lost its usefulness for helping him hold his head up. He now wears a brace for that and gets massage therapy. But his gait remains quite acceptable. Without the Sinemet I think he would be shuffling pretty badly by now. I hope your trip to Emory will be helpful right away. Please keep us posted on developments. This is SUCH a frustrating disease!! Cheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 25, 2001 Report Share Posted November 25, 2001 My husband has been on aricept a little over 3 weeks. The main difference i see (cognitively) is he can finally remember which channel Waltons comes on (his favorite show). Physically, however, he has really gone downhill . Maybe it's just a coincidence but I can't help but wonder if aricept plays a part in the decline. He has an appointment soon at Emory but i wondered if there is any input from some who've had the same experience. Ruth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 26, 2001 Report Share Posted November 26, 2001 coincidence but I can't help but wonder if aricept plays a part in the decline Unfortunately our experiences with medications vary widely, this is the nature of the disease. I have mentioned before, that Aricept seemed to halt the decline of cognitive awareness, for a long while, four months at least. Then the Parkinson aspects worsened so that we had to make a choice, Sinemet caused worsening mental problems and did not help anything. For 2 weeks after stopping the Aricept things were great, no freezing, drooling, hallucinations, tremors, and then they all came back. Our 2nd trial with Aricept made no change. Suggest you keep up with the Aricept, the physical changes may have nothing to do with the medication, as it takes a while to kick in. Keep a diary of what you observe and bring it to your doctor's appointment..maybe he will have a suggestion. Re Exalon, 2nd generation drug, have been told it is not as easily tolerated as Aricept. Good luck Ev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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