Alzheimer's Disease: Should I Take Medicines?

You may want to have a say in this decision, or you may simply want to follow your doctor's recommendation. Either way, this information will help you understand what your choices are so that you can talk to your doctor about them.

Alzheimer's Disease: Should I Take Medicines?

Here's a record of your answers. You can use it to talk with your doctor or loved ones about your decision.

Get the facts

Your options

  • Treat Alzheimer's disease with medicines for as long as they are helpful.
  • Don't take medicines. Try other ways to improve thinking and memory and to reduce confusion.

Key points to remember

  • Medicines can't cure Alzheimer's disease, but they can slow it down for a while and make it easier to live with. They may relieve symptoms such as having trouble thinking and remembering things.
  • Medicines may not work for everyone. Even if they do work, they may not make a big difference in how you think and remember.
  • Medicines may cost a lot. You can try taking them for a while to see if they help and if that help is worth the cost to you.
  • These medicines have side effects, but many people are able to take them without problems. Side effects can include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, belly pain, weight loss, and lack of hunger.
  • Some people with Alzheimer's disease are able to keep up their daily activities for many years, even if they do them at a reduced level or in different ways. If you decide not to take medicine, you can help yourself by scaling back on activities to match your abilities. You can also try scheduling activities during the times of day when you can best handle them.

FAQs

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Current as of: July 31, 2024

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.

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