Hi Greg,

Head over to groups.google.com and search for "memantine reminyl
aricept" and you'll find lots on the subject.  Here's a clip from a
post of mine way back when.  Many LO's here are taking a combination
of an AChEI--acetylcholinesterase inhibitor such as reminyl or
aricept--and Namenda (memantine).  Hope this helps!

Darryl.

[snip]
By preventing the breakdown of acetylcholine, AChEIs help treat the
symptoms of AD (essentially until the loss of acetylcholinergic
neurons renders the drugs useless).  

It is thought that excessive activation or stimulation of NMDA
receptors, by glutamate or other agonists, may lead to the
degeneration of cholinergic cells.  Memantine *blocks* the NMDA
receptor thereby preventing this activation.

In theory, if memantine slows the destruction of acetylcholine
producing cells and an AChEI prevents the breakdown of acetylcholine,
a slight improvement in a patient's symptoms may result.  If a patient
doesn't respond, it is possible that a) the AD has progressed too far
for the combo to be useful; b) one or both drugs is not be tolerated;
c) it is another form of dementia; d) it wasn't meant to be.

and memantineOn Thu, 11 Mar 2004 19:28:53 -0500, "Greg F"
<fost5097@bellsouth.net> wrote:

Hi Greg,

My wife has been on Aricept for three or four years, 10 mgs per evening. We
just completed the titration routine reaching the 20 mgs per day dose of
Namenda today. There's no telling how well this new drug will do to "help",
and there's no way to know what the consequences of not having included it
in her regimen would have been. So far, there are no ill side effects that
we can see or feel.

Summary: If you can afford it, use it. What's to lose?

Best wishes to you and yours, go'l.

 Hi, Greg:
 My husband has been on Aricept 15mg and Memantine (now Namenda) since
June, 2003. It's not a cure, but it's worked very well for him. He's had no
negative side effects. His MMSE went from 15 last May up to 24 in February.
 As pitirish said, if you can afford to get it, it's worth a try. There's
nothing to lose and you might gain a little time. Good luck.
 Mary K

 > The Dr. prescribed Namenda for my mother's AD.  He said it is in
addition to
 > the Reminyl she is taking.  Has anyone used it or know anything about
it?
 >
 >