How Alzheimers Medication works - Page 2

Erik480 · 07-09-2005, 09:04 PM

My father started on Namenda about a week ago. He's now suffering severe diarrhea. We stopped the medication yesterday. I was glad to read your post, MARTHA, as it seems similar to your mother's problem.
He was given it for dementia due to Parkinsons. I am at least glad that this may be due to the drug and not another worse underlying problem.
Thanks Martha for writing!

Erik480 · 07-09-2005, 09:08 PM

My dad was put on Namenda about a week ago. Now he's got severe diarrhea for past 2 days. We took him off the pill. I was glad to read your post MARTHA as this may be similar to your mom's problem. Thanks for posting because I didn't much about diarrhea as a side effect of this drug.

ToBeFreeToRoam · 07-10-2005, 12:22 PM

Hi All,

My dad has parkinsons and alzheimers. When diagnosed more than a year ago, he took Aricept, and it helped for 1 yr. He also takes levadopa/carbidopa for parkinsons. His neurologist and I decided to try the next highest dose of Aricept - but there is great doubt on both our parts - it may not work. So this may be the start of his decline. As you guys know, that can be fast or slow. But at least he had 1 yr, to still function pretty well and to remember some! The only side affects were a little nausea for the first week and a little dizziness. I think the dizziness is a side effect of alzheimers and parkinsons. Who knows?!

Wannabe

Beginning · 07-11-2005, 08:13 AM

My husband couldn't tolerate Aricept due to severe nausea, but has done (ok) with Reminyl. He had some nausea, but gradually adjusted to the medicine. He was diagnosed almost 2-years ago, and has been declining slowly but steadily. We don't know if the medicine works but he'll stay on it in the hope of a benefit -- we're not willing to gamble on learning how severe his decline would have been without the Reminyl, since any decline is not reversible.

He just started Namenda together with the Reminyl three days' ago. The Namenda pack starts off slowly at 5 mg and then increases to 10 mg. He says he's feeling very dizzy and nauseaus in the morning again, but he's willing to give it a chance. I hope to have positive results on the Namenda to report in a few weeks.