Hello,My name is Cary and I would like to know if anyone has
had a family member or friend taken off of the drug Aricept?And if so what are the consequeces,good or bad.My mom has had AD for about
3 years and the Hopice nurse and doctor are recommending we take her
off of Aricept! If anyone can give some feed back feel free to!
Thanks Cary52
Last edited by Cary52; 10-30-2008 at 08:46 PM.
Reason: miss spelled words
Welcome to the board Cary. I regret that you needed to be here but glad you found us.
Both of my parents are currently on Aricept along with Namenda. So far there has be no compelling indication to take them off.
If your Mom is under the care of Hospice then she is well advanced in her disease. Aricept, and all other dementia medication, will only slow the progress of the disease and are recommended for early and perhaps mid stages. Once the end stage comes, which is usually when hospicd is called, then the meds are not effective anyway. Not only is it past the effectiveness claims by the drug company, but your Mom is probably not processing the medication anway.
What stage is your Mom? That would be the determining factor in what to do about the Aricept.
Again.... welcome to our little corner of insanity. Grab a glass of wine and stay a while. I will keep you and your Mom in my thoughts and prayers.
Usually if your Mom is in Hospice, she is at the point where Aricept isn't going to be of any help to her. IT is primarily used to help slow down the progression of the disease in the early stages. Your Mom sounds like she is past that early point where it would have been a benefit to her. You probably won't see any difference in her at this point if you take her off of it now.
I am sorry that you have to find us, but you are welcome to join us. I lost my mom to it a year ago, so you have my sympathy...
By the time she is in Hospice care there is no reason for any drugs except those that make her feel comfortable - pain drugs, sleeping pills if needed. Aricept has some slowing down effect if given early enough. It is already beyond that stage.
I know what it is like ... my Mom was in Hospice care for a couple of months before she passed away December 07. They do take wonderrful care of the patient, but we all now that there is no hope by then, so it is also very sad and depressing.
My Mom took Aricept in the beginning...at that time (10 yrs. ago) we were told this was a medicine that should only be taken for 9 months. When that time was up, she was taken off...but we saw absolutely no difference in her.
I meant to mention this about Hospice several months ago. Mom was put into Hospice care 2 years ago...but taken off when she actually gained 1 pound! (about 5 months ago)
In my mind, I think the reason for taking her off of Hospice care was because of my visit just a few days before this news. The showering, etc. duties were given to the Hospice personnel when signed up...instead of the facility caretakers. On that particular visit...Mom was in bad need of a shower and hair wash...smelled badly...and when I mentioned it to the caretaker, she checked and found that nobody had been there to take care of her for 4 days. The caretaker and I immediately cleaned her up...but it was posted in the paperwork I was aware of what had been neglected. A few days later, we were notified that she was being taken off Hospice care.
She has since lost that pound...and several more. Her care is excellent...but I hadn't heard of this happening to others........p
Deb,Thanks for your reply!My mom has been diagnosed for about 3-4 years with this very bad disease.And she she has been living with my wife and me for about a 1 year.
My mom is in the last stages of AD and I was just curious if changing med's at this time is good or bad for her or even us as a family?
Thanks for your return comments.This is a trying time for us all to see the she acts,although we know it's not an act.
Alzheimer's Disease & Aricept 
