Aricept why take at bedtime

She takes it at bedtime and I have not detected any side affects. I honestly think it has slowed the progression. Blessings to you and your family. I am having sleep issues from Donepezil.

I have no problem falling to sleep but usually get about 4 hrs. Then I am wide awake all remaining night. I have seen some improvement from Donepesil but nothing major. How long is it Ok to take this medicine? Hi Audrey, Always contact your doctor to see what medications you should take. We do not provide this type of information.

So sorry! Best, The Being Patient Team. My wife started it at 63 and is now She takes it at bedtime along with an over the counter sleep aid. She can sleep 8 hours straight with no side effects. I think it has slowed the progression.

My husband was diagnosed by our Gp with onset dementia in March Our Gp prescribed Prozac 20 which he took for 3 months. At the start of the fourth month we consulted with a psychiatrist, whom put him on Donecept 5ml for thirst month and after the first month upped it to 10ml. Could he have misdiagnosed? Could it just have been severe depression. He was under severe strain having lost his business and our home in the process for a couple of years prior to be diagnosed with onset dementia.

Ur story is helpful seeing I was so against starting this medication due to do many saying it worsened the patient and the side effects it has. You actually see good results? Hello Bob, a combination of a lumbar puncture spinal tap to test for the toxic TAU protein and a beta-amyloid PET scan to show the plaque build-up are rather conclusive. My husband was recently told he may have late onset altheizmers based on a 30 point written test.

He scored about 16 out of 30, hence the dr stating what he believed.. Well, he is now taking aricept 5 mg. Anyone also taking a supplement or additional help? Hello Lisa, Consult Your Physician — Being Patient does not give medical advice, nor is any information on the site intended to be prescriptive medical advice. Iam a 51 year old white male I was diagnosed with a mild cognitive disorder when I was I started out on 5 mg of the Donepezil it seem to work for a few weeks then it seem liked it stopped working.

Now Iam on 10 mg I have taken this medication now for about 19 months it has made a big Difference in Quality of life. Side effects can be mild I can tell when it is waring off I am lost for word at times and can not think correctly.

I,ve learned that my blood rate is jn the low 50,s. How does that effect Arrcept use? We are glad you have chosen to leave a comment. Please keep in mind that comments are moderated according to our comment policy. Your doctor will ultimately prescribe the smallest dosage that provides the desired effect. The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended.

However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to fit your needs. The starting dose of Aricept is 5 mg. After 4 to 6 weeks, your doctor will likely increase your dosage of Aricept to 10 mg once per day.

After 3 months, your doctor may increase your dosage to 23 mg once per day. If you miss a dose of Aricept, you should skip the missed dose. You should not take two doses of the drug at the same time to make up for a missed dose.

If you miss taking Aricept for a week or longer, talk with your doctor before taking it again. They may recommend going back down to the starting dose of the drug. For more information, see the section just above.

This can include setting an alarm or timer on your phone or downloading a reminder app. A kitchen timer can work, too. Aricept is meant to be used as a long-term treatment. Aricept contains the active drug donepezil, which is classified as an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. Aricept is not a psychotropic drug. Psychotropic drugs are used to treat mental health conditions such as anxiety , depression , and bipolar disorder.

It is not known if stopping Aricept caused side effects in clinical studies of the drug. The manufacturer of Aricept recommends that you do not stop taking the drug on your own. They may be able to suggest other ways to address your concerns. But Aricept may sometimes be prescribed off-label for other uses. These uses may include Lewy body dementia , vascular dementia , and dementia from traumatic brain injury , among others.

If you have questions about treatment options for your condition, talk with your doctor. They may also be able to perform daily tasks better, such as making meals or doing laundry. Other people seem to stay the same for a while, but Aricept may help to slow their disease progression. Aricept may be used off-label for other conditions.

Some studies have found that Aricept can make a certain form of dementia worse. Prevagen is a dietary supplement. It contains a jellyfish protein called apoaequorin. This protein is thought to help protect against brain changes that may occur with aging.

But Aricept may sometimes be prescribed off-label for other types of dementia. Some clinical studies suggest that Aricept may be beneficial for this use, but more research is needed to confirm this.

Aricept is not known to be effective for depression. In fact, it may cause depression as a rare but serious side effect. A study looked at whether donepezil, taken with antidepressants , could help improve cognitive function in adults with depression. The results showed that donepezil was no better than a placebo a treatment that contains no active drug. Aricept may also be used off-label for other conditions.

