Question 1

aftr being off aricept (donepezil) for 6mths, how would we know if he should be back on a dementia med?

Accepted Answer

Get him back on it..: Unless he didn't tolerate it well.  If he has been diagnosed with dementia, Aricept can preserve his independent functioning for a longer time than not being on aricept.  It won't help him regain what he's lost, and it won't extend his life.  Namenda (memantine) can also help, but these drugs are not without side effects.  Talk to his doctor.

Question 2

please describe the medication: aricept (donepezil)?

Accepted Answer

For dementia: Aricept or donepezil  is a cholinesterase inhibitor. It increases the amount of acetylcholine that your brains sees. This can improve concentration in those who do not have enough. It can help slow functional decline in those wih early alzheimer's, lewy body and vascular dementias. Later in the illness, this medicine can decrease anxiety, agitation and aggression.

Question 3

side effects of aricept-bad dreams?

Accepted Answer

Yes: These can be fairly common with aricept (donepezil).

Question 4

can pregnant women take aricept (donepezil)?

Accepted Answer

NO!: Aricept (donepezil) is a class C drug, meaning it has not been studied in human pregnant women because of the danger, but in animal studies it has demonstrated damage to the fetus, birth defects, and problematic issues.  I would definitely discuss this with the doctor who prescribed it and look at risks/benefits.

Question 5

how long is aricept (donepezil) effective for the alzheimers?

Accepted Answer

It varies: It could be early as three weeks from the beginning of the medication to make the medication effectively. Remember, it simply slows down the progression, not cure. I would stop the medication when the person is becoming more chair bounded or bed bounded or no longer accepting to feed. Remember Aricept (donepezil) deal with three main components - behavioral, functional and cognitive.

Question 6

does aricept (donepezil) cause nightmares in elderly patients?

Accepted Answer

Yes it can: The official  description is "dream disturbances.

Question 7

what are the side effects of stopping aricept and namenda (memantine)?

Accepted Answer

Worsening: Back to a baseline, significantly lower level of functioning is the most common phenomenon, which is seen by family/staff as a sudden worsening of the dementia (depending on the stage), it may consist of forgetting names, inability to execute simple tasks, not recognizing people/places, incontinence, etc.

Question 8

how effective is donepezil (aricept) for treating alzheimer's disease?

Accepted Answer

Somewhat: It can help slow down the symptoms of dementia but it does not cure it.

Question 9

what are the side effects from taking aricept (donepezil) if you donot have dementia?

Accepted Answer

GI side effects: Aricept's main side effect is loss of appetite, nausea and resultant weight loss though it is less than other drugs in its class like exelon (rivastigmine).  Actually significant number of patients loose weight with Exelon (rivastigmine) and at one time i suspected it might be a good drug to help with weight loss in normal people.

Question 10

how does aricept (donepezil) work?

Accepted Answer

Chemical: Aricept (donepezil) binds to and inactivates acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine, which is an important brain chemical.

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A member asked:

Aftr being off aricept (donepezil) for 6mths, how would we know if he should be back on a dementia med?

A member asked:

Please describe the medication: aricept (donepezil)?

A member asked:

Side effects of aricept-bad dreams?

A member asked:

Can pregnant women take aricept (donepezil)?

A member asked:

How long is aricept (donepezil) effective for the alzheimers?

A member asked:

Does aricept (donepezil) cause nightmares in elderly patients?

A member asked:

What are the side effects of stopping aricept and namenda (memantine)?

A member asked:

How effective is donepezil (aricept) for treating alzheimer's disease?

A member asked:

What are the side effects from taking aricept (donepezil) if you donot have dementia?

A member asked:

How does aricept (donepezil) work?

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