Has anyone used Marinol for late stage Alzheimer's?

Garry, your idea of taking your dad to a geriatric psychiatrist is right on the mark. I hope you can get him in soon. Meanwhile, you could ask his current doctor about Marinol. It won't hurt to ask and he or she might go along with the idea.

We in this community know the pain of watching loved ones decline. Please keep coming back so you can let us know how your dad - and you - are doing.
Carol

Marinol helps with appetite. Cannabis, a pinch of fresh leaf is useful for glaucoma and high blood pressure. In any patient you must be careful of drug interactions.
THC blocks an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase, which speeds the formation of amyloid plaque in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.

The Alzheimer's drugs Aricept and Cognex work by blocking acetylcholinesterase. When tested at double the concentration of THC, Aricept blocked plaque formation only 22% as well as THC, and Cognex blocked plaque formation only 7% as well as THC.
That being said, THC appears to be a preventive, something that blocks the progression of Alzheimer's. It will not undo damage already present.

Any drug in late stage ALZ only prolongs the long goodbye. Make your loved ones as comfortable as possible. My mthr responds well to an antidepressant and an anti schizophrenia drug which controls her hallucinations. I'm not so worried about them shortening her life, as that could be a blessing to her. She is not going to recover, only get worse, and if the drug makes her happier, that is a good thing.

Thanks for your answer. My heart is breaking for my Dad. It seems like he is declining rapidly, not eating well, not being able to swallow pills. He wakes up every morning lately, crying and looking for where all the people went. Calls himself a bum and seems so sad and confused. I'm trying to get a geriatric psychiatrist to see him and get him properly treated. Tried Aricept once, and his anorexia and diarrhea problems got worse(he had radiation treatment for prostate cancer six years ago). I just want him to have some happiness. I read of Marinol helping late stage alz and was wondering if it's worth a shot. Any advice is most appreciated.

Garry, I would certainly ask the MD for the Rx for at least a trial run.

Did not use marinol for my mom but my sister in law tried about 2 months before her death from peritoneal cancer which matastized in her liver. It knocked her out completely like morphine would do to some people. She chose not to use so she could be more alert. This is the only experience i had with marinol. I have no experience using it with dementia.

Patients in Maryland and elsewhere may purchase cannabis (a/k/a/ medical marijuana) for medicinal purposes by asking your primary care physician for a universal prescription. You certainly do not have to go to Oregon, Washington, nor Colorado for this common substance.

My father took Marinol and it gave him his appetite back, but my dad did not have late stage Alzheimer's. I don't believe that Marinol will help with memory or anxiety issues. But you should talk to the physician, he can give you some medication to make your fathers last days more comfortable.

Cannibus --------- Sadly, I don't live in Colorado nor Washington (Seattle), but Maryland -- What do I do?

Cannibus is not legal in most of the nation