Treats symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, such as problems with memory, concentration, and judgment.
Brand Names:
Namenda
Contraindications:
You should not use this medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to memantine.
Uses:
Tablet
Your doctor will tell you how much of this medicine to use and how often. Your dose may need to be changed several times in order to find out what works best for you. Do not use more medicine or use it more often than your doctor tells you to. Most people need to wait at least one week between dose changes.
You may take this medicine with or without food.
If a dose is missed:
If you miss a dose or forget to use your medicine, use it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then to use the medicine and skip the missed dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.
Storage:
Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light.
Ask your pharmacist, doctor, or health caregiver about the best way to dispose of any outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
Keep all medicine away from children and never share your medicine with anyone.
Special precautions:
Before taking, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to any medications. tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking. tell your doctor if you have or have ever had heart failure or liver disease. tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking, call your doctor
Make sure your doctor knows if you are also using amantadine (Symmetrel®), ketamine (Ketalar®), cimetidine (Tagamet®), ranitidine (Zantac®), or quinidine (Cardioquin®, Quinaglute®, Quinidex®).
Your doctor needs to know if you are using a diuretic or "water pill," such as acetazolamide, hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), methazolamide, triamterene, Diamox®, Dyazide®, Dyrenium®, Maxzide®, Neptazane®. Make sure your doctor knows if you are also using an antacid or laxative that contains sodium bicarbonate, such as Alka-Seltzer®. Sodium bicarbonate is the same thing as baking soda or bicarbonate of soda.
Talk to your doctor before using a cold or cough medicine that contains dextromethorphan. Some brand names are DayQuil®, NyQuil®, Robitussin® DM, or TheraFlu®.
Tell your doctor if you smoke or if you are using a stop-smoking aid that contains nicotine (such as Nicoderm®, Nicotrol®, or Nicorette®).
Warnings:
Make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or breast feeding, or if you have epilepsy or liver disease. Tell your doctor if you have any problems with your kidneys or bladder.
Call your doctor if you get a urinary tract infection. This includes any infection in your bladder or kidneys. Your dose of this medicine might need to be changed while you have an infection.
Side Effects:
Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
Allergic reaction: Itching or hives, swelling in your face or hands, swelling or tingling in your mouth or throat, chest tightness, trouble breathing.
Chest pain.
Dizziness, fainting.
Severe sleepiness, restlessness, seeing or hearing things that are not there.
