Support Group for Those of Us Living With Mild Dementia

@alju
Hello everyone!
It been awhile since I have posted. I’ve been watching from afar.
My old cognitive med was Rivastigmine. I first started on the pill, really tore my stomach up. So I was switched to the patch. I didn’t see or feel any different. After I got done with my research studies, I was told that there was some progression of my Lewy body disease. I was then switched to Galantamine in pill form. First a low dose for a month and then I got the highest dose to hopefully slow the progression of my disease. I have tolerated the new medication very well, only slight nausea.
I have noticed that my short term memory has improved a bit. I believe that this medication actually helps 🕺!
My retirement is knocking on my door and I am getting rather excited about it. I submitted my resignation and rolled over my 401k to my financial advisor for investment.
I would love to see Pompeii Italy while I can still appreciate it. I love history and I think this would be the ultimate!
My wife however, has reservations about international traveling and as I cannot go alone
It would seem to be out of my reach for the time.
I am still looking to the future with hope and anticipation. Finally I will Be able to do the things I never had time for. Hopefully I will have the time to do these things I so would enjoy.
I never thought that my working experience would end this way, I’m still happy and excited about life, and yet I worry sometimes.
From under the North Star, Ashley

I have read Still Alice twice and watched the movie once very good.

@ashley43725
Thank you so much for responding so quickly. I envy you your positive attitude and outlook. Don't give up on your trip to Italy. I hope I can someday climb out of the hole of depression that I find myself in and make plans . I find it difficult and frightening to think of a future anything.

@alju
I understand what you’re going through bro, been there done that.
It’s the constant negative thoughts spinning around in your head. Try to think of a pleasant time in your life, like your first kiss or even when you walked in the woods. When the negative starts, replace it with some pleasant memory and concentrate on that. Make it a habit. It’s not easy, but works over time.
I hear you and understand your situation, it takes one to know one!
Life is tough, no doubt about it, but there are many pleasant and good times ahead! Believe and concentrate on that instead of the negativity. YOU ARE WHAT YOU 🤔THINK!
Hank tough my friend. You are in my thoughts.
From under the North Star, Ashley

@renee1941
Still Alice is one of my favorites!
Ashley

have you seen the movie At the it just goes black that must where she
didn't know anything

@fromthehill Your art work is beautiful. I'm 80 and also lead an active life with my family,friends,and church family. I was assaulted while bringing in my Kroger order last Oct. Strangled and raped. The guy is in prison for 15 years. I decided to enjoy my life with my family and friends. I do forget sometimes but I'm going to live my life. Your post made me smile.please keep posting your beautiful art.

@ann80 You poor thing! That’s awful! Here I thought we oldsters were pretty safe from that type of assault. Was it the delivery guy did it?

@ashley43725
I should make a note and post if throughout my house "you are what you think" . That might prompt me to occasionally push my negative thoughts aside . I am zooming with a therapist, just started, and hope it will help to get me out of this hopelessness despair that I am currently mired in. I've always been resistant to taking most medications but am thinking lately maybe something for anxiety & depression is what I need right now.

@alju

I was diagnosed with MCI in April 2026. The only cognitive med I'm taking is donepezil (Aricept). I've been taking 5mg daily for about 3 weeks. For the last few days, I've seen an improvement in my memory. It's not a big improvement, but it's noticeable. 2-3 times a day I easily remember something I wouldn’t have remembered before. But there are still dozens of things I can't remember.

I can increase to the standard 10mg dose in 1-3 weeks. Interestingly donepezil has been an Alzheimer’s drug for 30 years. In the US it is the longest-established Alzheimer’s medication that remains in routine use. Two similar other acetylcholinesterase inhibitor drugs are Rivastigmine (Exelon) and Galantamine (Razadyne). My MD confirms that donepezil has been around the longest and is the safest.

One great thing is that donepezil is one of the least expensive of any prescription drugs, not just Alzheimer’s drugs. It should be free with any reasonable insurance plan. But even without insurance, it should only cost about $10/month out of pocket for a daily 10mg dose. I wouldn't bother with the original brand name Aricept. It can be really, really expensive.

Here's what ChatGPT 5.5 Medium says: "Donepezil is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. It increases the availability of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter important for attention, learning, encoding new information, and retrieving information already stored.
A responder may notice things such as: holding onto a thought or intention longer; remembering recent conversations or requests more reliably; less frequently losing track of what they were doing; greater mental clarity or alertness; easier word retrieval; better concentration and organization; fewer episodes in which information disappears almost immediately."