When taken with donepezil, certain steroids can decrease the level of donepezil in your body. This means it may not work as well to treat your dementia. Certain stomach medications and donepezil work in opposite ways. These medications work similarly to donepezil. However, because drugs interact differently in each person, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible interactions. All possible dosages and forms may not be included here.
Your dose, form, and how often you take it will depend on:. Your doctor will increase your dosage slowly if needed. This gives the drug time to work and lowers your risk of side effects.
You may need a lower dosage or a different dosing schedule. However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this list includes all possible dosages. Always speak with your doctor or pharmacist about dosages that are right for you. Donepezil may cause a slow heart rate and fainting. Call your doctor right away if this happens. Your risk of this issue may be higher if you have heart problems.
Donepezil can increase your stomach acid, which raises your risk of stomach bleeding or ulcers. The risk is higher for people with a history of ulcers, and people on aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs. Taking it again could be fatal cause death. For people with heart problems: Tell your doctor if you have heart problems, especially issues with irregular, slow, or fast heart rate.
You have a higher risk for experiencing a slow heart rate and fainting while taking donepezil. For people with stomach ulcers or bleeding: Talk with your doctor if you have a history of stomach problems, ulcers, or bleeding. Donepezil may increase the amount of acid in your stomach. This may put you at risk of having another stomach ulcer or bleed. For people with lung problems: Talk with your doctor if you have asthma or other lung diseases.
Donepezil may make these conditions worse, so it needs to be used with caution. For people with bladder problems: Donepezil may block your bladder, making it difficult to urinate. For people with seizures or epilepsy: Donepezil may cause seizures. Tell your doctor if you have a history of seizures. For people with liver problems: Talk to your doctor if you have a history of liver problems.
This puts you at a greater risk of side effects. For pregnant women: Donepezil is a category C pregnancy drug. Taken at bedtime, patients are able to sleep through these side effects. However, a US study published in the Mental Health Clinician, found that almost half of patients have vivid dreams or nightmares if they take the medication in the evening only half reported these problems if they took the drug in the morning. Researchers said: "Patients were three times more likely to report sleep disturbances if they were taking donepezil at night.
Urgent advice: Contact for advice now if:. You've taken more than your usual dose of donepezil and: you're feeling dizzy or sick, or you're being sick you're drooling or sweating a lot you have a slow heart rate you're having breathing problems you faint or have a seizure or fit. Take the donepezil packet, or the leaflet inside it, plus any remaining medicine with you.
Like all medicines, donepezil can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them. Common side effects The most common side effects of donepezil happen in more than 1 in people. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if these side effects bother you or do not go away: diarrhoea feeling sick nausea headache feeling sleepy in the daytime or feeling dizzy Serious side effects Less than 1 in people have serious side effects with donepezil.
Call a doctor straight away if you, or the person you're caring for, have: yellow skin or the whites of your eyes turn yellow, or if you have pale poo and dark pee — these can be signs of liver problems severe indigestion, heartburn or stomach pain, severe or continued vomiting — these can be signs of an ulcer in your stomach or gut black poo, or blood or something that looks like coffee grounds in your vomit — these can be signs of internal bleeding muscle weakness or cramps and pains in your muscles that you did not have before — these can sometimes be signs of muscle and kidney problems high temperature together with stiff muscles, sweating, confusion and seeing or hearing things that are not there — these can be signs of a rare side effect called neuroleptic malignant syndrome.
Immediate action required: Call and ask for an ambulance if:. Serious allergic reaction In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis to donepezil. Information: You can report any suspected side effect to the UK safety scheme.
What to do about: diarrhoea — drink lots of fluids, such as water or squash, to avoid dehydration. Signs of dehydration include peeing less than usual or having dark strong-smelling pee. Do not take any other medicines to treat diarrhoea, including rehydration salts, without first speaking to a pharmacist or doctor feeling sick — it may help to avoid eating very rich, fatty or spicy food headache — make sure you rest and drink plenty of fluids.
If it's bothering you, ask a pharmacist to recommend a painkiller. Talk to a doctor if your headaches last longer than a week or are severe feeling sleepy in the daytime or feeling dizzy — try taking your medicine at night. If you feel dizzy or tired do not drive or ride a bike until you feel more alert. Talk to a doctor if these effects bother you, or do not get better As your body gets used to donepezil, these side effects should wear off.
Tell your doctor if you or the person you're caring for: take medicines used for heart problems like amiodarone, atenolol , bisoprolol , digoxin and verapamil take medicines for epilepsy, such as phenytoin and carbamazepine take anti-inflammatory medicines NSAIDs , such as aspirin including low-dose aspirin or ibuprofen take risperidone, olanzapine or fluoxetine , or any other medicines for mental health issues take antibiotics, such as erythromycin or rifampicin are due to have general or local anaesthetic for an operation or a minor procedure These are not all the medicines that interfere with donepezil.
For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicines packet. Taking donepezil with painkillers It is usually OK to take paracetamol with donepezil.
Mixing donepezil with herbal medicines and supplements St John's wort can lower the levels of donepezil in your blood. Important Tell a doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal remedies, vitamins or supplements. How does it work?
However, by increasing the amount of acetylcholine in your brain, donepezil can help with symptoms like: forgetting recent conversations and where you put things forgetting how to do things, like making a cup of tea thinking slowly, for example taking longer to reply to what someone says finding it more difficult to understand complicated things, like managing money feeling anxious not wanting to do things It does not seem to help with symptoms like being agitated or aggressive.
Information: Recommended reading Find out more about how drugs like donepezil work on the Alzheimer's Society website. How long does it take to work? You may notice it starts to help with: remembering things like conversations and where you put things being able to do everyday activities, like making a cup of tea concentrating on things for longer feeling less anxious feeling more motivated to do things Donepezil does not help everyone in the same way. Keep taking your donepezil every day, unless your doctor tells you to stop.
How long will I take it for? Talk to your doctor if you are worried that donepezil is no longer working. Is it safe to take for a long time?
There is no evidence that donepezil will harm you if you take it for a long time. Donepezil was recommended to be given at night due to the occurrence of adverse effects. The drug can cause significant GI upset. To a lesser extent, it may cause dizziness and other CNS effects.
The thought is that giving this medication at night will allow the patient to be sleeping when the drug is at its highest concentration and present the highest risk for adverse effects. There is NO added clinical efficacy or even potential for added efficacy by giving donepezil at night.
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