Rivastigmine and Anger: What Users Say

• THE...
• April 17, 2012

Rivastigmine for Alzheimer's Disease "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."

• ELL...
• February 26, 2019

For Alzheimer's Disease "75-year-old mom was put on the Exelon patch initial dose February 2018. Cognitively she remained stable with some decline starting 7 months later and agitation. No doctor had mentioned her dose should be increased to the next level until the end of October 2018. At this time she was declining cognitively and more and more aggressive towards my father. This aggression and agitation became worse after increasing the dose. But the doctor felt it was best to continue. Finally, my dad had reached the end of his wire last week (February 22nd, 2019). Her behavior was 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, and wow, she is calmer, easier to direct, and foul language has stopped. I'm hoping this lasts and 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 and Risperidone 0.25 mg twice a day."

• ELL...
• February 26, 2019

For Alzheimer's Disease "75-year-old mom was put on the Exelon patch initial dose February 2018. Cognitively she remained stable with some decline starting 7 months later and agitation. No doctor had mentioned her dose should be increased to the next level until the end of October 2018. At this time she was declining cognitively and more and more aggressive towards my father. This aggression and agitation became worse after increasing the dose. But the doctor felt it was best to continue. Finally, my dad had reached the end of his wire last week (February 22nd, 2019). Her behavior was 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, and wow, she is calmer, easier to direct, and foul language has stopped. I'm hoping this lasts and 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 and Risperidone 0.25 mg twice a day."

• mai...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 27, 2018

For Parkinson's Disease "My mother was given these patches and steadily became aggressive, paranoid, depressed, confused, tired but not sleeping properly, and most worrying, constant visual hallucinations. She was hospitalized for over two months and recovered to her old self. We believe there is some kind of buildup that results in these side effects. She is now off the patches, and we are already seeing a significant improvement."