Has anyone got a partner on rivastigmine? My husband's consultant has suggested this for his currently mild memory loss. Needless to say I'm distraught at the thought he might be heading towards dementia. Any words of comfort out there please?
I was recommended Rivastigmine for my mum as she recently had a bad fall and this drug was recently said to reduce the risk of falls. We asked our neurologist who wouldn't prescribe the drug for us as it is still in stage 3 clinical trial and he said he couldnt precribe anything that isn't solidly found to cure this ailment (I forget the actual terminology used) but I am surprised as a parkinsons sufferer your husband is being considered for the drug.
Hi budgies
My husband was prescribed Rivastigmine for 'mild cognitive impairment'. It did help for a while but I am sorry to say that he did eventually suffer with dementia. BUT you must keep positive and remember that all cases are different and progress in different ways and at different speeds. I wish I could say that it won't happen but I can't. If you need to, you are welcome to message me. Worrals
Hi JB78
I wonder if you are confusing this drug with something else?
Rivastigmine is not involved in clinical trials and is available for memory problems.
It has , to my knowledge, no influence on falls.
Perhaps you could clarify at your next visit and see if there is something that could help with the falls...a Zimmer frame is often helpful or meds if low blood pressure is a factor.
Take care
GG
Hi JB
Rivastigmine has been approved and used to treat early Alzheimer's and Parkinson's dementia for at least 5 years (longer in the case of Alzheimer's). My husband, who had Parkinson's, was prescribed it 5 years ago for mild cognitive impairment.
If a different use (i.e. to reduce the risk of falls) has been proposed then it would have to be trialled specifically for that and would not be prescribed for that new use until those trials have been completed.
Worrals.
Thank you worrals and goldengirl for your responses, and also for clarifying JB78's comments, which I must admit filled me with alarm. I had to conclude that JB78 was talking about a different drug, as it was an eminent professor specialising in PD who suggested Rivastigmine for my husband, and he would know the available/best drugs better than most
So sorry to hear about your husband, worrals, but I greatly appreciate your supportive comments. Do you mind me asking how long your husband has had PD? I do try to take comfort from the fact that not everyone suffering from mild cognitive impairment goes on to develop dementia, but being a negative thinker it's an uphill struggle right now.
My husband is also on Rivastigmine, since June last year It can only be prescribed, in our area, by the memory clinic. hH was very quickly moved form the lower dose to he higher dose but unfortuanately it doesn't seem to be having any popsitive effect.
Additionally, he been prescribed 4 different brands of the drug over those months, with the memory clinic saying that they cannot prescribe the same brand each time!!!! As he IS prescribed the same brand of Requip every time, I find this very difficult to accept. How can you rate the efficacy of the drug when it is different each time??
OK the basic ingredient IS the same BUT whatever they pad it out with may be very different as we found many years ago when Requip was replaced by the, any brand/ generic, Ropinirole.
Apologies for confusion and certainly any alarm I have caused!
I was referring to the trials that are being done now on this drug and falls- http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/858310
Regarding memory problems and this drug I have little to contribute.
Good luck all.
My husband started Rivastigmine at the end of August. I think it has improved his concentration slightly. He is tending to read a little more and watches a little more TV. Not a huge difference but it is perhaps early days yet and we need a bit more time. I live in hope.
Thanks for your post carnation, which I've only just seen, or I would have acknowledged earlier. My husband started on Rivastigmine tablets this morning, although I would have preferred the patches. Our doctor said that, for financial reasons, she needs to start him on tablets to see if these are well tolerated before she can justify to the "powers that be" a change to the costly patches. Is your husband on tablets or patches, may I ask?