weight loss since starting aricept

DrinaJGB

DH was prescribed Aricept in November after results of memory tests had shown declines. Since then he has lost close to 10 pounds, but his appetite has not waned. He has not experienced any nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.

  He eats 3 good meals a day and has several snacks such as bananas with yogurt, honey and walnuts; graham crackers with peanut butter and honey, peanuts or almonds, crackers with humus, etc. On weekends I typically have oatmeal cookies with raisins or bake a fruit cobbler which he has with ice cream. He will frequently have a bowl of ice cream at night after dinner.

I had contacted his doctor several weeks ago regarding an increase in incontinence issues at night and some insomnia. He reduced the dosage by half to only 5 mg. He is due to go back to see the doctor next week (neurology).

Is this something any of you have experienced with this medication and your LO's? This rapid weight loss worries me as he cannot afford to lose any weight at all.

  Thanks.

dj

Stuck in the middle

My wife has been on that med for five years and hasn't lost weight.

Is your husband less active than before?  A person who reduces his/her exercise will lose muscle mass.

Pat6177

My DH has been on the generic of Aricept since 11/2020 and hasn’t had any weight loss.

DrinaJGB

SITM- No, my DH still walks with me and the dogs once and sometimes twice daily in the neighborhood, exercises, etc. Basically nothing has changed except the weight loss. I did read that this is a common side effect of aricept and dementia patients in general, however, so I will ask his neurologist next week about it.

dayn2nite2

My mother was overweight and never lost an ounce on it for the 2 years she took it.  This time around we're not doing Aricept because I personally don't believe it does a thing as far as preserving function or stabilizing the disease.

Pat6177

Drina, I was just on drugs.com looking at the side effects of Aricept and they did list weight loss as a “Less Common” side effect.

ButterflyWings

Hi Drina, 

Yes, DH had rapid weight loss from Aricept - 20 lbs in a couple of months so his doc stopped it post haste. He did not have any weight to lose, being lean already. For us, it was a no brainer. Not worth it since there isn’t even a guarantee of cognitive benefits. 

There were no gastric effects at all when he was on it...he just suddenly had zero appetite - ever. Just not hungry at all, and might only eat 2 bites of a meal, then could not get anything else down. His neuropsych said not everyone is a candidate for every med. He gained the weight back within a short time of stopping the Aricept.

DrinaJGB

Thanks everyone

 . I am taking DH to his neurologist next week to discuss this and possibly get him off the Aricept. He also is very lean normally and he cannot afford any weight loss at all. Frankly I have not noticed any improvement on the Aricept as far as cognitive improvement either.