My husband was put on Namenda 3 days ago. Yesterday he fell in the shower and had to be helped by EMS. The shower is for the disabled and has the chair the grab bars etc. but still he fell. Could the new medicine have been the cause by making him dizzy etc? I am afraid for his safety every time I leave the room. I am 5'2 and he is 6' and 230 lbs.What can I do to make hm safer . We live alone.
"According to Drugs.com, Namenda can cause such harmful side effects as chest tightness, fever and cough. It can also cause tachycardia (fast heartbeat), decreased urination, lack of coordination and pale skin. Other dangerous side effects include confusion, hallucinations, fainting and hypertension (high blood pressure). Symptoms of high blood pressure include blurry vision, numbness, seizure and severe headache. These symptoms can be lethal, so see your doctor for an evaluation."
"The National Library of Medicine states that hypothermia (low body temperature), heart failure (inability of your heart to pump blood to your body), bradycardia (slow heartbeat), pulmonary embolism (blood clots in your lungs) and convulsions are some side effects of Namenda. The drug can also cause cerebrovascular accident (stroke), melena (black stools), anemia (low red blood cells) and leukopenia (low white blood cells). Namenda can affect your personality and cause nervousness, apathy and paranoia. Other side effects include pneumonia, cataracts and conjunctivitis (eye infection)."
"Avoid Namenda if you are allergic to its ingredients. You may develop difficulty breathing, swelling of your throat, face and lips or hives."
According to a book I am reading by, Sherry Rogers M.D. ALL prescription drugs POISON the biochemical pathways of the body and actually force the body to work against itself thus causing all the side effects listed above. Unfortunately, most doctors are trained to ONLY prescribe drugs that work to ONLY lessen or HIDE the symptoms but NONE of the drugs address the cause for the illness. I don't know about you but if this were my husband, I would immediately DEMAND answers from his doctor and if those answers still include using ANY prescribed drugs, I would do my own research since there are other substances out there that are good for the brain including coconut oil, curcumin (BCM 95), etc. and DUMP his doctor and find a good naturalpathic doctor. Remember, the US medical system is the THIRD leading cause of death in the US after heart disease and cancer and over 100,000 people die each year due to taking drugs as prescribed by their physicians. Good luck and hope this helps.
When my Mom was down I freaked out because she wanted to take more Requip than her bottle prescription said she was allowed. I could not get a hold of my Dad at first and she was getting angry about me for not letting her take another pill after she had just taken one. this was at night . I called Walgreen s 24 hour pharmacy and explained what was going on and the nice pharmacist assured me my Mom would not OD on another dose but could be a fall risk but as she was in bed and does not get out of bed unassisted that was OK. They helped in a pinch. Mom was getting combative over not getting another pill.
Dizziness can be extremely frightening for both the patient AND her/his loved ones. Others have posted very helpful suggestions. Did you contact your husband's prescribing MD? Your Pharmacist (not a tech - the actual Pharmacist) can be very helpful as he/she knows all the meds your husband is taking. As a former Pharmaceutical Rep., I can tell you definitively that many drugs can cause this potentially dangerous reaction, especially if taken concomitantly with certain other drugs, or taken incorrectly. "Namenda is associated with causing dizziness. This is particularly worrisome in seniors who may be susceptible to falling. At the initiation of therapy and at higher dosages, patients and caregivers should be aware of this potential adverse effect and the risk of falling".
Your husband's dizziness may not be the medication. It may be indicative of some other medical problem. How is his blood pressure? Is he hypotensive (low B/P)? Do you live in an area where you have access to a Neurologist who specializes in dizziness? Several years ago, I suffered horrible symptoms of spinning dizziness, triggered when I turned my head to the right. I went to a "Dizzy Doc" who diagnosed me with BPPV (Benign Paroximal Positional Vertigo) in which tiny calcium crystals inside the inner ear become dislodged, and Nystagmus. It's the easiest condition to diagnose (using specialized equipment and a chair reproduces the vertigo and nystagmus). I was "cured" during that same visit.
My sister and I both suffer from Vasovagal Syncope (episodic fainting). Symptoms include feeling: "lightheaded, nauseous, feeling hot or cold (accompanied by sweating), ringing in the ears (tinnitus), an uncomfortable feeling in the heart, fuzzy thoughts, confusion, a slight inability to speak/form words (sometimes combined with mild stuttering), weakness and visual disturbances such as lights seeming too bright, fuzzy or tunnel vision, black cloud-like spots in vision. Symptoms last for a few seconds before the loss of consciousness (if it is lost), which typically happens when the person is sitting up or standing (orthostatic hypotension). Fainting can occur. When sufferers pass out, they fall down (unless this is impeded) and when in this position, effective blood flow to the brain is immediately restored, allowing the person to regain consciousness."
Hopefully your husband and you can uncover the root cause of his dizziness before he (or you) suffer more serious consequences. Hugs to you from someone even shorter (4' 11" here).
