Rivastigmine for Alzheimer's Disease User Reviews

• Relie...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 5, 2015

Exelon (rivastigmine) "Mom, 85, started using the Exelon Patch (13.9) about one year ago, and it has made such a wonderful improvement in her mood, quality of life, and cognitive ability. It has given her back a life and provided the family quality time to enjoy her. Before the patch, her memory was poor, she was agitated and continually negative, suspicious, and lashing out at everyone. Thanks to the Exelon patch, she's able to have a normal, peaceful life, without any type of side effects. We feel very blessed to have been told about the patch, and I try to inform people with similar situations of the impact it has had on my mom."

• THEco...
• April 17, 2012

Exelon (rivastigmine) "I am 71, and my mom died at 91 after a long decline into total dementia, though not Alzheimer's. When she was given Exelon, she became quite difficult and insulting, so we took her off. I was experiencing initial stages of decline at the time, and so I tried her remaining patches for 10 days, at 4mg strength. I immediately felt an improvement in clarity and motivation, but I am under heavy blood pressure medicines and still did not have the ability to do all I wanted. After 10 days, I stopped the patches and quickly went back to my somewhat confused and listless situation. Three months later, I got a prescription and began using the patches again with significant improvement. But a 9.5 dose makes me aggressive. The problem is the price."

• Wife...
• February 16, 2015

Exelon (rivastigmine) "My husband has advanced Alzheimer's and has been on 3 weeks of the 4.6 patch. He has become sexually active after months of no sex, but now wants it every night. I'm afraid to get him to the next level."

• Anonymous
• January 24, 2015

Exelon (rivastigmine) "My mother has been on the patch with no side effects at all. She has only been taking it for a few weeks, but I can tell a huge change in her confusion, and she's not as aggressive. The only problem is how expensive it is."

• JoanieP
• July 14, 2015

Exelon (rivastigmine) "My mother was put on the patch several years ago. It is difficult to measure its effectiveness with a degenerative disease, but I think she has declined a little slower than others I have seen. However, the cost is terrible even after Medicare Part D pays."

• not...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 2, 2016

Exelon (rivastigmine) "I have 7 immediate family members that had Alzheimer's and died, except my younger sister, Debra, age 61. She resides in a nursing home and was admitted 1/13/13. My doctor put me on the Exelon patch around that time. I have enjoyed extra energy. I have been diagnosed with mild cognitive loss. I am 63. No adverse side effects from the Exelon patch. Don't like the black gummy circle it leaves on skin. On 9/20/2015, I went to my pharmacy for my Exelon patch. The script they gave me was for rivastigmine, with a bright red sticker: a generic equivalent drug has been dispensed of the same quality and at a lower price. Untrue. It falls off and sticks to clothes. 1st script at generic price, 2nd and on full price of Exelon. Insurance won't pay."

• Careg...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 18, 2019

"I gave my 82 year old mother 1 Rivastigmine 6mg capsule and I almost lost her. It started out with profuse sweating, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Rushed to hospital, she could not speak, arm spasms, confusion, hypothermia, sepsis, altered mental status, hypertension and atrial fibrillation. This medication almost was the end for my mother. It is poison!!!! It took a week for this medication to get out of her system. All I have to say..DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICATION/POISON!!!!"

• Dustys...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 21, 2017

Exelon (rivastigmine) "I used one month's worth of the 4.6 patches without any problems. I stepped up to the next level (I think 9.5) and immediately had headaches, nausea and tardive dyskinesia. I went back down to the 4.6 level and now have constant headaches, nausea and ringing in my ears."

• xeon
• June 5, 2013

Exelon (rivastigmine) "My father has been on the patch now about 2 1/2 months for Alzheimer's dementia. He stepped up to the 13.3 mg about 2 weeks ago and the patches don't want to stay on. Nurse asked if they could use skin prep before the application; but Novartis helpline didn't answer that question. They are going to check out the lot the patches came from to be sure it's not a manufacturer issue. "

• 63...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 19, 2017

"The patch seemed to make me more clear in my thought process, more aware of my surroundings, and I was able to be more active. HOWEVER, the serious burning on the skin caused me to stop the drug. For the first 10 days, I did not have skin irritation from the patches; on the 11th day, a patch SERIOUSLY burned my skin, then all the other sites became serious wounds. Drainage, severe itching, infections, and probable permanent scarring."

• Fores...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 20, 2020

"My mom was put on the smaller dosage patch of rivastigmine for a few weeks and after little improvement with her Alzheimer's disease was upped to a larger patch. She has been on it for 7 months and has seen wonderful improvement. She has so many good days compared to before the patch! Recently she even started reading again, which used to be her passion. We are so grateful for this medication."

• Warmd...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 8, 2019

"My aunt was prescribed Exelon patch after being on Aricept for two years. Her mmse scores dropped 10 points within one year(out of total score 30)! This patch did not stop her decline, and might even promote the decline! Be careful!!"

