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Aricept (Donepezil) - Reviews, Ratings, Comments by Patients

 
 



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Below are Aricept (Donepezil) reviews, ratings, comments submitted by patients and caregivers. Based on a total of 9 ratings/reviews, Aricept has an overall score of 4.67. The effectiveness score is 5.56 and the side effect score is 6.44. The scores are on ten point scale: 10 - best, 1 - worst. This information is not vetted and should not be cosidered as clinical evidence.
 

Aricept review by care giver of 80 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Ineffective
Side effects:   Mild Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Alzheimer's disease
Dosage & duration:   10 mg taken once daily for the period of 6 months
Other conditions:   hernia, teeth problems
Other drugs taken:   Tamasapan
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   We could not identify any benefits at all. The behavior and memory problems remained unchanged or worsened over time. Anxiety continued to increase and the dementia progressed systematically. Disorientation continued to increase and the patient became more and more difficult to manage. It appeared that irritability increased and the patient became more agitated more easily.
Side effects:   There was some indication that there was at least some increase nausa as well as some infrequent but increased bouts of diarrhea. There were a few episodes of vomiting, but it might be attributed to other factors for this one side effect. There was definitely increased insomnia as well as loss of appetite, but it can not be definitively stated that the drug alone contributed to these although it did occur after the drug was begun.
Comments:   The patient was given a daily dose. After transfer to a care facility, the regimentation in taking the dose was firmly set in place. Staff medical personnel on site did not observe any benefits, and as a result, after about 6 months the prescription was terminated. During the time the drug was used, there was a patient review every other week to ascertain whether there seemed to be any improvement in the patient. Memory tests were administered and one-on-one interviews were executed by medical personnel. The results of the memory testing showed no net improvement nor was there any identifiable changes that might be considered positive. Ultimately her psychiatrist in consultation with the family decided that the drug did not seem to provide any net gain.

 

Aricept review by 47 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Moderately Effective
Side effects:   Severe Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Memory
Dosage & duration:   10mg taken 1 dose per day for the period of 4 weeks
Other conditions:   Depression
Other drugs taken:   Zoloft & Wellbutrin SR
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   I believe I noticed some improvement in retaining information from conversations as well as from reading,including,but not limited to, books, magazines, newspapers. I also think I was clearer with regard to remembering events -the event itself, as well as the order in which things occurred in the particular event.
Side effects:   Initially, I noticed no side effects. However, after taking it for approximately three weeks I began with nausea. I assumed I had caught a 'bug' & continued taking the med. Going into the fourth week the nausea became more pronounced & came intermittently throughout the day & evening. Additionally,the nausea was intermittently accompanied by a mild headache.
Comments:   My doctor prescribed Aricept to aid my memory difficulties following a serious car accident in which I sustained multiple injuries, including a head injury. I do not recall events correctly, nor do I recall them in proper sequence. I have great difficulty remembering things;ex: If I have something on the stove I must stay with it; if I walk away I become distracted & completely forget I have something on the stove; I forget where I put things;if I am given instructions on something, they must be written down, as I cannot recall them or recall them correctly. Some past events are forgotten or foggy.

 

Aricept review by 50 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   Moderate Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Head injury/concussion
Dosage & duration:   5 mg taken once a day, at bedtime for the period of 5 weeks, and currently continuing
Other conditions:   mild tramatic brain injury, secondary headache, cognitive deficits, sleep disorder, post-concussion
Other drugs taken:   Klonapin, Ambien, Zoloft, Ativan (4 this injury); Metatoprol, Synthroid (previously & currently on))
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   Easy to take (1 pill before bed), noticably helped me think more clearly, speak better, organize thoughts so I could accomplish small projects. Before the Aricept, I couldn't sort things (laundry, paperwork, bills), couldn't remember to eat, brush teeth, shower, etc.
Side effects:   Nausea, gastric problems (diarrhea) and mild headaches. I take it at night, so the first 3-4 hours of each morning I experience the above side effects. This is uncomfortable during the first 2-3 weeks, then your body gradually gets used to it.
Comments:   Patient: I had suffered a fall from a vasovagal syncope episode (fainted from a standing position, hit back of head on floor). It was approximately 6 or 7 months before I was prescribed the Aricept. The Aricept was prescribed to help the brain repair and re-connect (memory, executive reasoning: strategic planning, options, solutions, implementation, changes and follow-through). The side effects were worse the first 2-3 weeks on the 5 mg, then the 4th week, my body appeared to adjust and they became less intense. The 5th week, the doctor moved me up to 10 mg, and the side effects increased again. At that point, he took me off the Aricept and tried a competitors "patch" called Exelon. That didn't work well at all and set me back 5-6 weeks cognitively. Now I'm back on the 5mg of Aricept for the past 2 weeks and the plan is to stay on that dose for 6 months to a year. The side effects were the same at first, and are now getting better each day. I suspect those side effects to subside in the next few weeks. And cognitively - I am improving again each day.

