Medications

Mary Adams

Has anyone added a second medication like memantine for memory and thought it has promoted a decline in memory and confusion?
I have considered stopping it for my husband but don't know if it's the med or just the quick progression of the disease.

Goodlife2025

Sorry for the changes you are seeing hopefully others may have some experience in this.

countrywife

DH’s first neurologist prescribed donepezil and memantine. Changed Dr who said he didn’t think the memantine was all that helpful and left it up to DH (and of course his family) as to whether or not to discontinue that Rx. Much easier for my DH to remember to take the single dose of donepezil first thing in the morning so that’s the route he took. This means I’m not regularly reminding him to take the evening meds which I think makes him feel better about life with greater independence. Pharmacist said donepezil in the AM was fine if DH tolerates it. I haven’t noticed much change in memory over the past couple of months without the memantine.

Snipe

My DW takes memantine AM and PM plus the donepezil in the evening also. She has no side effects with them. I don’t know if either really help all that much at this point but, the thought is she tolerates them fine so we don’t change it for now.

charley0419

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/269878#Comment_269878

my wife on same and seems ok

bjtm1969

My DH is on same regimen for 2.5 years as Snipe and Charley 0419's wives with no side effects. Since there is no way of knowing whether they actually help, we will continue for now. Good luck trying to figure out the best drugs for this stage in the journey.

Chance Rider

My husband also takes Donezepil and Memantine, both are 10 mg twice daily. Since he has no adverse side effects we’ll continue, plus we’d probably have to stop one or both to see if we notice a difference.

Abby627

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/269883#Comment_269883

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/269878#Comment_269878

My husband takes them the same way. I don’t know if either of them help him, but he has no side effects.