ARICEPT Reviews (DONEPEZIL HYDROCHLORIDE)Average Rating: 1.7 (210 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare ARICEPT with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by length of time drug was taken longest to shortest. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
More on ARICEPT: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR ARICEPT | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 4 | dementia/alzheimers | My mother has been taking Aricept since shortly after it became available, she was changed to the generic version when it first became available. She is now 88 years old a few months ago she started complaining about upset stomach. We decided to remove the meds to see if that would help nausea it didn't, but she started obsessing over things. Example counting the small amount of money she keeps in her wallet,checking her pill box, asking the day of the week. After staring back on donpezil she is doing as good as she was before stopping. We think the nausea is caused by her hyetal hernia. It appears this med works for some not for others her dementia has progressed slowly maybe donpezil helped. | F | 88 | 18 years 10 mg 1X day | 4/22/2017 | 4 | my mother for Alzheimers | some diarrhea | My Mom is 87 and was diagnosed with "early Alzheimers" in 1995. They told us the average lifespan was 7 years. This is 2009 and altho she has declined, she still plays the piano and has a happy personality. I credit Aricept for this, as she's been on it 12 years. | F | 87 | 12 years | 8/7/2009 | 5 | short term memory loss | none noticed | my husband was started on Aricept when he began asking me the same questions within 5 minutes. We were frequently having the same conversation. I think it has done wonders for him as he immediately showed improvement and has only shown slight decline since then. He is still very active, stays mentallly alert by studying and teaching. He will get confused if we are in a new location and has some perceptual/problem solving difficulties | M | 79 | 7 years 10 mg 1X day | 4/9/2010 | 5 | Alzheimer's Disease | No side effects. Also taking 10mg of Namenda twice daily. | My mother who was diagnosed in 2006, has been on Aricept and Namenda and it is not the medication it is the disease which causes the aggressiveness. My mother had no side effects until 2011 and I was told it was the disease progressing. The medication has "bought" my mother and our family several years of valuable time together. We are just now beginning to see this mean disease begin to progress. When we saw the aggressive behavior begin, we placed Mom on Abilify. I know, it has side effects and a black box warning that it can cause death in the elderly. My doctor explained that there are two age groups of studies done on this medication. One is that of young people approximately 25 to 35 and an other one done on older adults, thus causing more side effects due to heart and health issues. My mother has done very well on this med and the aggressive behavior is completely gone. She takes it with nightly medications. I guess I am wondering if the aricapt and namenda will keep her in this "limbo" stage for years or should we expect it to progress soon? It sounds like every individual who has been diagnosed with AD progresses at different rates even if they take these meds which slow down the disease. | F | 78 | 5 years 10mg 1X day | 7/31/2011 | 1 | Alzheimer's | Gradual increase in the following: Difficulty walking, unsteadiness, nighttime sleeplessness, vision problems, very limited ability to speak intelligibly, disturbing dreams leading to distress or anger, talking jibberish, hallucinated conversation between self and imagined other--often to self in mirror-- leading to episodes of rage and violent behavior. | I am writing in behalf of my wife. I am her sole caregiver.She has been taking one 5 mg Aricept before bedtime for a minimum of 5 years, perhaps longer. She takes no other prescription drugs but does take DR. Sears' Omega RX fish oil, which I find to be helpful. The listed symptoms did not appear at once but gradually increased over a long period of time. It is difficult to identify SOME, but not all, of these symptoms as being exclusively side effects of Aricept, as distinguished from later stage effects of Alzheimer's itself. However, I have no no doubt about the most troubling ones, especially the episodes of extreme anxiety, anger , and violence that became certain to appear shortly after bedtime and often lasted for many hours. These are definitely the result of her taking the Aricept. Why? Because I saw an immediate reduction in these symptoms within 24 hours, a complete cessation after 2-3 days, and after six days of my discontinuing Aricept, those synmptoms of high anxiety | F | 63 | 5 years | 8/18/2008 | 5 | Slowly dreaming less and less and came to the point that I could not remember if I had any dreams at all. I did not notice any extensive memory loss although my wife was always making remarks about my memory. | My family has had several cases of Alzheimer, including my father (d. age 80) 2 first cousins (d. age 80, d. age 63) 2 first cousins suffering with Alzheimer (age 79 and age 83). I mentioned my symptoms to my doctor and asked about Aricept. He said he did not believe it would harm me to try Aricept, that has been 4 years now. No side effects. Dreams returned and are very vivid and very detailed. I do retain memories of the dreams. I am very active mentally. I maintain 3 Internet Web Sites and do extensive Genealogy research. Have not noticed any more extensive losses of memory, no more than any other acquaintances of my