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Introduction to Medications for Alzheimer's Symptom Management Jun 8 8:48am | By Nick Rethemeier (@nrethemeier)Comment receiving replies
@dlssell My husband has been on Memantine 10 mg twice daily for several years now. He has had to live with hallucinations, fear and agitation ever since. I just
recently read Memantine can cause both. I wonder why the doctor hadn’t told me that? He
put him on an antipsychotic to try to help, but it hasn’t. I am wondering if he should come off the Memantine? He also wears a Rivastigmine patch. I have known of people who chose not to go with all the medications and their loved ones are doing well…no side effects to deal with. Do the medications really help enough to live with the side effects?
Replies to "@dlssell My husband has been on Memantine 10 mg twice daily for several years now. He..."
@labrown My husband is in moderate to severe Alzheimer’s dementia. Since on memantine and fluroxetine his restlessness and aggression has escalated. I’ll discuss this with his physician this week…hoping to not jave to sedate him. I’m also hoping just to remove both medications to see how he does. He also takes anti-seizure medication…all this due to a head injury.
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@labrown and @dlssell, you both mention your husbands taking 20mg daily Memantine and having adverse symptoms.
I do not know anything about this drug, but I was specifically curious about dosing because of totally different medications I currently take I had sworn off of previously. Lower doses and frequency changes are what has helped me. You, of course are in different situations than I so I do not want to pretend to recommend doing this, just maybe something to run by doctors.
Here is a summary of the drug, Memantine that you may be totally familiar with by now, but in just in case you are not:
- Mayo Clinic Memantine (Namenda) Overview
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/memantine-oral-route/description/drg-20067012
@lkbous, you mention your husband’s neurologist took him off Namenda because it is meant for Alzheimer’s and he doesn’t have that type. Are you comfortable, would you explain a bit more about his experience. Why did he start the drug? What information about his condition has been explored/confirmed? How long did it take to notice a difference once he discountined?