Aricept for dementia. Anyone here taking it, or do you have a family member that does? I need advice.?

My husband just turned 82 in July. He has been getting very forgetful and more or less a personality change, gradually over time. I called the doctor and the doctor said he would do a cat scan on him. The cat scan showed the brain had the early signs of dementia. The doctor put him on Aricept, and he's been taking it for 2 days. Today, he woke up and has been kind and pleasant and loving, just the way he used to be. He says he feels steady on his feet for the first time in a long while, he's acting like its a miracle drug now. He says he feels better. I can see that all of this is true. I'm wondering if anyone else takes it or know of someone who does? I just wondered if it affected you this way. Are you happy you're on it? I'd like some advice and opinions. I love him very much and hope to have him around to at least 100. His blood work came back excellent, as always. He doesn't have any health issues, he's very healthy. I would really like your feedback on Aricept. Thank youAricept for dementia. Anyone here taking it, or do you have a family member that does? I need advice.?
My dad's been on it for a couple of years, since the day he got diagnosed. He just turned 66 so he's a lot younger than your husband. He's also on Namenda (for about a year) and he's part of a study at Yale University for a new experimental plaque-dissolving drug. He is also very healthy otherwise, like your hubby.


My dad has ';good days'; and ';bad days';. His good days are not as good as they used to be and his bad days are getting worse. It's very evident to my mother and I that he is failing. However, the drugs claim to slow down that failure and keep people functioning at a higher level longer. My dad's maternal aunt had AD but she was never given any drugs and she went rapidly downhill--she didn't know me in November and in August she died (of a non-AD problem--congestive heart failure)--needing first care during the day and then live-in full time care.


I hope that your husband is functioning at a high level for many years. But this disease is heartbreaking and there's no cure. People who don't have AD in their family don't understand what you're going through. Find a support group.Aricept for dementia. Anyone here taking it, or do you have a family member that does? I need advice.?
After giving a thumbs-up, to the best answer, I'd like to say to the asker that the environment where the patient lives (that is the house and our behavior) is of fundamental value in this disease.

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And a small correction: it is called pet scan, the diagnostic test, not cat scan. It is an imaging method that gives information about the chemical function of an organ, that's why they have diagnosed the disease to your husband.

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I will pray for you and your husband because i know what you must be going thru. My dad is 54 and has Dementia too.





I am thinking about trying to put him on something that might bring him out of it to some extent so that he could at least speak to us again. I would like to know more about Aricept myself too and any other drug you may have heard of along your journey.





God bless and keep you and yours.