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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Emme on July 3, 2004, at 10:47:30
Hi. Has anyone tried Aricept? If so, what did if feel like? Sedating or stimulating? Has anyone had any success with it?
Thanks,
Emme
Posted by SLS on July 3, 2004, at 13:50:11
In reply to Aricept anyone?, posted by Emme on July 3, 2004, at 10:47:30
> Hi. Has anyone tried Aricept? If so, what did if feel like? Sedating or stimulating? Has anyone had any success with it?
>
> Thanks,
> Emme
Hi Emme.I tried Aricept last year. You know how treatment resistant I am, so it really doesn't mean too much that I am not a responder to any one drug. However, Aricept did make my depression noticeably worse. Sorry I couldn't offer anything positive.
What did you decide about memantine? I recently added Zonegran. This is what I will be taking:
imipramine 300mg
Lamictal 300mg
Abilify 10mg
memantine 20mg
Zonegran 200mgThis is my second time around with Zonegran. The first time, my doctor asked me to discontinue it when I reported severe itching. However, this seems to be a phenomenon limited to provocation by heat and sweating (hot showers), so we decided that it may not have been a systemic allergic reaction. It is already producing the itching, but I'm going to see if it doesn't disappear over time.
It's always something...
- Scott
Posted by Emme on July 3, 2004, at 15:42:49
In reply to Re: Aricept anyone? » Emme, posted by SLS on July 3, 2004, at 13:50:11
Hi Scott,
> I tried Aricept last year. You know how treatment resistant I am, so it really doesn't mean too much that I am not a responder to any one drug. However, Aricept did make my depression noticeably worse. Sorry I couldn't offer anything positive.
Bummer. Well, I just slept for four hours after taking 5 mg of Aricept. I don't know if it's the drug, or having slept poorly last night. I'll try to give it a fair trial.
> What did you decide about memantine?
My pdoc and I decided that we should keep it as an option for another trial because I wasn't consistent or disciplined the first time I tried it. But she wanted to me to try Aricept first. My cognitive/memory issues are a real problem right now, which is probably why she chose aricept. I guess memantine might also be helpful for that since it's another alzheimer's drug.
> I recently added Zonegran. This is what I will be taking:
>
> imipramine 300mg
> Lamictal 300mg
> Abilify 10mg
> memantine 20mg
> Zonegran 200mgSo you decided to keep the menatine? Did you have a chance to try duloxetine?
> This is my second time around with Zonegran. The first time, my doctor asked me to discontinue it when I reported severe itching. However, this seems to be a phenomenon limited to provocation by heat and sweating (hot showers), so we decided that it may not have been a systemic allergic reaction. It is already producing the itching, but I'm going to see if it doesn't disappear over time.Good luck. We tried Zonegran, but unfortunately it made me much worse, so it's not for me. I was really glad to see the posts from the people who have done well with it and it sounds like it's worth a try.
> It's always something...Yeah....if it's not one thing it's another..
Keep us posted.Emme
Posted by SLS on July 3, 2004, at 16:50:48
In reply to Re: Aricept anyone? » SLS, posted by Emme on July 3, 2004, at 15:42:49
> We tried Zonegran, but unfortunately it made me much worse, so it's not for me.
It is amazing how differently we react to things.A friend of mine was on Aricept for a few years to treat depression. Although it really did not affect the depression itself, it did help to mitigate the cognitive and memory impairments that were a part it. It definitely did not make things worse for her.
Good luck with it.
:-)
- Scott
Posted by Emme on July 5, 2004, at 9:15:04
In reply to Re: Aricept anyone? » Emme, posted by SLS on July 3, 2004, at 16:50:48
Scott,
Just how bad DID aricept make you? Did it take a few days to notice the ill effects? It's been a few days. Today I've been hit by a sledgehammer. It's difficult to know if it's just a bad day or if the drug is starting to give me problems. If tomorrow is bad also, I'll have to call the doctor I guess.
Emme
Posted by SLS on July 5, 2004, at 13:22:14
In reply to Re: Aricept anyone? » SLS, posted by Emme on July 5, 2004, at 9:15:04
Hi Emme.
> Just how bad DID aricept make you?
I would say that it made me moderately worse - which is plenty bad enough. It only took 3 days for the ill effects to appear. I wasn't completely surprised by this - just disappointed. Depression can be a side effect of pro-cholinergic drugs, just as an antidepressant effect is sometimes noted when using selective anticholinergic agents.
I hope your setback is only temporary. It would be difficult to know where to place the blame.
- Scott
Posted by Emme on July 5, 2004, at 14:19:29
In reply to Re: Aricept anyone? » Emme, posted by SLS on July 5, 2004, at 13:22:14
> I would say that it made me moderately worse - which is plenty bad enough. It only took 3 days for the ill effects to appear. I wasn't completely surprised by this - just disappointed. Depression can be a side effect of pro-cholinergic drugs, just as an antidepressant effect is sometimes noted when using selective anticholinergic agents.
> I hope your setback is only temporary. It would be difficult to know where to place the blame.So do I. This is one of the worst setbacks in months. Thanks for the feedback.
Emme
This is the end of the thread.
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