Long Term Namenda Use Question

Joe C.

DW has been on Namenda (memantine) for 3 years, personally I never noticed any improvement when she started taking the medication. From what I have read the medication is only effective for about 1 year. I am contemplating asking her neurologist to remove this from her medication regiment. I wanted to ask if others have had experience with making this change and what was your experience once your LO was off the medication?

Laurention

My late DW  (EOAD).. was on Namenda and Aricept for over 8 years ...She was in mid -late stage 7 when it was decided that it was no longer necessary.

Did it work ??  Who knows ?  I do know ..EOAD moves at a more rapid pace. DW lived 9 years, 6 weeks from diagnosis . She lived her  last 3 years 11, months in an LTC facility. The LTC people kept her on both meds for at least 2 + years after admision.

I know its not much help , I but that's how it was  for us .

  Mike 

AlyJo

My DH is on Namzaric. [ (memantine HCl & donepezil HCl) extended-release capsules for moderate Alzheimer's Disease] He has been on this for 5 years.  I never saw an improvement but the doctor says he should keep taking it. ' It could help'...... I do know that it costs about 4 to 500 a month.  With insurance and Good Rx I am working out the cost but is it really helping?????  He also takes Armodafinil [Nuvigil] to help him stay awake.  He still sleeps a lot (10-12 hrs at night and a couple of naps during the day).  Bluntly speaking, I have a more awake confused person and I don't know if that is good or not.  At what point do you say NO?

nancyj194

My DH refused to take any thing for dementia. He is on seven other drugs to keep him alive, so I didn't press the issue with his neurologist.  Before covid and DH fixing and tearing things apart, the in person support group I went to monthly was both positive and negative concerning the Alzheimer's drugs their LOs were on. I do remember several saying they could see no difference.  

Should you continue to give your LO the medication AlyJo? It's really all up to you and no matter what choice you make, it is the right one. 

Marie58

Joe, I've had the same thought more than once. DH has taken generic Nemenda and Aricept for almost 5 years now. There's no way to know if it helps or not. I've spoken with his neurologist about it several times. He says it's up to me, but if it doesn't have neg side effects and isn't too costly, why not continue in case it helps. DH is stage 6/7 and in MC. I was told not many residents take it once they're in MC. I didn't really answer your question but I'm curious what others say as well.

Joe C.

I would like to thank everyone for their input. If I decide to make this change I will give an update on how it went.

Jeff86

My DW has been on Namzaric for several years.  It’s impossible to know if it has been beneficial—can’t know the counter- factual, if she would have progressed faster had she not been taking it—but I have certainly wondered whether it’s worth continuing.

I asked DW’s neurologist about dropping the medication.  She was not in favor, as her clinical experience is that some patients experience a cognitive decline when the medicine is withdrawn.  So we’ve continued, as there is no noticeable negative side effects from it.