coming off aricept...

[Beginning]

This was really interesting info for me, especially since I just saw a great but heartbreaking ad for Aricept on TV this morning that said exactly the same thing -- that the drug helps through all of the stages! I do believe that DH is slipping faster without Reminyl (Aricept family) and Namenda, even though he did struggle with stomach problems when taking the drugs.

Before DH went off the drugs, I read a medical journal study from Britain (Birmingham University) that had said Aricept is not very effective after a certain stage. I checked that info at the national research center where he is a patient and they pointed out that the FDA information was based on patients with MMSE scores >10 so that once the scores drop below 10 it is not generally perceived that there are sufficient benefits to warrant continued treatment. Arghhhhhh, what have we learned? We need the medical folks to interpret this stuff! Or, a very good point by Mimphisto, we continue these expensive medications in the hope that they might slow the decline and give our loved ones treasured moments of improved functioning.

[WasFatNoMore]

It would seem that as long as the patient can tolerate the medication that keeping them on the Aricept would be the way to go, even if the affect is minor, any slow down in progression would be a benefit.

Begiining, have you considered insisting they put your husband back on the meds? As long as he can tolerate them of course?

[Beginning]

We've discussed going back on the meds. This may be difficult for some to understand, but my DH has actually wanted the disease to progress as fast as possible to its inevitable conclusion.

He has always said that he would never want any medical treatment that extended life, even when medical treatments worked. This is consistent with the medical directive that he put in place. He had advised all family members and his doctors that this was his belief through the years -- and he had even refused to take medicine for his high cholesteral. DH felt that each person had the right to make their own choices, but that he personally would not ever fight to delay a terminal disease once God had indicated it was his time. He told everyone that he would never want to be a financial or emotional burden, and that the faster a terminal disease progressed the better it was for a family. DH was a supporter of the choice of legal, assisted suicide and even had objected in the past to the fact that an Alzheimer's patient could not by definition qualify as making an "informed consent" under any of the proposed statutes. (Frankly, I suspect in my deepest heart that he had planned to eventually take his own life, but that the disease quicly took away his ability to plan a suicide. I locked his gun cabinet and eventually sold his gun collection, and he never noticed.).

I fought with him to get him to take the drugs for the first few years, when he still was able to function well enough to be somewhat independent since I wanted our kids to have their Dad as long as possible. He reluctantly agreed that as long as he could be independent, he would not be a "burden." At this point, he is no longer able to be alone and we had agreed that this would be the trigger to stop any and all treatments. Since DH had expressed himself so clearly on this issue through the years, I know that he would have hoped for the fastest progession of his disease and the earliest release possible. The trade off is that the harder stages will come more quickly too. Others, of course, may be trying to preserve their loved one's level of functioning as long as possible -- as I did, during the earlier stages.

[plokso]

Hi, I am new here,just looking for some support. I am so sad,my mom was diagnosed about a year ago. She has been going down hill ever since,today being the worse day. Yesterday my dad had to take her to the emergency room for stomach pain. They had her there for about 6 hours,they ran all sorts of tests and blood work. They concluded it was most likely acid reflux.
She has been on namenda,and this week started on aricept. She is more confused than ever, she is scared that I am not going to be ok, she sometimes says she sees things that are not there. I am an only child & no one to talk to. I am falling apart at the seams. My dad is currently taking care of her,but it seems like she is just getting worse, and we will no longer be able to cope. I hope that someone answers me, I need it! I am so depressed, and I cry all the time. Please anyone that can offer support I need it!!
Thank you!

[gdschillins]

plokso,

Being on the aricept and other new meds may help her. You unfortunally have to give it time. It took my mom nearly 3 months to get to an understandable level. She's leveled off for a bit right now but they just completely stopped her aricept. So they are waiting to see where that leads. Once the doctors get your mother situated on all her meds she should be ggoing up (at least for a time) rather than down.
Godspeed,
christi