PSA: many common drugs (OTC & prescribed) can increase risk of cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's, etc.

[Laurie4b]

Many common drugs such as those used for colds, allergies, and stomach upset, are counter-indicated if you are at risk for dementia, either because of age (elderly shouldn't take them) or because of family history. They can cause it directly or can accelerate the symptoms of underlying Alzheimer's, etc.  There is conflicting data on whether discontinuing them reverses the damage or not. Many primary care physicians who do not specialize in geriatrics do not know this. 

 

Categories of drugs that need to be checked out: drugs for allergies, insomnia, indigestion, depression/anxiety, and others.

 

This Huffington Post article is  accurate in every area I've checked it and accessible to the general reader. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leo-galland-md/memory-loss-drugs-_b_822245.html

 

The Beers List is put out by the American Geriatric Association. It is less easy to read, but if you have a specific interest, you can ascertain the info.  http://www.americangeriatrics.org/files/documents/beers/2012AGSBeersCriteriaCitations.pdf

It's a good one if you need to convince a primary care physician to pay attention to you. 

 

Scroll down to Table 3 and look for Dementia and Cognitive impairment.

 

The H2 receptor antagonists include many OTC and prescription stomach meds  

 

The anticholinergic drugs are listed in a separate table. (Table 9) They include drugs such as Bendryl, Claritin, etc.  

 

 

http://www.agingbraincare.org/uploads/products/ACB_scale_-_legal_size.pdf  This is a scale ranking the burden of anticholingeric drugs. 

 

I am in great heartache because of lack of this knowledge with regards to a loved one. I hope that this will prevent the same for someone else. 

 

[Luckymama]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing.

[JFSinIL]

The pill I need so I do not have to run to the bathroom every hour each day or so (waking 3 - 4 times per night for same!) can cause dementia.  Both my folks have dementia, so am probably  doomed anyway.  But, seriously, I need to NOT feel the need to run to the bathroom (stupid middle-aged Mom bladder!) NOW.   I only wake once at night now, and luckily drop right back to sleep.  That I can live with.

 

The pills (six of them so far) my one son with bipolar (etc ) needs to almost be stable (getting there) are probably doing a number on his liver etc for down the road...but he is 24 and needs to get on with his life NOW. 

 

If you need a med, you need a med.  Sometimes you have to decide whether or not to live with a potential (or probable) side effect down the road in order to have a reasonable quality of life NOW. 

[skimerinkydo]

My mother has dementia but did not take OTC medicines or medications in general - she was anti-doctor and anti-meds. She also avoided deodorant and aluminum cookware because she thought they would cause dementia - but she still got it. I'm sure there are many factors that influence the development of dementia. Eliminating one known factor does not necessarily mean you will avoiding getting the disease.

[Laurie4b]

The pill I need so I do not have to run to the bathroom every hour each day or so (waking 3 - 4 times per night for same!) can cause dementia.  Both my folks have dementia, so am probably  doomed anyway.  But, seriously, I need to NOT feel the need to run to the bathroom (stupid middle-aged Mom bladder!) NOW.   I only wake once at night now, and luckily drop right back to sleep.  That I can live with.

 

The pills (six of them so far) my one son with bipolar (etc ) needs to almost be stable (getting there) are probably doing a number on his liver etc for down the road...but he is 24 and needs to get on with his life NOW. 

 

If you need a med, you need a med.  Sometimes you have to decide whether or not to live with a potential (or probable) side effect down the road in order to have a reasonable quality of life NOW. 

 

I'm sorry. Sounds like what I wrote was triggering. I was not intending to judge people taking meds they need and making hard choices between now and then. I have my own hard choices in other areas.   However, my loved one was taking 3 of these drugs for minor issues. Not sure any issues actually required meds, but alternatives were available if so.  I wish that the members of my family had known so that the tragedy we are facing could have been avoided.

[Renthead Mommy]

 

 

Categories of drugs that need to be checked out: drugs for allergies, insomnia, indigestion, depression/anxiety, and others.

 

 

 

MIL had early onset Alzheimer's.  They called it drug induced or something like that.  Of the above she took things for insomnia, indigestion, depression/anxiety, and OCD for 25ish years.

 

 But we also think a very large part of the problem was the 40+ Diet cokes she drank a week. (OCD)

[Laurie4b]

My mother has dementia but did not take OTC medicines or medications in general - she was anti-doctor and anti-meds. She also avoided deodorant and aluminum cookware because she thought they would cause dementia - but she still got it. I'm sure there are many factors that influence the development of dementia. Eliminating one known factor does not necessarily mean you will avoiding getting the disease.

 

I am so sorry that your mother got dementia despite her best efforts. I had a sweet friend who died of lung cancer in her 30s. She was not a smoker. I have still tried over the years to get loved ones to stop smoking because that is a known risk factor.

