Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Tuesday, July 19, 2011 Paulette M asks

Q: My husband was diagnosis with mild dementia two years ago.

Just recently my husband join a VFW with some ex-marines buddies. Before he didn't socially much. He was a fireman for 35 years and has lots of brothers. But wouldn't go to  that many events with them.  He doesn't want anyone to know what he has.  At the Club The guys sit around and they drinks alot of beer.  He drinks 4 to 5 beers at each social events.  Which can be 3 to 4 nights a week.  Can this effect the Aircept that he is taken.  He also drives home from the events.  I work nights and is concern about his safety.  If I said anything about it he this I am over reacting.  I now I have a long haul here but I am ready to call it QUITS.  Please give me some medical advices.

sincerely,

Paulette M.

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Answers (2)
Carol Bradley Bursack, Health Guide
7/19/11 1:05pm

Hi Paulette,

I just typed "alcohol" and "Aricept" into my search box and found many sites saying the same thing:

 

"Patients taking Aricept should not consume alcohol because the combination may increase sedation and drowsiness. The the sedative effects of alcohol may act as a depressant, obscuring the therapeutic effects of Aricept and complicating treatment."

 

There are relatively few medications that are safe to take with alcohol. Adding to that, when a person has dementia, his or her brain is not working at top capacity, to say the least. Your husband is playing a dangerous game and could end up being arrested for drunken driving or worse. Please try to get him to listen to his doctor or some friend that he trusts. A third party will likely have more luck getting through to him than you will.

 

Good luck,

Carol

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AFA Social Services, Health Guide
8/ 2/11 12:18pm

You are right to be concerned about this situation; it is very serious. While these issues need to be dealt with with great sensitivity and care, such issues also warrant an intervention.  Not only can alcohol interfere with his medications, but the effects of the alcohol can aggravate symptoms, such as confusion or drowsiness.  Additionally, driving while under the influence is illegal and this behavior is risky on many levels.  You may wish to involve your husband's physician in this matter, perhaps enlisting his help in not only getting your husband to cut down on his drinking, but to cut down on the driving as well.  Depending upon the level of his cognitive impairment, it is possible that your husband should not be driving at all anymore.  As your husband may not want to hear these things from you directly, enlisting the assistance from a neutral third party, such as his physican or a trusted neighbor or friend, may be an option you wish to explore.

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By Paulette M— Last Modified: 08/02/11, First Published: 07/19/11