Results from Aircept

cathyheissler

Have any of your parents been on Aircrpt? Did it help? Hurt? Side Effects?

SDianeL

Welcome. While you're waiting for responses to your post, you can search all the older posts using the search feature on this page. Search for both Aricept and Donepezil.

Aricept is  a brand name for the prescription drug donepezil, which is used to treat dementia in people with Alzheimer's disease. Look for the search thingy at the top right of the page.

While it does not cure the disease, it may or may not slow the progression by a few months. it can help manage symptoms such as memory loss and confusion. The benefits can vary, and it may take several weeks for improvements to be noticed.

Common side effects of Aricept can include: 

• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Muscle cramps
• Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
• Feeling tired 

D2swife

My husband has been using it for at least 8 months, but I have not noticed any improvement. I have noticed he is getting worse.

ARIL

Yes, my LOWD has been on Aricept for a while now. Is it helping? It’s hard to know whether the decline would have been even faster without it. It does not seem to be hurting, and there have been no observable side effects.

PlentyQuiet

DH was on aricept for about a year. In that time he went from MCI to stage 5. So it didn't seem to slow anything down much. It also gave him a very low heart rate which landed us in the ER when it was summer and he was a bit dehydrated.

Overall it did not seem to help and the low heart rate was a problem so we stopped.

persevere

My DW was diagnosed by Mayo in 2019. She was on aricept for about 2 years or so before I took her off. The side effects were too much for her. Fainting/vasevagle syncope episodes most prominently. Diarrhea, clamminess, etc. There was noticeable decline in her neurological condition once I took her off but her physical health improved significantly. It was worth the trade to me. One too many ER visits. But, I’ve not spoken to others who experienced this. You should try it first.

SoCo Kirsten

Dad was on it briefly, like 2 weeks maybe. (Early to mid dementia.) The GI problems were too much for him. Neuro switched him to rivastigamine and I think it's helping. Early side effects were runny eyes and nose, one episode of urinary incontinence. Doctor said that's normal bc acetycholine controls our excretory, salicary (I think), and eyes and nose watering systems.