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 Date added. 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 |
| 1 | Dementia | Total personality change. Suicidal thoughts. Extreme confusion. | This drug is BAD BAD BAD!!! My grandmother was in an assisted living facility and the facility's doctor prescribed her this drug...and then doubled the dosage two weeks later, all without our knowledge or permission. We knew nothing about her taking it until I got the bill a month later. In the meantime, my grandmother went insane!!! She was always a sweet loving lady who played the organ in her church. With Aricept, she changed into a screaming lunatic!!! She screamed at her room-mate. She dragged all of her belongings down to the lobby and told the staff that her family was picking her up - we knew nothing about it until the staff called us. She talked about going down to the river and throwing herself in. She was a total NUTCASE!!! Everyone in the building saw the change. We were considering putting her in to the Alzheimer wing because she was acting so crazy. Then I get the bill, read up on the drug, had her old doctor cancel the prescription and, within a few days, she was back t | F | 97 | 35 days | 7/9/2008 | 1 | Mild Memory Loss | Exteme Diarrhea, Sleepiness, Unable to Function, confusion | My Dad, age 85, showed immediate side effects after just a few days. He deterriorated rapidly, so we have taken him off this drug. I am totally convinced that for many patients, at least my Dad, the horrendous side effects were far worse than any benefit. While the side effects might have lessened and/or disappeared over time, he was in no condition to continue the drug. He was even falling asleep while sitting on the toilet, at the dinner table, etc!!!! While Aricept might be beneficial to some, clearly it is NOT for everyone! | M | 85 | 8 days | 7/6/2008 | 1 | Dimentia | Terrible vomiting, dehydration, sodium and potassium out of balance. | Doctors think elderly people should immediately be placed on this dementia medicine. Would rather be forgetful than throwing up constantly. Sure this would have killed me had I continued taking it. | F | 88 | 7 days | 6/7/2008 | 1 | Memory loss | My mother started taking this medication to help her memory. She started experiencing EXTREME loss of balance, difficulty standing upright, slurred speech, and anxiety to the point of shaking! | The side-effects I described did not seem to become apparent until about 4-5 weeks into taking the medication. I am taking my mother off of it starting tonight! I am not a medical professional, but after reading all the postings on this Web site, I am surprised that it is still on the market! PLEASE if you have a loved one on this medication, watch them carefully! I feel like such an idiot because I didn't realize that her symptoms were related to Aricept. Please be careful! | F | 84 | 6 weeks | 5/3/2008 | 1 | My Mother | This drug almost killed my almost 89 yr old Mom. Within 3 hrs of taking 1st dose she was totally nauseated, vomiting and weak. She took it for 3 days until I figured out that introducing Aricet was the problem. I don't know what would have happened to her if I hadn't been with her. She also became totally disoriented, confused, and made little sense verbally. She didnt' know how she'd gotten to her own home, and said so many random things that made no sense whatsoever. It broke my heart to see her so sick. The NAUSEA was the worst if I had to pick just one. I took her off Aricept after just 3 days, and she is slowly trying to recover. Just the worst experience one could have. FLUSH THIS DRUG, and tell the Dr to stick it. | FYI the Dr said the only "side effect"' might be loose stool. WRONG. Our seniors have sensitive systems, and adding this to exsisting meds ie Blood Pressure, Cumadin etc its a toxic mix. I am speaking from my experience w/my precious Mother. | F | 3 days | 4/22/2008 | 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 | Possible Alzheimer's Disease | MIL - Frequent urination, urinary incontinence, unsteady on feet, virtually disabled, aches in legs, fuzzy head. Died from cerebral haemmorrhage after 15 months on Aricept. Short spell of 3 weeks off Aricept, urinary problems stopped. Memory worse than before ever taking the Aricept. | DO