age. | M | 73 | 4 years | 3/24/2009 | 5 | alzheimers | improved behaviour. slowed memory loss,but after awhile don't notic as no memory,but you do notice need for drug in terms of behaviour and feeling safe, secure , no anxious and happy. taken off it because of fainting spells but quickly decided better to be on it. | F | 78 | 4 years 10 1X day | 11/20/2011 | 4 | Alzheimers | Am writing on behalf of my father who was diagnosed with Alzheimers in January 2005. He had been having memory loss problems for a while before being diagnosed and we suspected he may have it for a while before being diagnosed, but he put it down to stopping work as he had been self-employed and used to being busy. He started withdrawing from life as he knew it, refusing to go out, not wanting to converse or socialize with anyone, including his own family. He seemed to be in a depression and had no real interest in life any longer. | He was started on Aricept 5mg increased to 10mg after a year. We saw an immediate change FOR THE BETTER in him. He regained all his prior interests in life, was far more chatty and happy in himself than he'd been for a very long while. It was as if he'd been lifted out of himself and we were extremely pleased with the good result of this drug. He's just been to the memory clinic for his 6-monthly check up and he didn't score very well, so they now want to withdraw it as they say it isn't doing any good, but we don't want it to be stopped. He went into permanent residential care last month. We lost my mum last year and I was his carer until then. We decided to put him into care because he's no longer safe in his own home (for a variety of reasons, all linked to his Alz). At the care home he helps do simple chores and at my house he still peels vegetables and can make a drink for himself, with step-by-step instructions. We're really afraid that if he comes off Aricept he'll lose what precious little skills he has left, so we're fighting to keep him on it. We live in the UK and it's paid for by our National Health Service and is therefore free to him but I know it is an expensive drug. He isn't on any other medication as he has excellent health in every other way. We believe that everything my father can still do is thanks to Aricept and personally I would advise anybody to try it. I know it isn't for everyone, but it has definitely worked for him. | M | 79 | 4 years | 11/30/2009 | 2 | Dementia | My father who died in May 2011 took this drug from September 2007 until 6 months before his death, which was due to a broken hip, not his stage 6 Alzheimer's. It was good at 1st but last 3 months before taking him off of it he would have violent outbursts at me and my mother who has Parkinsons. I would CAUTION ALL CARE GIVERS that if your patient becomes violent, take them off this drug. I believe his dementia had advanced so far it was not doing any good anymore. Once off the drug he was calm and compliant, no violent outbursts. | M | 90 | 4 years 1X day | 3/19/2014 | 2 | Alzheimers | Hallucinations | My mother is 96 and has late stage. Her behavior is usually terrible. About a month ago her perscription ran out. Since her doctor was moving and I'd heard it really doesn't help late stage patients, I skipped it for a couple months. She's been back on it 4 days now and is having very strong hallucinations again and has been doing this for around 8 hours now. I just realized this wasn't nearly as bad during the period when she was off the drug. I am wondering if the last 4 years of her life have been made even more miserable because of it and also why I was never warned about side effects. Does it somehow counter-act the Namenda she takes to calm her down? | M | 60 | 4 years 5 1X day | 11/25/2010 | 1 | mid to latent alzheimer's | Gradual increase in rate, intensity and frequency of the following: irritability, irrational throughts, violent outbursts, argumentative, chronic EXPLOSIVE diarrhea, insomnia, fatigue, nightmares (he reports never remembering a dream in his life prior to taking medication), loss of appetite, childish mood swings, apathy, no understanding of hygiene (was meticulous about hygiene prior to taking) | I am writing this for my dad who is 75 years old. He was diagnosed with alzheimer's 3.5 years ago. His functional abilities were limited, at best. He suffered from five mini strokes within the same time frame. My dad has always been irrational and explosive, never cared to know the date or time of day, and when asked about who is president, has answered incorrectly his entire life. His physician diagnosed and prescribed based on questions like this. 5mg aricept for two weeks, then to 10mg--he has taken now for 3.5 years. He was also prescribed Namenda, Zoloft, and plavix. I thought this combination of meds was miraculous until the past six months. Prior to diagnosis, his behavior was severely explosive, hallucinating, "sundowners", and essentially could not dress himself or get out of his chair. Immediately upon taking the meds, he appeared to regain 70% of his functionality, began to be involved in life again. For the past six months (and more likely, gradually upon taking med), mood swings are more frequent, irrational-bordering violent-extremely irritable/argumentative, complains about everything (frequent complaints were characteristic of him, but this is unbearable),basically hates life and everything about it, AND has chronic,EXPLOSIVE episodes of diarrhea-usually not making it to the bathroom.As his primary caregiver, and after reading these comments, we are DCing the aricept tonight.I will re-post the results of this trial within one week.I deperately