coming off aricept...

[DGabriel10]

I agree with Martha. If left to mom and dad they would still be at home and driving. They both think they are perfectly ok and it is just the rest of the world that has gone nuts. At some point you have to make the decision if not for their safety then for the safety and sanity of others. No solution is perfect but some are better than others and I actually sleep at night knowing my parents are safely tucked in assisted living rather than at home doing who knows what!! We had some very scary moments before they moved and I am glad they are a thing of the past!

Love, Deb

[Librarygal59]

Please! I'm new. Someone let me know if I should have posted a new thread. I looked for a way and didn't see a button. ANYWAY....My mother is 82 and slipping pretty quick. She's on Namenda and Aricept. Has been on Acpt for about 2 years now. Namend just for about 8 mo. She is covered (especially the calves) with a scaly skin disease that doctors either shrug at, or throw the usual eczema meds at. Has anyone else had parents get a related dermatitis and associate it with either drug? We're at wit's end. Docs don't seem able to figure it out. She went to my allergist. He did a cursory blood test and told us she was allergic to eggs and milk but it was only a 6 out of 10. Any comments? Tks! ~ Librarygal59

[DGabriel10]

The new thread button is at the to and bottom of the front page that list all the threads but here is fine :-) Also welcome to the board Gal.

Both of my parents are on Namenda and Aricept and have had no skin reaction. If you do a google search on Namenda it does state that skin rashes, redness, and peeling are possible side effects. If the rash was not there with the Aricept but appeared after she began taking the Namenda I would suspect the Namenda. I would definitely point out to the GP that skin reactions are a known side effect of Namenda. If you can't get a satisfactory answer out of the GP then you might want to take her to a dermatologist and be sure he knows she is on Namenda, when the rash started and when she started the Namenda.

Hope this helps.

Love, deb

[meg1230]

My mom is also on Namenda and Razadyne..she is having such trouble with "losing" things...she is tormented looking for her things ..she looks constantly...and it eventually comes to her accusing me of stealing her things and treats me with utter contempt...she, at one point, would not speak to me for a year and a half because she thought I took her family pictures..some of which don't even exist. We have moved her from her house to an independent living arrangement 4 months ago..but my question is ..have any of you had to deal with this problem and do you have any suggestions for me.

[DGabriel10]

I am so sorry you are having to deal with this situation and I do have empathy. When a loved one with dementia gets an idea into their head it is just as real to them as any idea you might have. They come up with explinations for what they mind does not understand and obcessions where their mind is stuck. No argument will convince them that they are wrong.

The only incident I have had to deal with similar to this was over a Christmas Table cloth. After mom and Dad moved to AL, instead of having Christmas at Mom and Dad's home we all went to my sister's house. She had Mom's Christmas table cloth for the occassion. My Mom decided that it was stolen and was furious. She carried on about that table cloth for two months. No reasoning could convince her that it was used to make her happy not angry. Eventually she forgot about it and we went on to the next obcession.

There is no hard and fast rule as to what to do. Sometimes you can recreate the missing item, give good explination for where it went (repeated 100 times), or try to ignore the ranting and divert her attention to something else. You have to be tolerant and creative. Be plesant and don't argue. Most of all remember that this is the working of a brain that is damaged and whatever it is that is annoying at the moment will change.

Welcome to the forum and hope to hear from you again. I will keep you and your Mom in my thoughts and prayers.

Love, deb