NOT TAKE IT. IF YOU TRY IT, STOP IMMEDIATELY YOU HAVE ANY SIDE EFFECTS. | F | 73 | 1 years | 3/24/2008 | 1 | mild memory loss to avoid ALZ | AWFUL!!!! My mother became a totally different person in 3 weeks on this drug. She did strange things like hide her own stuff then accuse me of taking it. She NEVER did anything like that before this drug. She was just forgetting simple things, but nothing violent or cooky, like now. I hope that taking her off will return her to normal. They should take this terrible drug off the market for even ONE experience like hers. Memory loss is bad enough without putting hope in a drug like Aricept only to have it backfire big time. DO NOT USE -= DO NOT USE! | PLEASE TAKE THIS OFF THE MARKET. PLEASE TAKE THIS OFF THE .MARKET. PLEASE TAKE THIS OFF THE MARKET. | F | 80 | 20 days | 2/28/2008 | 4 | onset of Alzheimers disease | At first, some dizzyness, mild nausea, some insomnia. Once on the medicine for about 1 month, these side effects disappeared. Some slight dizzyness experienced at odd times. | Brought me back to "Normal " | F | 73 | 3 days | 2/27/2008 | 1 | Parkinson's related demensia | My 87 year old father was hospitalized for a bleeding ulcer. Upon his discharge, the doctor who saw him in the hospital put him on aricept & namenda. He was sent to a rehab facility where they then put him on neurontin. When he came home diarrhea got so bad he could barely get off the toilet. We pulled him off all three and it disappeared. Rather have him confused than back in the hospital due to dehydration. Be very careful with all three of these meds, especially if they are prescribed by a doctor who will not be following the case. | F | 55 | 10 days | 2/11/2008 | 1 | mixed dimentia | Frequent urination, fecal incontinence, excessive runny nose, fatique, more confusion, spike in blood pressure, muscle weakness. | My mother is 90 and I am guessing we have mixed dimentia ..alzheimers and some recent small stroke activity prior to november.Extreme changes in her behavior lead us to believe there was a stroke at that time which left her with excessive confusion.I have been caregiving 24 hrs a day since november and able to watch her every move. Came off aricept 2 weeks ago and has improved tremendously in regard to side effects,,,still has fecal incontinence but not as frequent..hoping this symptom will subside. Her blood pressure on aricept was 188/103. Has returned to normal after 1 week off of aricept. Be very attentive to side effects on this drug.May be good for some but not mom. So watch it carefully...be aware of what is going on.. | F | 90 | 4 days | 1/30/2008 | 1 | Slight dementia | Babbling, severe memory loss, couldn't string two sentences together whereas she was coherent the day before. | This medication was given to my 90 year old mother in the hospital for memory loss, which, in a five minute interview the neurologist diagnosed as dementia. Within 24 hours she was babbling like a baby and could not string 2 sentences together. I ordered her off of it immediately. | F | 90 | 1 days | 1/26/2008 | 1 | My 85 year old dad | My dad had every negative side-effect from this killer pill! it is best to see every senior with patience and love.We are all foregetfull people at any age of life.My dad recently passed away in his sleep,and forget the paramedic report of heart failure,he had went to the hospital 2 days before for a complete check-up and his heart was extremely strong! The only thing they found him to be bery dihydrated(a side-effect)after my sister told the hospital doctors that if they were sure of taking him home.My dad was a very optimistic person,we need to find out if we really love our seniors as to what the so call doctors are giving them.The sad thing about it is that it all comes to profit and incentive bonuses that these killer companies are doing! | ACCEPT THAT PEOPLE GET OLD AND THAT THERES NO BETTER MEDICINE THAN LOVE AND PATIENCE.WE ALL FORGET THINGS NOBODY IS PERFECT!THIS MEDICINE(ARICEPT)IS WORSE THAN ANY STREET DRUG OUT THERE!IT MAKES IT WORSE FOR LOVE ONES.YOU NEED TO REALLY TRUST DOCTORS WHEN THEY PRESCRIBE MEDICINE LIKE THIS ONE.REMEMBER INSURANCE COMPANIES AND DOCTORS GO TOGETHER(MAKE RESEARCH BEFORE GIVVING ARICEPT TO LOVE ONES,THEN SEE WHAT YOUR DOCTOR HAS TO SAY ABOUT IT! | M | 85 | 5 months | 12/3/2007 | 1 | my father's dementia | My 84 yr old father has been on Aricept for 6 weeks and has become increasingly delusional, irritable, and insomnic. My mother decided to stop giving it to him and he appears to be getting better. | M | 84 | 6 weeks | 11/24/2007 | 1 | slight memory loss | I am writing on behalf of my mother. She was prescribed Aricept by her doctor/neurologist and within 2 days became extremely ill. SEVERE nausea and stomach ache, severe hot and cold sweats, extreme tiredness. She lives in a senior's residence and was able to get help very quickly. She was given gravol and monitored for a couple of days. She is fine now. My mom does take other drugs and perhaps Aricept did not mix well with those drugs. Either way, this drug seems to get into the system extremely quickly and has harsh side effects. She will no longer be taking Aricept. | Severe side effects. Beware of this drug and all the SEVERE side effects that are associated with it. GET INFORMED and listen to your family member. In a way, I am glad the side effects surfaced so quickly within 2 days. It showed how harsh the drug can be within only few days of taking it. She will never take it again. | F | 77 | 2 days | 11/15/2007 | 1 | dimentia | Twice lost consciousness. Was completely out of it. Both times 911 were called & admitted to the hospital for tests. Also nauseated. After the 2nd time, the doctor insisted my mother get off it. | Dangerous drug | F | 81 | 60 days | 11/12/2007 | 1 | memory loss | extreme agitation. throwing shoes. talking gibberish. | My wife was put on this drug and within a week was so agitated we thought she had lost her mind. stayed awake half the night. someone had to be with her all the time. I asked the Doctor if I should stop her taking it but he said no. After my daughter researched it we took her off it and she is now about back to where she was before starting it. This is a dangerous drug. | F | 75 | 30 days | 10/3/2007 | 1 | alzheimer's | chronic explosive diarreah, irritability, confusion | side effects are terrible, don't think the drug helps at all. had mother on it and when taken off she didn't want to crawl out of her skin anymore and all side effects were gone. Don't use this out of desperation to help someone with alzheimer's. | F | 79 | 2 years | 9/4/2007 | 2 | dementia, acute episode of confusio | EXTREME fatigue, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, muscle and joint pain | My mother's doctor put her on this drug while she was in the hospital recovering from a urinary infection. She was somewhat confused but lucid more than not and as time went on she became less awake, had a few episodes of vomiting and alot of nausea. We couldn't figure out why the rapid decline until she was place d in a nursing facility for post hospital care. This was a person who just weeks before was living on her own, now she had became totally gorked out. Thats when during a review of her meds they told me she was on Aricept. BTW, This Dr that prescribed it, dropped her as a patient when we refused the nursing home he wanted to place her in and put her in a better one we knew of. Now after 1 week after being off Aricept she is now walking and eating and behaving like her old self. I would not recommend this med unless you really understand the side effects that can come along with it. For some it is a miracle, but for others it can take away what independence they have. | F | 77 | 1 weeks | 8/31/2007 | 1 | memory loss | I am writing this for my mother; she experienced an acute memory loss; at first she was diagnosed as having a TIA; no tests were done; her dr. put her on aricept without telling her what it was for; within a few days, my mother lost all energy; when I called her on the phone she sounded like she was dying; it did not help her memory and she suffered from delusions not being able to determine what was real; I told her to quit taking the drug and within days she improved; she still has memory impairment, but no tests have conclusively shown anything; I still believe she had a TIA, but her dr. is convinced she is suffering from Alzheimers | I thought my mother was going to die while taking this drug; her condition deteriorated dramatically while on it; there were no benefits for her | F | 85 | 30 days | 8/4/2007 |