Has anyone tried Lorazepam for anti anxiety med with donepezil

Bailey's Mom

HWD is becoming increasingly agitated, angry and just plain mean. I messaged his PCP and she recommended Lorazepam…he is taking donepezil at the moment. I am a little frightened by the side effects especially dizziness since he is moving so slowly and is a bit unsteady already. Have any of you tried this med?

I've gotten to the point that I can hardly maintain my composure through a 3 or 4 hr lecture that builds on itself to end with name calling & basically blaming me for all of the ills of the world. Of course, when it is over he forgets about it until the next one starts…ugh. Maybe I should take meds instead, so that I just don't care…

brupt30

My DH just started Donezepil a few months ago. He also takes Duloxetane, which has substantially helped his anxiety and pain management (severe arthritis). He takes Lorazepam usually once per day at bedtime which also seems to calm him down and does not seem to have any ill effects from the combination, although I don't know if that would be the case if he took the "every 8 hours" dose of Lorazepam as prescribed…

Bailey's Mom

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/234767#Comment_234767

Brupt, thanks for your comment. I have done some research on Lorazepam and decided that the risks are too high…he already has headaches, dizziness, unsteadiness, bad memory problems, etc…think I'll contact his PCP and ask about Setraline instead. He isn't in any pain and is healthy (no high blood pressure, diabetes, heart/kidney/liver problems). I hate to start him on something that could cause falls, increased cognitive problems, etc.

midge333

Citalopram is an antidepressant that has been shown to reduce agitation in dementia patients.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1829989

However, it sounds like your DH may need treatment with an antipsychotic like Seroquel. If he threatens you physically, you should have a low threshold to call 911 and have him transported to ER for inpatient psych admission. Also, have a plan to lock yourself in a room or exit the house to stay safe. Be sure to have access to your phone and car keys.

Bailey's Mom

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/234769#Comment_234769

Thanks for the advice, midge. I did research citalopram…pretty similar to setraline, which both seem to be a better choice than lorazepam. His behavior has been like this for years, but is becoming more elevated lately. Good advice to be ready to exit the house at any time…will have to figure out a way to put that in place. I don't worry so much about myself, but would be concerned about my little dog if he spins out of control. Not there yet, but can see it as a possibility.

Sandi Roe

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/71855/has-anyone-tried-lorazepam-for-anti-anxiety-med-with-donepezil

lol, sounds like us🥴once when my LO was so angry and agitated I gave him one of MY Xanax that really helped him. We have a doctors appointment next week and I will ask for something to help when he has bad mood swings. We do what it takes to survive 🥹Really wasn’t on my bucket list, oh well oh well oh well 🤷‍♀️