Update on husband and questions about medicine - Alzheimer's Disease & Dementia Message Board

Lelore · 08-28-2006, 07:31 AM

Hi everyone,

My husband who is 44 has been tentatively diagnosed with AD. I say tentatively because his psych doc thinks this is what he has but wants to get a second opinion from a neurologist. We are waiting for that appointment. My husband has had about every test available and every other cause (that the psych doc is aware of) has been ruled out. He had a PET scan a couple of weeks ago and the results were typical of someone in the early stages of AD. Although early to the doc is different than the early stages that I read about when comparing symptoms.

This is really scary. My husband has been so depressed. We went to Indiana for the weekend and spent time with the kids and my parents at Holiday World. Overall, things went well. My husband was very nervous and scared each morning. Being in a different place really seemed to un-nerve him. We lost him once for about 10 minutes at the water park. That was scary, but everything turned out alright in the end.

My husband is not as yet on the meds for AD. His doc didn't want to start him on them until after the appointment with the neurologist. What has been your experience with these meds? My mother-in-law has told my husband that her doc told her that once he is on these meds he will become almost completely normal again - and that he will be able to go back to work. This is what is depressing my husband more than anything right now. The fact that he can't work and has to be looked after 24-7. Do these meds really have that big of an impact? I don't want to get my hopes up and then not see a big change.

Lelore

georgie04 · 08-28-2006, 10:27 PM

Hi Lelore, sorry I can't answer your questions about the meds, but I just wanted to send you huge cyberhugs. This must be a very shocking and stressful time for you and your family. You seem to be getting very thorough medical help, and that can only help in getting the best medication advice for you husband.

love
Georgie

WannaBeFreeToRoam · 08-28-2006, 11:07 PM

Hi Lelore,

If your husband is diagnosed with alzheimers, there are several new medicine that have come out lately.

My dad is 79 and has alzheimers and parkinsons. He takes Aricept for his alz. He has been on this medicine for about 3 years. I worked at first - meaning that it kept him the same as he was and he did not get any worse. Then after 1 yr. it quit working and I asked his neurologist if we could double it (10 mg. now). He said ok, sort of grudgingly. Well, that worked for about 1 1/2 yrs. Now he is now longer staying the same. He is started to get more alz. symptoms, but we are just keeping him on it, because my dad thinks that the Aricept helps.

Do you research. I know that there are probably about 5 meds, at the very least for alzheimers. So, read up.

As far as I know, there are no meds (yet) that make the AD go away or get better. They just keep the patient about the same.

Good Luck and come back and see some more.

Love, Wannabe