• ELLE
• February 26, 2019

"75yr old mom was put on the Exelon patch initial dose Feb 2018. Cognitively she remained stable with some decline starting 7 months later & agitation. No doc had mentioned her dose should be increased to the next level until the end of Oct 2018. At this time she was declining cognitively & more & more aggressive towards my father. This aggression & agitation became worse after increasing the dose. But Doc felt it was best to continue. Finally my Dad had reached the end of his wire last week (Feb 22nd 2019) Her behavior so difficult to deal with. Spitting, swearing, punching, uncontrollable at the stores i.e. Wanting to buy so much. He stopped applying the patch 4 days ago & wow she is calmer, easier to direct & foul language has stopped. I'm hoping this lasts & isn't temporary. Not sure at this point if she should go back to the lower dose patch or try Aricept or just leave her as is now with 12.5 Seroquel twice a day & respirodone 0.25mg twice a day"

• Dad...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 1, 2022

"My father’s dementia diagnosis has never been clear. Although treated for Alzheimer’s, he also suffered with hallucinations which was an indicator of Lewy Bodies. My father’s “dementia” was treated with Rivastigmine for approx 7 years with a steady increase in dosage as the dementia worsened. The last 2 years he was on the highest dose. His hallucinations had worsened significantly and he became very agitated. He began to climb on furniture. My father was physically fit at this stage. I asked for a review of his medications to see if being treated for Lewy Bodies rather than Alzheimer’s would be beneficial. The consultant decided to try Memantine. However the consultant abruptly stopped the Rivastigmine. He was never given the Memantine. Within 72 hours my father had severe withdrawal symptoms. He had complete cognitive failure he could no longer walk or talk. He couldn’t support his head and could no longer swallow. He died at age 78 two days later."

• Sarah
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 10, 2020

"Mom started the rivastigmine at a dose 4.6 and in 24hrs she had improved significantly. She napped less, laughed and actually recalled my brother's phone number. However, after 4 weeks she went up to 9 mg patch and in a few days I noticed she wasn't as sprite. Bit agitated, napping more, unsteady its like she reverted to no treatment at all. See what doc suggests"

• Ron
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 30, 2018

"Side effects and risks make this a dangerous drug to try. Have your pharmacist check for interactions with other drugs taken. Bad choice for patients with heart problems, or if on heart medications. Bad choice if on antipsychotics. Exelon can cause hypertension and slow the heart and other very bad side effects like tremor and dizziness. Doctors may not monitor the effects of this medication adequately. Read about its side effects very carefully."

• Spicy
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 22, 2019

"rivastigmine medication is very expensive and I could not tell that it was helping my wife, I had such high expectations that I got 3 month supply and now had to take her off because she has trouble breathing and sweating problems."

• Anonymous
• December 31, 2011

"My husband has had seven months of extra added quality of life following the Rivastigmine patch was prescribed back in March. Unfortunately the effect appears to have been lost over the past six weeks. I am now waiting for advice on how to discontinue the use of the patch and fear the return of confusion, restlessness, agitation due to awareness of the memory problem."

• PA user
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 25, 2023

"We tried the patch, 4.6mg, for 2 months on our 81-year-old mother. For the first few weeks, there seemed to be about a 2 percent improvement in her mood during the day. She was still argumentative at night. However, she quickly developed almost all of the side effects including dizziness, insomnia, diarrhea, and her delusions increased. She became extremely hostile at night and consistently tried to leave. We had to block the doors at night. Once, she came at me with her hairbrush. At no time did her memory or clarity improve. We are furious with the doctor who prescribed this medication. It cost us $100 per month and did nothing but make her worse! You are supposed to change the application site every 24 hours and not put it there again for 2 weeks. How is someone with dementia going to remember where they put it last and not repeat that area for 2 weeks? If we hadn't brought her to stay with us, who knows what would have happened to her!"

• Don...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 14, 2022

"Takes a few weeks to start seeing results for me. But my long term memory is much improved and short term had moderate improvement. Donepezil messes up my sleep. Galantamine makes me shake. But rivastigmine is so smooth and offers more long term improvement being slowly reversible and also the only acetylcholinesterase inhibitor that reduces butylcholinesterase in the glia of brain."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 23, 2022

"My wife was in the bathtub when the rivastigmine patch floated by. Her personality changed dramatically. The next day a similar thing happened when she was in the shower. The patch came off and that was when I put two and two together and realized that the rivastigmine was calming her personality and she could mix in with a group of people and they didn't know that she was suffering from Alzheimer's disease. I know right away if I forgot to put the patch on or if I forgot. Now, I won't leave home without it. Don Halabisky"

• Anonymous
• October 9, 2008

Exelon (rivastigmine) "I've only been using this medication (patch) for a month but the positive effects it has had on me are spectacular. It has eased my discomfort and confusion. I have experienced no side effects at all."

• Anonymous
• February 21, 2010

Exelon (rivastigmine) "Helped my dad with this patch. He was less agitated, better behaved, and was able to do more for himself."

• coffe...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 24, 2015

Exelon (rivastigmine) "this med does nothing but empty my wallet and make me nuts. You are really crazy if you take------it does nothing except screw with your mind"

• Anonymous
• November 21, 2008

Exelon (rivastigmine) "My mum had quite a few side effects."