Aricept is a brand-name prescription medication. Cognitive function describes your ability to think, talk, comprehend, and remember. But Aricept can help slow progression of dementia symptoms in some people. Aricept has not been tested in children. The drug has not been approved for any medical conditions that affect children. Some may be a better fit for you than others. They can tell you about other medications that may work well for you. Note: Some of the drugs listed here are used off-label to treat these specific conditions.

It contains both donepezil the active drug in Aricept with memantine the active drug in Namenda in one pill. For more information, see this article. Before taking Aricept, talk with your doctor about your health history. Aricept may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health.

These include:. Aricept contains the active drug donepezil. Donepezil belongs to a drug class called acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. ACh helps with cognitive function, such as thinking and memory. This allows more ACh to build up in the brain. It takes at least 2 weeks for Aricept to start working. It may take a few weeks or months before you notice any improvement in cognitive function ability to think and remember.

Aricept stays in your system for around 2 weeks after your last dose. But a study showed that the beneficial effects of Aricept decline over 6 weeks after stopping the drug. As with all medications, the cost of Aricept can vary. To find current prices for Aricept in your area, check out GoodRx. The cost you find on GoodRx. Keep in mind that you may be able to get a day supply of Aricept.

If approved by your insurance company, getting a day supply of the drug could reduce your number of trips to the pharmacy and help lower the cost. Before approving coverage for Aricept, your insurance company may require you to get prior authorization. This means that your doctor and insurance company will need to communicate about your prescription before the insurance company will cover the drug.

The insurance company will review the prior authorization request and decide if the drug will be covered. For more information about possible cost assistance for Aricept, visit the Medicine Assistance Tool website. This is when you have more than one type of dementia. Donepezil is not suitable for some people. To make sure this medicine is safe to take, tell your doctor if you or the person you're caring for have :.

It's best to take your donepezil at bedtime. This is because you may feel dizzy after you take it. If donepezil gives you bad dreams or makes it hard to sleep, you can take it in the morning instead.

The usual starting dose of donepezil is 5mg one tablet or one 5ml spoonful of liquid , taken once a day. After a month, the doctor may increase your dose to 10mg one 10mg tablet or two 5ml spoonfuls of liquid , taken once a day.

Donepezil also comes as a tablet that melts in your mouth called an "orodispersible" tablet. Put the tablet on your tongue and let it dissolve. You can then swallow it without a drink. You can have a drink of water afterwards if you want to. Use the plastic spoon that comes with your medicine to measure out your dose. If you do not have a measuring spoon ask a pharmacist for one.

Do not use a kitchen teaspoon as it will not give the right amount. If you forget a dose of donepezil, skip the missed dose and take the next one at the normal time the next day.

If you've forgotten to take your donepezil for more than a week, talk to your doctor before you take any more. If you forget doses often, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask a doctor, pharmacist or dementia support group for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine. Get someone else to drive you or call for an ambulance. Side effects are less likely to happen if your doctor starts you on the lower 5mg dose for at least a month.

In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis to donepezil. These are not all the side effects of donepezil. For a full list see the leaflet inside your medicines packet. You can report any suspected side effect to the UK safety scheme. As your body gets used to donepezil, these side effects should wear off. If you are still bothered by them after a week or two, speak to a doctor.

They may want to adjust your dose or recommend a different medicine. Some medicines do not mix well with donepezil. They can increase the risk of side effects or stop donepezil working as well as it should. Do not take anti-inflammatory painkillers NSAIDs , such as aspirin or ibuprofen, without checking with a doctor first.

St John's wort can lower the levels of donepezil in your blood. This can stop your medicine from working as well as it should. Tell a doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal remedies, vitamins or supplements. Donepezil works by helping your nerve cells communicate with each other. It does this by stopping something called acetylcholine from being broken down in your brain. Acetylcholine is an important substance that allows nerves to communicate.

Donepezil does not cure dementia. However, by increasing the amount of acetylcholine in your brain, donepezil can help with symptoms like:.

Find out more about how drugs like donepezil work on the Alzheimer's Society website. It usually takes at least a month for donepezil to start to work, but it can take longer for some people. Donepezil does not help everyone in the same way. Some people find it helps with their symptoms a lot.