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After having been on them for 6-8 yrs.

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No single medication is good or bad for everyone. Political theories aside, the FDA does not approve meds that haven't demonstrated a significant benefit when compared with placebo. Donepezil (Aricept) is known to have the potential for a number of adverse gastro-intestinal side-effects including both diarrhea and constipation (everyone is different), dizziness, etc. Namenda doesn't seem to have as many. My wife could only tolerate 5mg of Donepezil daily but also takes Namenda 10mg twice daily. Patients of mine have varied widely in their responses. When started on the meds 6 years ago, my wife's improvement was remarkable. That being said, all experts agree that the choline esterase inhibitors only slow the progression of Alzheimer's for 3 years more or less. Still, in a conversation with Dennis Selkoe, MD (his team at Harvard discovered the Amyloid Beta plaques) and Reisa Sperling,MD, the lead researcher in the A4 study, they encouraged me to continue the medications until my wife stopped recognizing people. There is some notion that withdrawing the meds removes what little support there is and that the deterioration will progress even faster. The reason for not restarting the medications in advanced patients is that it isn't likely that lost ground can be regained. In early treatment situations, the meds can be restarted if the gap hasn't been excessive.
I hope these comments have answered some of your questions.
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You can't help but wonder if these expensive medicines really help or just make the drug companies richer. My mom was never given any tests to see if it is doing any good. Test feedback should be required!
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My mother was on Aricept for YEARS. I can't say whether it slowed anything down or not but I can say that when we stopped the med 4 months ago, there was no appreciable difference in her thinking or behavior. At one time, she was on Zoloft for anxiety/depression but it obliterated her appetite & caused her to have such horrible diarrhea that she was messing in her pants. The only side effect that we saw from the Aricept was occasional cramping in Mom's hands where her thumbs would draw across the middle of her palms. None of her docs had ever seen that side effect from Aricept before & were doubting it was due to the med but she hasn't had that happen even once since stopping it so I'd say it's quite obvious it *was* the Aricept. Mom's biggest issues are anxiety & obsessions so we do have her on Seroquel at bedtime. The 50mg dose was helping until recently when we had to boost it to 100mg.
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Not sure about Aricept, however with "NUMB"enda my mom was back to her old self and conversing. She had wallowed into a shell and we were only into it for 5 weeks. She had also lost most of her control with urinating, which also increased. She usually only needs moderate usage pads and we had to graduate to diapers. We are back to pads now that she is off "NUMB"enda. Hope this helps.
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Thank you for your responses. Initially my mother has seemed more alert and engaged. So the reference to "numb" was our experience on meds. However, still hard to say as she has had a number of difficult days too. My sister seems concerned that she is off it. She has her a few days a month and it is more difficult for her as she is not as adjusted to Mother's daily moods which are good and bad without any obvious reason, I have tried to reassure her that it is just a day to day, never know what you're gonna get sort of thing. Mother has been on these meds for five or six years and one of her complaints is that she thinks she does not need meds and does not want to take them. So if they are of no use, I see no reason to buy nor take them. Thanks everyone
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You may or may not see any changes. Once off you can't go back and resume.
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all positive for me and a friends mom who was on both as well...MUCH better off more alert, aware etc....I think the drug companies just push the doctors to write scripts I have not heard one positive result from anyone taking these meds....or seen any concrete proof they make a difference!
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mom was on for approx 2 years Namenda and Aricept saw a steep decline when on....talked to my friend who's mom was on this also she was a supervising RN for 30 years and said she took her mom off after 2 weeks because she declined so rapidly...both were much better off the meds.....I would talk to her Neurologist and see sometimes a mild anti depressant works better depending on reason for rx's my mom is on a low dose of Wellbutrin now and doing great and not lethargic any longer.
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My mother was on Aracept only. When I took over her meds she was then getting it regularly and I was able to observe that a half hour after taking it she would get snotty and snippy- Or nauseous. I brought up stopping it to her Dr. and we went for it. No changes in her memory test, and no more snippy attitude. Every patient is different.
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The doctor that my Mom goes to said to take Aricept in the evening to avoid possible side-effects. She has improved albeit a little. I will take anything I can get right now. Mom's mood has been the same. However when she started Namenda in June this is what was the cause of her issues. She is now off it and back to "normal".
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