Questions about taking Donepezil Brand names: Aricept

averyfam

Hi all,

I was diagnosed with ALZ a year ago at 62.

I have had several tests to rule out other possible problems. 2 Neurological Eeg test a year apart same results that show a large decline in my processing score.

My symptoms, of anxiety, mood swings, balance, memory are increasing.

I take mematine for memory and they Suggest I take Donepezil Brand names: Aricept, 

I typically have many side effects from medications.

Please please share your experience if you have or are taking this medication . Has it been helpful?

.thanks so much Barb

marionwilhelm

I have no experience with those meds but will follow your progress eagerly.

allit

Hi,

My wife is 65. She started on donepezil and felt it helped with focus and concentration. But she had a constant headache which went away when she stopped taking it.

They switched her to rivastigmine. She’s had immediate side effects with that, horrible nausea and light sensitivity. Unfortunately we can’t switch to anything else right now because she’s starting Leqembi on Friday. If she wasn’t starting that we would switch to the patch form which may have less side effects. As far as memory issues go, I feel that she is doing better cognitively on that, easier to remember words and focus.

There’s one more drug galantamine that is in the same class. But we haven’t tried that.

And theres a new drug in that class due to come out next year. Zunveyl. It’s a different formulation of galantamine that is supposed to have less side effects.

David1946

I take those meds for almost a year with no side effects

Iris L.

Welcome averyfam. I have been using Exelon patch and taking memantine for many years with no side effects.

Iris

averyfam

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/224317#Comment_224317

Thanks for your help! My doctor is pretty conservative and doesn't recommend very many drugs!

averyfam

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/224350#Comment_224350

When you say many years that must mean you are doing well and things are progressing slowly!

Barb

Iris L.

Barb, my diagnosis is cognitive impairment not otherwise specified. From my Amyvid PET scan I was determined not to have Alzheimer's Disease. Nevertheless, I noticed improvement when I began using Exelon patch and Namenda, so I continue on these meds.

Iris

Watson1

I have been on doneprozol for over a year i find and return visits to the memory clinic have shown it is helping. we won't get miricals but some stability doesn't hurt. had some pretty good nightmares when i first started it but nothing in the scope of the alzheimer journey

David1946

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/224705#Comment_224705

iI have also been on donepozol since my journey began about a year ago and it seems to be helping. I also had some real bad nightmares I would wake up screaming and yelling.

Watson1

my lovely wife doesn't think to highly of the screening ,yelling nightmares

Iris L.

David and Watson, do you think the nightmares might be related to watching scary television shows, such as crime dramas and even the nightly news shows or scary video games? I myself used to have disturbing dreams, and I traced them to television shows. I stopped watching television.

Iris

David1946

IRIS L. My wife said try to stay away from scary t.v. shows. I try to watch mostly comedies.

Iris L.

😄

averyfam

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/224317#Comment_224317

Really afraid of the nightmares and nausea!

Carl46

Barb, my wife has taken memantine and donepezil since 2017. She has experienced no side effects. The meds were prescribed by her pcp when he diagnosed AD, and two neurologists have said this is the best regimen available. If your conservative doctor recommends donepezil, I think you should give it a try. You can always stop it if you have side effects.

David1946

I've been using Donepezil since I was diagnosed and it has helped me tremendously.

makking

@David1946 , how long have you been using Donepezil?

My DH was diagnosed in April this year with EO ALZ APOE 4/4 and has been taking 5mg Namenda (his tolerance) since June, with no real discernible "improvement". We transitioned to a new provider last week, a specialty geri neuro-psych team, who prescribed Aricept 5mg in addition to the Namenda, and the change in the past week has been dramatic - almost unnerving to me that the benefit could be so dramatic so quickly - literally, last week from what seemed to be Stage 4 and losing more function monthly to now functioning as if he was never ill. His energy, personality, wittiness, laughter, joking, and ability to understand innuendo has returned. It doesn't appear to be mania or aggression or hyperactivity. It's literally like my husband is just back with me.

Frankly, I am confused and don't trust it. Does anyone else have input on dramatic improvements such as this, with medication starts? I don't expect that this is a miracle and that it's long-term. It's just a curious and unexpected happening, and I AM grateful for it, even if only temporary.

David1946

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/225272#Comment_225272

Marking, I have been taking Donepezil since I was diagnosed in November 2023 and ot has helped alot my nightmares and seeing ghost's (what my wife calls them my "Guardian Angels" have disappeared

Watson1

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/225272#Comment_225272

i have alz. and have been on donpenizol- aricept it helps a lot. your husband may have hit an especially good day when he started the meds but that's fine. i find stability and that is good at this point. don't focus to much on meds or quick solutions. embrace the day with a little twist of alz. be good care partners and all will be zen

AlzWife2023

Try the patch. My husband is doing very well on it. He could not tolerate the pills.

ronda b

My DH is on ariceptand it seems to have helped him.

LindaOsw

I have Alzheimer’s with MCI and have been on doneprizil since May 2024. I felt nothing until sometime after the third week My thinking seemed suddenly clearer. It was kind is stunning. In trying to figure out what had changed I finally remember my new drug. I looked up information and was amazed to read that I was experiencing a known effect. I think it’s continuing to work for me. I also think it has suppressed my appetite. Among the things I’ve tried to do since my diagnosis is to get my weight in control. I’ve lost 35 pounds. I also realized that I am not very hungry so the weight loss has been easier than in the past. Linda

gsergenian

Thank you all for sharing this information. I am exploring possible treatments for my MCI due to Alzheimer's dementia.

Stan2

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/225272#Comment_225272

Makking,

I was wondering if this improvement in your DH behavior has maintained.

My wife was taking Donepezil and they took her off of that and switched to Memantine. In October they prescribed Donepezil along with the memantine and the change in her has been nowhere short of miraculous. However, at the same time her psychiatrist reduced the dosage of one of her anti depressants , so I am not really sure what to attribute the change to. Too many variables . Anyway she has been doing really well for about 2 1/2 months now.