Good news re reducing Aricept dosage

[Guest guest]

A couple of weeks ago I posted a message about whether or not it might

be worth reducing my father's dose of Aricept to 5mg, after his neuro

doubled it to 10mg some months ago and his symptoms subsequently

worsening. He became very docile, stared into space - or at us - a lot,

couldn't walk unassisted or get out of a chair on his own, among other

things.

I'm extremely pleased to advise that since reducing the dose back to 5mg

a day, Dad has improved out of sight. He is so much more

aware/cognizant, is able to walk (at times) completely unassisted, can

(sometimes) get out of a chair on his own, is sleeping better and

generally looks so much better and 'with it'. It's almost like my real

Dad is back, although some days are still better than others.

One thing that never seems to wane is his appetite for food. He eats

VERY WELL. He's put on weight in the last 6-12 months which is great

because he was looking very skinny there for a while.

It just goes to show that the family really does know the patient best

and I'm so glad that I recognised that the worsening of his symptoms may

have been related to the increase of a medication.

Thanks for your advice and for listening and I hope that perhaps this

information may bring someone else some help.

Tania.

(daughter of Barry, 78, dx with PD in 2010, diagnosis changed to LBD in

2011, then to PDD in 2012 - symptoms of minor tremors first appeared in

approximately 2008)