Does anyone take Namenda for Parkinson's Dementia and has it helped?

I'm at same point with my brother, 16 years PD diagnosis. Been with him 13 years and he has been on Namenda and Aricept for over 5 and I don't really see a diff except he's always energy drained, a side affect. I want him off it too. Any one try mucuna pruriens? (fava beans)

My husband has been diagnosed with Progressive Non-Fluent Aphasia with Parkinson's like symptoms and is in one of the last stages. His language has been greatly affected where he can speak (I'm assuming he knows what he is saying) but no one can understand him nor can he understand anyone else. His cognition is extremely bad, he has no retention span, he has lost his sense of hot and cold as far as eating, cannot tell when he is full, all bathroom functions are gone, he cannot exercise, play games, put puzzles together, etc. He basically sits in his chair all day or takes a short walk around the family room. I have taken him to 5 different doctors and they haven't found anything that will help him (they suggested I donate his brain to science). So, as far as the Namenda stoppage, I figured after all of these things, it would do no harm slowly taking him off of it as I don't think there is much left to lose. I do agree a doctor's advice is always best but sometimes after spending 50+ years with a person, you know that person much better than a doctor. Thank you for all your responses as I really appreciate them and the fact there are people out there we can talk to.

I wondered the same thing. "Why are there no "tell tale" signs? Mom has been on Namenda for 3 years now. She is 7th stage Dementia and her days are numbered according to Hospice and (like alwayslearning said), it's really hard to know what it would be like without the drug. Even this close to passing I'm still not going to change her meds. My philosophy has always been; "if it's not broken, don't fix it." It's just hard to tell how much more time the Namenda or Aricept has given her...

Namenda's purpose is to SLOW THE PROGRESSION of the disease IN THE EARLY STAGES. (That's why NotHisFault's husband's neurologist said the medication could be stopped at a certain level of dementia.) The point is, you are not going to be able to see what it's doing. You can't compare how quickly or slowly your loved one is deteriorating with the medication, to how fast they'd deteriorate without it. That's the kind of thing that can only be measured in large data groups of many people -- the kind of thing it's the neurologist's job to know. So don't just decide based on a gut feeling about not liking medication or whatever. Talk to the neurologist and get expert advice.

I hear ya' raven and Cat! My husband (stage 6 Lewy Body Dementia, which has a Parkinson's component) was first put on Aricept - and then two years later, the Neurologist added Namenda. After a year, I saw absolutely no difference. The Neurologist said that at my husband's level of dementia, Namenda could be discontinued - so I cut his 10 mg pill in half for two weeks and then stopped it altogether after that. That was six months ago and there has been no change whatsoever. Having said that, everyone is different. This was just my experience. I only want my husband on meds he really needs - so I agree, the fewer, the better.

Thank you for your reply. Since I haven't noticed any difference (he's been on it for several years) I have started to cut the pills in half and wean him off of them. I don't like giving him all that medication if he doesn't need it. Yes, I have tried the coconut oil, and although I didn't notice a difference, I still use it periodically to cook with. Everyone is different so if your mother is using it, I hope it works for her. God Bless!

My mother was prescribed Namenda 10 mg to help with her dementia. At one time they believed she had Parkinson's also but since there is no blood test for it, it was pure speculation. I have not noticed much change for her and from what I understand via her doctors, it will either help or it won't. I know this is not much help to you but just wanted to let you know that I saw no change in my mother. I did not keep her on the medication because if it is not doing anything for her, I would rather her not take it. Less side effects!

Have you tried coconut oil?