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What Causes Drowsiness After Having Aricept For Brain Matter Disease?
Question: My husband has white brain matter disease. He started taking donepezil/Aricept about 10 days ago. For the past 48 hours, he has been sleeping far more than usual. Unrelated to the above, I asked him if he had noticed that he is less stuffed up and "sneezy" (I went through his closet and washed everything that had body odor, plus changing all of the linens two days ago). He replied that he had gotten some pills for his nasal problems and they were on his desk. There were 2 boxes of Sudafed Triple Action sitting there - and he started taking them just before I did a thorough cleaning. At age 76, with his cognitive skills waning, should he be anywhere near this otc med?
Brief Answer:
No, he should not
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for asking.
I am Dr. Prakash HM and I will be answering your query.
Based on your query, my opinion is as follows:
1. No, he should not be anywhere near OTC meds or any meds. Even Aricept or any medication he is on, should not be with him.
2. Preferably, if possible a caretaker should be around.
3. Try to avoid him living him alone, and involve in activities, both family and social. It will slow down cognition skills reduction speed.
4. Continue with medication regularly. If any symptoms, you find, however unusual, try to identify, as you have identified now. Drug interactions will be common, so every medication, being given, should be looked into thoroughly.
Hope it helps.
Any further queries, happy to help again.
Dr. Prakash HM
No, he should not
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for asking.
I am Dr. Prakash HM and I will be answering your query.
Based on your query, my opinion is as follows:
1. No, he should not be anywhere near OTC meds or any meds. Even Aricept or any medication he is on, should not be with him.
2. Preferably, if possible a caretaker should be around.
3. Try to avoid him living him alone, and involve in activities, both family and social. It will slow down cognition skills reduction speed.
4. Continue with medication regularly. If any symptoms, you find, however unusual, try to identify, as you have identified now. Drug interactions will be common, so every medication, being given, should be looked into thoroughly.
Hope it helps.
Any further queries, happy to help again.
Dr. Prakash HM
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you for your reply, Dr. XXXXXXX The overarching (lifelong) problem is his obsession with time (doing things on time, and what he will do next in the middle of what he is doing), and his lack of desire to socialize. His sight is 20/30(R) and 20/80(L). The DMV allows him to drive to appointments and the shops near our home (he does not get lost). He arises at 3-4am and exhausts himself by 2-3pm. I have asked the doctor for testing for four years without success, so I found a neuropsychologist who ran the tests and requested an MRI. I do not get feedback. The possible OCD goes unchecked, and he is high-functioning (PhD, retired after 30 years as Chair and Professor Emeritus), so he seems to have his opinion of himself respected.
I know that he will not accept a live-in yet, but there seems to be no consideration by our doctor that I am wearing out and need some respite care. I have two Master's degrees and come from a family of medical people dating back over a century, so I do have a grasp of this, just no support.
I have tried to locate his meds all in one place, but he finds them. When I cleaned his room of dust, etc., last week, I also tried to put his meds in one place and he absolutely refused. He does have pillboxes and I check them regularly.
I will have a talk with our pharmacy (again) about steering him toward simpler otc products (the last time, they helped steer him to a saline spray when he tried to buy Benedryl).
Can you suggest some ways to (a) be included in what is going on, and (b) how to approach his need to socialize outside the home a few times per week? I do watch game that exercise reasoning and recall with him.
Thank you for reading this.
I know that he will not accept a live-in yet, but there seems to be no consideration by our doctor that I am wearing out and need some respite care. I have two Master's degrees and come from a family of medical people dating back over a century, so I do have a grasp of this, just no support.
I have tried to locate his meds all in one place, but he finds them. When I cleaned his room of dust, etc., last week, I also tried to put his meds in one place and he absolutely refused. He does have pillboxes and I check them regularly.
I will have a talk with our pharmacy (again) about steering him toward simpler otc products (the last time, they helped steer him to a saline spray when he tried to buy Benedryl).
Can you suggest some ways to (a) be included in what is going on, and (b) how to approach his need to socialize outside the home a few times per week? I do watch game that exercise reasoning and recall with him.
Thank you for reading this.
Brief Answer:
Watch out for infections.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for asking again.
OCD is difficult to manage along with progressive dementia. If you think, its changing to paranoia or delusions, you need to inform your doctor. Need to look into risk of falling, or environmental hazards.
Supervised Walking, conversation, reading books, board games etc should be included also. Do not allow him to sleep during day, otherwise night sleep and management becomes difficult. Avoid anything involving rigorous physical activity, which can cause injury. Well planned travel at this point is Ok. After further deterioration, it becomes difficult.
Any community organizations, caregiver support groups and literature will be helpful in managing him and difficult day to day situations.
Adult day care center or full time care giver necessary to provide structured activities, meals, administration of medications and physical therapy - Will give respite to family.
Do talk with pharmacist and alert people around for the same. People, once they know, will start interacting rather than avoiding.
Importantly watch out for infection or any injuries or conditions, which require hospitalization. Admission is known to worsen cognition severely and sometimes, patient would not recover back to his normal self.
Alert systems or alarm devices wont be helpful or even medication reminders. This will give false sense of security.
Hope it helps.
Any further queries, happy to help again.
If you do not have any further queries, you can close the discussion and rate the answer.
Dr. Prakash HM
Watch out for infections.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for asking again.
OCD is difficult to manage along with progressive dementia. If you think, its changing to paranoia or delusions, you need to inform your doctor. Need to look into risk of falling, or environmental hazards.
Supervised Walking, conversation, reading books, board games etc should be included also. Do not allow him to sleep during day, otherwise night sleep and management becomes difficult. Avoid anything involving rigorous physical activity, which can cause injury. Well planned travel at this point is Ok. After further deterioration, it becomes difficult.
Any community organizations, caregiver support groups and literature will be helpful in managing him and difficult day to day situations.
Adult day care center or full time care giver necessary to provide structured activities, meals, administration of medications and physical therapy - Will give respite to family.
Do talk with pharmacist and alert people around for the same. People, once they know, will start interacting rather than avoiding.
Importantly watch out for infection or any injuries or conditions, which require hospitalization. Admission is known to worsen cognition severely and sometimes, patient would not recover back to his normal self.
Alert systems or alarm devices wont be helpful or even medication reminders. This will give false sense of security.
Hope it helps.
Any further queries, happy to help again.
If you do not have any further queries, you can close the discussion and rate the answer.
Dr. Prakash HM
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Answered by
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