hope | M | 75 | 3.5 years 5-10mg 1X day | 12/4/2010 | 5 | I am now 70 years old, 71 next month. I began taking ARICEPT 3 years ago when I felt my memory was beginning to suffer. I have never been happier and more alert and remember everything. I am devastated by the negative reports on this wonderful drug. If I live to 86 and then the "side effects" will show up, I have no problem with that. My memory and functioning now is equivalent to what it was at least 25 years ago, and I am hopeful it will continue. | F | 70 | 3 years 1X day | 9/25/2010 | 2 | Brain atrophy and dementia | Panic attacks, delusions, confusion, anger and being irrational | My 76 year old mother was on 5 mg Aricept for a few years and at first seemed ok but I didn't notice that it helped her memory much. Dr. recommended upping it to 10mg. After 8 months or so my sweet docile mother began to become angry and irrational. She was always mean and hateful to me (her only daughter and caregiver). Everyone around us noticed the change. Some were very concerned since she would become very hostile. I took her off of it after reading some of these side affects. She became her sweet self again but I worried about her memory loss so I spoke w/her Dr who said maybe 10 mg was too much and go back to 5 mg again. Well after 3 months on 5 mg she is becoming worse than before. She threatens to hit me and yells at me constantly. Accuses me of lying to her and scheming but can never explain why - just says you know what you did. There is no talking to her when she is in this state. She has spells where she thinks I am her sister and she is living at the home where she was a young adult. I cannot convince her otherwise and trying to tell her different makes her very upset. the spells only last a short time then she remembers me again. Dr. still insists Aricept shouldn't do that but has agreed to try something else if I want. I took her off the Aricept yesterday and we will see if the behavior improves again. I hope the Aricept hasn't done any permanent damage. Afraid to try any of the other memory drugs for fear of more side effects. I will check this site t | F | 76 | 3 years 5mg 1X day | 1/31/2012 | 1 | alzheimer's | bleeding,diareia,bedridden,incoherint,no longer able to walk. | i encourage anyone who is on this drug to discontinue it's more of a killer than the disease its self's filling this out for my Father told us he could not respond to us while taking this drug but now that he is off of it he can talk to us again! | M | 80 | 3 years | 4/4/2008 | 1 | dementia | Difficulty in breathing aggresive behaviour | trying to get nursing home to stop using | F | 94 | 3 years 5mg 1X day | 1/4/2011 | 1 | Frontal Temporal Lobe Dementia | Still trying to figure out what exactly this medication is helping with. My mom is 60 started taking this poison about 3 years ago, immediately noticed an increase in hallucinations and agressive behaviors, anorexia, tremors, etc. Mom has been in a nursing home the last 6 months and her disease has made her decline rapidly. These medications are A HUGE EXPENSE, my family would like her off of them but each time it is brought up we are guilted into continuing them, "you don't know what they are preventing" It has not been my experience that this medication has helped with anything. | F | 60 | 3 years 30 2X day | 4/18/2011 | 1 | my mother was diagnosed with alzeim | she stopped talkling | I know the aricept did this because she developed a bladder infection that required her to be taken off the drug, and then she started talking again. I wish I had known at the time how much this would interfere with her life.... | F | 70 | 3 years 10 1X day | 3/11/2015 | 1 | Dementia | This medication was prescribed to my 81 year old mother who had, had 2 previous strokes. She has slight dementia and when she went to a follow up appointment with a neurologist/phyc. he prescribed her Aricept after talking to for a few minutes. After 3 weeks of taking this medication, I found her on the floor lying like a snow angel and she did not even seem to care. | I think that this is a dangerous medication. My mother like a lot of others mentioned above has incontenence, dhiarea, cannot walk on her own and is very hypersensative, sleeps alot during the day, tries to get up during the night to use the toilet and does not and soils herself. When we try to get her up to walk everything aches. This drug may help some people but from the responses that I have read here most of them have been negative. This has been a nightmare for my mother and whole family. Our family doctor told us 2 weeks ago to get our mother off of this drug. She has shown a little improvement but still is not the mother I knew before taking this drug. I feel that this drug is very dangerous especially to the elderly and should be taken off the market. We are praying everyday that my mother gets back to the life she once had. | F | 81 | 3 years | 12/8/2009 | 1 | F | 79 | 3 years | 1/22/2010 | 1 | Alzheimer's/dementia | Horrible Sundowners, Jekyll and Hyde personality. Aggressive behavior with raised fists, increased delusions. Almost all gone a month after terminating medication slowly | M | 86 | 3 years 10 mg | 1/16/2022 |
ARICEPT (DONEPEZIL HYDROCHLORIDE): Donepezil is used to treat confusion (dementia) related to Alzheimer's disease. It does not cure Alzheimer's disease, but it may improve memory, awareness, and the ability to function. This medication is an enzyme blocker that works by restoring the balance of natural substances (neurotransmitters) in the brain. FDA Approval Date: 1996-11-25 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)