 

I have a  high risk of Alzheimers personally.   I am not a pollyanna about it. However, whatever is within my choices that will reduce the risk is something I want to do. Perhaps what I do is all futile, but I believe I have my best chance of at least delaying its onset or maximizing my chances of avoiding it  by reducing any risk factors within my control since genetics are not. Depending on the load of anticholinergic drugs, you can increase your risk 2-3 times. If my risk is already 60-80%, I don't need that.

 

Most people, even many primary care doctors (according to NIH), are not aware of the risks of these drugs. Hence the PSA.  I wish my loved one would have had the benefit of this knowledge. 

[goldberry]

Just mentioning the info also includes tricyclic antidepressants.  My mom has been on amitryptaline for years.  There are so many other antidepressants out there, I have to wonder why her doc couldn't have picked another one.

 

Also, I agree, when you need a med you need a med.  But I read that for the bladder thing, as an example, some people are taking the drugs and the drugs don't even help, but they still take them.  It it works for someone, and there's not an alternative, of course you have to do what you need.  But it's worth asking some questions anyway.

 

ETA my mom also has had lots of skin problems and has been on Benadryl on and off pretty regularly.

[JoJosMom]

Many common drugs such as those used for colds, allergies, and stomach upset, are counter-indicated if you are at risk for dementia, either because of age (elderly shouldn't take them) or because of family history. They can cause it directly or can accelerate the symptoms of underlying Alzheimer's, etc.  There is conflicting data on whether discontinuing them reverses the damage or not. Many primary care physicians who do not specialize in geriatrics do not know this. 

 

Categories of drugs that need to be checked out: drugs for allergies, insomnia, indigestion, depression/anxiety, and others.

 

This Huffington Post article is  accurate in every area I've checked it and accessible to the general reader. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leo-galland-md/memory-loss-drugs-_b_822245.html

 

The Beers List is put out by the American Geriatric Association. It is less easy to read, but if you have a specific interest, you can ascertain the info.  http://www.americangeriatrics.org/files/documents/beers/2012AGSBeersCriteriaCitations.pdf

It's a good one if you need to convince a primary care physician to pay attention to you. 

 

Scroll down to Table 3 and look for Dementia and Cognitive impairment.

 

The H2 receptor antagonists include many OTC and prescription stomach meds  

 

The anticholinergic drugs are listed in a separate table. (Table 9) They include drugs such as Bendryl, Claritin, etc.  

 

 

http://www.agingbraincare.org/uploads/products/ACB_scale_-_legal_size.pdf  This is a scale ranking the burden of anticholingeric drugs. 

 

I am in great heartache because of lack of this knowledge with regards to a loved one. I hope that this will prevent the same for someone else. 

 

Thank you for sharing. :001_smile:

 

[Laurie4b]

Just mentioning the info also includes tricyclic antidepressants.  My mom has been on amitryptaline for years.  There are so many other antidepressants out there, I have to wonder why her doc couldn't have picked another one.

 

Also, I agree, when you need a med you need a med.  But I read that for the bladder thing, as an example, some people are taking the drugs and the drugs don't even help, but they still take them.  It it works for someone, and there's not an alternative, of course you have to do what you need.  But it's worth asking some questions anyway.

 

ETA my mom also has had lots of skin problems and has been on Benadryl on and off pretty regularly.

 

If your mom is in the elderly category (that may start in the 60s? I don't really know), if you google around, you'll find that papers written to geriatric doctors suggest alternatives for the drugs on the "avoid" list. 

[IfIOnly]

The pill I need so I do not have to run to the bathroom every hour each day or so (waking 3 - 4 times per night for same!) can cause dementia.  Both my folks have dementia, so am probably  doomed anyway.  But, seriously, I need to NOT feel the need to run to the bathroom (stupid middle-aged Mom bladder!) NOW.   I only wake once at night now, and luckily drop right back to sleep.  That I can live with.

 

The pills (six of them so far) my one son with bipolar (etc ) needs to almost be stable (getting there) are probably doing a number on his liver etc for down the road...but he is 24 and needs to get on with his life NOW. 

 

If you need a med, you need a med.  Sometimes you have to decide whether or not to live with a potential (or probable) side effect down the road in order to have a reasonable quality of life NOW. 

 

:grouphug:  and just wanted to share that many people who take drugs that can cause liver problems take milk thistle to protect their liver. It's well researched and you can find doses on the Mayo Clinic website. You can read milk thistle's many positive, life changing reviews all over the web. For best results, milk thistle should be standardized to contain at least 80% silymarin.

 

 

http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/milk-thistle/dosing/hrb-20059806

 

http://www.iherb.com/milk-thistle-silymarin