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Considering doctors recommendations for mom. Looking for real world feedback.

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My mom, who is in a NH, has Lewy Body Dementia and is on the Exelon patch. For her it is good in that her cognitive abilities seem to be consistent rather than having a good day/bad day. She is much more aware and alert. LBD is different than Alz - LBD at least for her, is more episodic so the stream of medication the Exelon patch does works well for her.

Alot of this really depends on what type of dementia and what stage it is in. Do you know what it is for your mom? Is she being evaluated by a gerontolgist?

Please keep in mind that nothing can reverse dementia. The medications, like Aricept and Exelon, really just keep them from loosing ground so fast. It has to be done daily and exactly as if you don't then they regress and you can't regain it.

For Alz, Aricept OR the Aricept & Namenda combo seem to be the drugs used.
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that patch was no good for my dad , he kept losing weigh and wasnt hungry anymore , i suprise me cuz he loves to eat , everytime i put the patch on him i kept getting the errie feelin about it . he would have to lay his head on the table to try to eat . he was slowly dying from it and one day i saw it on tv a warning about the patch , i thought no wonder !!! i stop givin him the patch and he gain his strenght back and was realy hungry !
to me i wish they would take it off the market . but then again it works for others and some made others crazy and alot of em has died from it . i say no to patch ...
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I asked moms doctor before about the patch. Her doctor refused and told me there is more cons than pros!!!! I suggest you do some indepth research via internet about it. Before I allow mom to start taking new meds I always check them out first. Since mom can't really tell me how the meds make her feel. I need to know upfront about all side effects and the benefits of them. People with ALZ/Dementia all react differently to memory meds, like the patch, Aricept & Namenda. So its all trial and error. If you choose the patch I would be very observing of any new problems. It could be patch related.
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My 89 yr old father is on the excelon patch. It has improved his clarity and behavior considerably. He was started on a mild dose then gradually increased. there have been no side effects.
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With any drug, Your Mileage May Vary. This seems especially true about drugs for brain disorders. What is a miracle pill for one person is a disaster for someone else, each supposedly with the same diagnosis.

Ask her doctor why he or she is considering this, what alteratives were considered, what side effects might occur. Is there anything milder that could be tried first? If you do go with the excelon patch, ask for what side effects you should watch for and report immediately, and which others might occur that you can just wait and see if the work themselves out in a few weeks.

Deciding on drugs usually involves some tradeoffs. This drug will improve X, but it may cause a little of Y. Is that a good trade? You may have to try it to see.

Best of luck to you as you diligently try to improve your mother's quality of life.
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I was told on Monday there is nothing else to be done for my husband with ALZ. he was on the patch and namenda and the drink none of which seemed to help. He was diagnosed in 07 and has really gone down fast. Doctor says weeks to months.
I take care of him at home. God bless you and I pray you can find something that WILL help in your case. this is such a sad disease.
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54j, my heart goes out to you. Hugs, dear lady. Are you going to use hospice?
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One thing I thought of I'd like to add. If she is in a NH or LTC, then she may need to be on some type of "regulating" RX in order to qualify as medical necessity for skilled nursing care if she is on Medicaid. Just being old and having dementia isn't enough.
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