Meds For Cognition? Anyone have advice?

  Hi everyone! We have had several excellent discussions going about cognitive decline vs. physical decline. Now my questions for all of you is, who is on medication for the cognition?
  Please take a minute to tell us what you are on and what your opinion of the medication is. Is it helping? How bad if at all are the side effects?
  I have an appt. on 12/22 and want to request to be put on SOMETHING for this mental decline but I have no experience with "these" meds. I could turn to the internet but I feel better getting advice from those who know and have been there.

Help Please & Thanks
  Erin:)

[sllowe]

Hi Erin!

I'm not on anything, but know a few of us have gone through cognitive testing to establish a baseline and someone is on Articept, and I'm thinking it's Jens, but my cognition is not too good this a.m., lol, and I'm totally not remembering.  Hopefully they will see this.  

Great idea to establish this discussion in this way,and in the title here so we can find it easier with a search!

ttys,
shell

[monotreme]

Craig's neuro will be putting him on Aricept next month for his cognitive problems.  He said that although it is new in treatment of MS cognition problems, it does show to be very helpful in improving memory etc.  

Elaine

[Erin0313]

  Hi shell & Elaine thanks for your posts! I hope that more people find time and find this post. I would really love to have advice from my friends and their experience before going to the doctor.
  At least I have 1 medicine to ask about so far.

Thanks again
  Erin :)

  

[lbradley35]

I have been having severe cognitive problems for several months and it is really interfering with my job & home life. My neurologist gave me Adderal, it is like Ritalin. I have had to adjust the milligrams 4 times, but it works and I 'm able to focus on my work. Before I got the medication, I would have times where I would lose my thoughts in a conversation, i would forget simple things like adding and subtracting.....it was miserable. I take (3) Adderal XR 20 mg a day.

Lori

[Quixotic1]

For me the Provigil has helped my thinking clarity a lot in addition to the fatigue.

Q

[Fluffysmom]

Ditto on the Provigil for me (though I'm not diagnosed).

Kathy

[Erin0313]

  Thanks for the info. I figure the more I know the better before I see  the doc. Has anyone had side effects from the Adderal or Provigil? How long have you all been taking them?
  I am definately going on something (even the the doc doesn't know it yet) lol. I just want to pick the "right" one.
  Thanks again


  Anyone else have scoop? The more the info the better - right?!
  Erin :)

[meg321]

I have been taking Provigil for a little over a year now and it really helped me a lot in clearing up my mind and focusing but as time goes on my symptoms get worse too.

The only bad side effect is price..lol  Sometimes i remind myself it is far more important to me than new clothes for example..lol

meg

[Fluffysmom]

The price is the only bad side effect of Provigil for me, too, but I figure it is
so worth it to improve my quality of life!

I haven't tried Adderal, but I've asked about it.  The side effects are less than, say, Ritalin, but can still raise your heart rate.  If that doesn't concern you, I'm sure it costs a lot less and you could ask your doc if it would be right for you and see about a trial of it.

If you have a diagnosis (sorry I don't know the answer to that off the top of my head), I think it's easier to get approval for insurance to pay for Provigil, depending on your insurance, of course.

Best of luck and clear thinking,

Kathy

[jensequitur]

I think out of all the drugs out there, Aricept is the best one for strictly cognitive problems.  I've been taking it for four (five?) months now, and I've definitely noticed improvements in my short term memory and attention span.  I feel safer driving to work, and I can remember phone numbers and keep track of change at the grocery store.

The only real side effect I've noticed is long, vivid, but boring dreams.  And sometimes when I go to sleep, I feel like the moire behind my eyeballs is in incredibly high resolution.  I'm on the 5 mg dose - I would probably have more side effects, such as the increased gastric acid, with a higher dose.

[Erin0313]

  Thanks for your scoop. I am very glad to know that Provigal can raise your heart rate. That is a major issue for me as I am already on 2 meds to keep my tachycardia under control.
  I guess there is a chance it wouldn't do that to me since we all react different but I think I will try something else first and save that one for down the road.

  Anyone else have a different medicine or side effects to throw my way?

Thanks,
Erin :)

[jensequitur]

As far as I know, Aricept doesn't raise your heart rate.

[Erin0313]

Hi! Thanks for the info on Aricept. I have a few days left until I see the Doctor and I guess  

Aricept is the front runner. Of course she may not be willing to give me anything, but I
am pretty sure that she will once we talk.

If anyone has scoop on their experience with Aricept or any other cognition helping drug please take a minute to chime in.

Thanks all for your input and time
Erin :)

[doni54]

Great post, Erin, thanks!!

Good luck with your dr, I hope she will prescribe one of these for you.  If she does, let us know how it's working.  

I've been thinking of asking about this when I go to my neuro appt in Jan. I need something!! Short term memory gets worse by the day!!

doni

[jensequitur]

Make sure you write it down!  I almost forgot to ask about it, and I had a list...  

[Erin0313]

  Ok I am not insulted at all because I already did write it down, lol :)

  I will keep you posted - maybe I will have good news / advice for you doni

Hugs
Erin:)

[jensequitur]

Whups!  My post was for Doni.  I figured you were taking notes, Erin.  But even if you write it down, you still have to remember to ask about it - which I almost forgot to do at the last appointment.