Does anyone out there have experience with their lo's side effects of diarhhea with aricept. My husband has been taking it for a little over a month, just half a pill with the intent of going to a full pill over a month. However the diarhhea has been so bad that the doctor said to go off it to make sure it was the aricept. We are traveling now but weren't when the diarhhea started. After 4 days and lots of imodium the diarhhea has finally just about stopped. The doctor said we would wait until we arrive at our destination and then determine what the next course of action should be. Is there something other than aricept because the aricept was helping his memory issues? We really tried to stick with the aricept but the side effects were really so bad for both of us. Also the doctor's assistant said there is other meds but the issue is whether insurance will pay for them.

One reason the Exelon patch is often used is that it's much less apt to cause GI side effects. Perhaps you could ask his doctor about it. My husband has been on it more than five years.

Dad had similar issues on Aricept. He responded much better to the Excelon Patch.

Do you know if the exelon patch is covered by insurance or VA?

I know it's covered by Medicare part D.

Diarrhea is the most common reason people stop taking Aricept.

We had the same trouble with aricept, and went to the exelon patch as a result. Our ins covers it.

We used Exelon in oral form and it was covered through the VA

My husband had same thing plus urine frequency. Stopped it and continued with Namenda alone. After seeing the specialist at UCLA on Monday, we started the Exelon patch. So far, so good. Covered by Tricare for Life.

How long does it take for the aricept to get out of his system. It's been a week & less diarrhea but still happening?? Thanks to all of you for your prompt responses...so much support. Awesome!!!

If memory serves me correctly I think we were told side effects could last up to 3 weeks, so I am thinking if it is still a problem at that point it should be talked with with prescribing Doctor or better yet you could call them and ask how long this could be a problem ! As we all know each person with LBD is so very different !

I was hoping to read some more positive effects of Ariecept generic. After the study was down inJapan and showed amazing results I was hoping to get my LO off the Namenda/exlon which were working but not the cognitionis terrible. The generice showed "Amazing Results" on cognition and memory. Study did not say if they were on anything else. My LO has been on sinement 25/100, Seroquel 25mg and since last year the Namenda and Exelon patch. She is really having a hard time getting up and needs assistance all thetime. She has had the Parkinson's since 2004 and diagnosed with LBD on May of 2008. Have not been on here much as was on a support site that turned out to be a farce. I got a lot of help from memebers but the Admin are just people seeking to turn someone in for something. (MP)

My LO has never been on Aricept but only Exelon [patch] but I know that quite a few on this forum have seen their LOs cognition improved by Aricept. I don't know why the generic [donepezil] should be any different from the proprietary version. The side effects you mentioned earlier in this thread will still be an issue.

I'm sorry to hear you had a bad experience with a 'support' group. Glad to see you back here and hope you will find the answers and support you need. God bless!

From what I have read, the active ingredients in generics should be identical to their proprietary counterparts but it's not unusual for the inactive ingredients to be different. Perhaps a sensitivity to an inactive ingredient is causing problems. Not likely, perhaps, but not impossible.

Julianne

My mother took 5mg of aricept for 2 years and 10 mg for another 1 1/2 years. She was unable to take Exelon because of the adhesive on the patch (it gave her red welts). She did have stomach aches with aricept. They did get better over time, but they were always there. The trade off was a huge change in her cognition. It was worth it for her.