 

Aricept review by care giver of 77 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Ineffective
Side effects:   Extremely Severe Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   alzheimer's/dementia
Dosage & duration:   started at 5mg taken everyday for the period of 2 weeks
Other conditions:   asthma, high blood pressure
Other drugs taken:   drugs for the above conditions
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   none!!!!
Side effects:   Within 1 week of taking this drug my Grandmother almost died. She started hearing voices talking to her telling her they were gona kill her & her family she stopped eating/going to the bathroom, she tried running away 2x. etc....She was admitted to the hospital and taken off of the aricept it has been 1 week in the hospital she would just lay there looking like she wasnt even alive still talking to the voices she heard.... & just yesterday she started coming back to reality/her normal self, i would NOT recommend this drug to anyone it almost killed her.
Comments:   stated off with 5mg & gradually increased

 

Aricept review by care giver of 59 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   No Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Dementia (Altzheimer's Diesease)
Dosage & duration:   10mg taken twice daily for the period of 11 years
Other conditions:   Mild seizures
Other drugs taken:   Epibrom, Vitamins
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   Mum is notably brighter and more responsive whilst taking Aricept. On mornings when tablets are forgotten (or inadvertantly dropped) she is much less alert and therefore alot more challenging to care for (less likely to be able to perform tasks she usually can perform herself)
Side effects:   No side affects where apparent - however due to communication difficulties this is hard to assess
Comments:   Onset of signs approx 15 years ago. Diagnosed approx 12 years ago and taking aricept for approx 11 years. Dose has been gradually increased and at times medication has been stopped because we've been unsure it's still helping - but we notice the difference without them

 

Aricept review by care giver of 69 year old male patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   No Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Alzheimers
Dosage & duration:   5g for one month rising to 10g (dosage frequency: daily) for the period of 3 months total - and on-going
Other conditions:   None
Other drugs taken:   None
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   Only moderate improvements noted on the 5g dosage. Improvements much more noticeable at 10g - or after 30 days of taking medication. Less confusion, more awareness in social surroundings, more outward and positive in attitude.
Side effects:   So far no negative noted
Comments:   Take one pill in the morning. Also vitamin supplements (Multi-vitamin, brain-booster vitamin, and homo-cysteine level reducer)

 

Aricept review by care giver of 94 year old male patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Marginally Effective
Side effects:   Severe Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Alzheimer's
Dosage & duration:   Full strength (dosage frequency: once a day) for the period of 9 months
Other conditions:   high cholesterol
Other drugs taken:   Lipitor
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   There seemed to be some mild improvement in alertness once he went onto the stronger (10 mg) version of the pill. There was no noticeable improvement in mood which was a disappointment.
Side effects:   He had fairly severe nausea, diarrhea and cramps almost immediately after switching to the higher does of Aricept. The side effects were so severe, the medication had to be discontinued.
Comments:   He started out with the introductory dose (5 mg) and then graduated to the full dose (10 mg). When the side effects became a problem, he was put back down to the introductory dose, but the side effects continued, and we saw no real benefits from the drug. (We recently switched him to the Namenda patch which he seems to be tolerating.)

 

Aricept review by care giver of 67 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Ineffective
Side effects:   Severe Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   short term memory loss
Dosage & duration:   5 mg taken once for the period of once
Other conditions:   severe head pain, feel like throwing up
Other drugs taken:   welbutrin
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   none, only took one pill and found that the side effects do not warrant continued use.
Side effects:   severe head pain, feel like throwing up, felt lousy for 12 hours after taking first pill.
Comments:   Will not take pill again. The side effects of loosing a nights sleep, having severe head pain, and feeling like throwing up will result in not taking another pill as this drug does not agree with patient.

 

Aricept review by 32 year old male patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Highly Effective
Side effects:   No Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   2
Dosage & duration:   2 (dosage frequency: 2) for the period of 2
Other conditions:   2
Other drugs taken:   2
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   I can recommend a reputable pharmacy (Aricept) - pill24.org I received the order and it was on time and the pills work great. P.S. 5% discount coupon code: 9sh73h
Side effects:   I can recommend a reputable pharmacy (Aricept) - pill24.org I received the order and it was on time and the pills work great. P.S. 5% discount coupon code: 9sh73h
Comments:   I can recommend a reputable pharmacy (Aricept) - pill24.org I received the order and it was on time and the pills work great. P.S. 5% discount coupon code: 9sh73h
 


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