No need to worry. I used to teach classes on different Alzheimer's Medical treatments/medicines and know these meds better than the reps that sold them. Namenda is an add on Alzheimer's medication use to help glutamate regulation in the brain.The standard dose in 20mg a day after titration, so taking three 5mg tablets is not a problem.
I, like many of you, take handfuls of drugs just to live thru the day and suffer side effects from the drugs is just as debilitating as the pain. My doctor allowed me to try Namenda, which is a alzheimer drug that works by calming overactive neurons in the brain. There has been studies to see if it helped chronic pain and most of them showed it did not. I wanted to try it for myself and she allowed me too. My shrink also thought it was a good idea to try.
Additional studies of the Alzheimer’s medications Exelon® (rivastigmine) and Namenda® (memantine HCl) also did not demonstrate a clear benefit. Some side effects may include stomachor bowel problems, mood changes, and urinary difficulty......"
Note: Very interesting section on cognitive issues is found about half way down, well worth reading for tips and tricks, medications etc.
Hi Margypops,
Axona is a brand-new prescription therapy launched in March 2009 for the treatment of mild-moderate Alzheimer's disease. As Alzheimer's is marked by a decrease in glucose in the brain (the primary source of food for the brain), Axona acts by providing/metabolizing glucose in the body to act as an alternate source of food for the brain.
I would assume one could be changed to the other as the effect of one would carry to the other. But just to make sure give the g.p. a call. Even though they are not a psychiatrist they can look it up online on a medical site consumers can't access. My doctor does that to look up side effects and interactions of medications. What caused the extreme high blood pressure? Did they say that was caused by the Effexor? Or Effexor would make it worse?
Since your panic attacks are happening less, are the headaches numerous and a reason that you cannot take the medication anymore? Or are some of the side effects okay with you now that your anxiety is much better?
What does your prescribing doctor say about this? Headaches can also be caused by an endless number of factors in my opinon. Are you getting enough sleep? Are you still under a lot of stress? The point is, that the headaches may not even be related to the medication itself.
t mean at all its the wrong medication generally. Its just it has a fair amount of side effects for some people. But as anti-Parkinsonian medications can cause depression and other personality alterations that might be the one. I''d say best to relocate your question to the neurology forum as unless she had depression beforehand, because if it came from Alzheimer's and its neurological in origin the treatment will be very different.
Hi Jennifer,
How are you? Medication side effects may or may not occur to patients. You were given pain medication, anti-inflammatory, antihistamine and antipsychotic/tranqulizer. You may experience gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting and sedative effects. However, it is important that any sign of allergic reaction such as difficulty of breathing, swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. twitching or tremor will warrant immediate attention. Take care and do keep us posted.
Did you taper off the vibryd or quit abruptly? You can't just switch from one medication to another even in the same class and avoid withdrawal -- these meds are not easy to stop taking and it must be done carefully. Unless you completely stop taking a medication before starting another it's impossible to tell if your symptoms are a sign you're suffering withdrawal and quit too quickly or are side effects of the new medication.
s always a good idea to read the information the pharmacy includes with the medication so you are aware of what side effects are possible and what side effects may be something you need to contact your prescriber about.
But yes, Headaches can be a side effect of beginning the medication. Usually ear ringing is associated with stopping the medication but has been reported while beginning it also in some.
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I doubt this combination would be approved if it was dangerous. But all drugs may have 