My husband had a few vasovegal episodes. OH MY they scare me!!! The first was actually at his 10 year high school reunion. He had a slight cold and we were all in a smoky bar( small school) and I was talking with some girls I didn't know and he was sitting at the bar talking with some guy he went to school with. I looked up and saw his head bob. It was weird. I knew he wasn't drinking because he didn't feel well and was driving. I kept watching him and his head did it again and then he got a funny kinda look in his eyes. I went over to him and asked if he was OK and he could not focus on me!!! And he could not talk!!! He stood up ( bad thing to do we fond out) and his knees buckled and he kept trying to talk and couldn't -I started to freak out-and I yelled someone call 911. This was before cell phones-- I launched over the bar just about to grab the bar tender and said "YOU call 911!!!"and he actually said "NO" I was flummoxed !!! I did not know you could even say NO! I guess he just thought my husband was drunk but I knew he wasn't and I knew something was going on!!! I screamed at the guy "if you do not call 911 I will sue your a22 so bad!!!" he got really mad-grabbed the bar phone and threw it at me. I was shocked!!!! By this time my husband was starting to recover some and he said-"I just need some air. Get me outside" so I glared at the bartender and took my husband outside(geez, I am tearing up just remembering this. I was so scared) and he sat outside and said he felt better. All his stupid classmates kept asking if he did drugs!!! ( he did-does not) well I took him to the ER and I was just ready to hear that he had some horrible brain tumor or something and the doc listened to him- how he was sitting in the bar and all of a sudden it felt like he was going to poop his pants-sorry but you it is what happened and one should know-- and then the guy he was talking to -his voice started to fade in and out -- and then he felt like he was going to pass out-- The doc looked at him and said-"You fainted like a pregnant woman". And then he explained about vasovegal ( I have been calling it vessel vegal -good to know the real name). He said that some people at prone to these. That when they get a stomach problem the body sends all the blood there and forgets about the head causing the passing out. I, of course, asked if he was going to die because I have a very low freak level and go right for the scariest possibility. The doctor assured me that he would be fine!
Needless to say we did NOT go to his 20th reunion. Nor have we ever gone back to that bar but I wish we had and I would have punched that bartender!!!!!
But I agree drugs should not be the first choice if there are more natural cures.
I understand perfectly well how frightened you were to witness your husband suffering his first vasovagal reaction. I'll bet it scared him too. I get them so often that I know exactly what to do so I don't hurt myself when it's happening; I carefully reach out to the wall or furniture (or a person) and ease myself to the floor or ground. I try to breath slowly and wait until the feeling passes before carefully returning to a sitting then standing position. You certainly had every expectation that the bartender should have called 911 for you! That was extremely insensitive, unprofessional and something I would have followed up with by contacting the owner/manager. Hope you didn't give them your business after that!
"What Causes Vasovagal Syncope?
Vasovagal syncope occurs when, due to a reflex, the blood vessels in the legs suddenly dilate, causing a significant proportion of the blood volume to pool in the legs. This blood pooling is often accompanied by a slowing of the heart rate. The blood pressure subsequently drops and fainting occurs.
The reflex responsible for vasovagal syncope works like this: First, a person is exposed to some stimulus (such as a painful needle stick in a finger) that triggers the reflex. The triggering event stimulates certain nerves (the pain nerves of the finger), which send an electrical signal to the vasomotor center in the brainstem, the portion of the brain that determines the body's vascular (blood vessel) tone. The vasomotor center, in response, sends signals to the blood vessels in the legs, causing them to dilate. This produces blood pooling, which leads to syncope. The same stimulation of the brainstem may also send signals to the heart to produce a drop in the heart rate.
In most people with vasovagal syncope, the dilation of blood vessels appears to be the predominant mechanism that causes loss of consciousness. In some people, however, the slowing of the heart rate plays the major role.
The "trigger" that initiates a vasovagal reflex can be any of a number of different things. Pain is a particularly common cause of fainting. Other common triggering events include having your blood drawn, being exposed to the sight of blood, having difficult urination or defecation, severe coughing, painful swallowing, receiving upsetting news, sudden fright or standing motionless for long periods of time. (This is why soldiers standing at parade rest, or singers in a choir, will sometimes faint.) In fact, if fainting follows any of these events, vasovagal syncope is extremely likely to be the cause."
Your post is dangerous. I am mad. I would be dead now if not for Paxil. I would have committed suicide. How dare you spread the notion that we can fix ourselves with food and vitamins.
kona-you are NOT on here as a caregiver looking for support. You are on here to sell your naturalist ideas. I looked on your profile. Almost ALL of your posts are about the dangers of meds. You are on here with a personal agenda. A very specific personal agenda -whether because you are financially attached to it or you just need to justify you beliefs or you truly want to spread your philosophy -(because that is what it is -a philosophy-a belief. Unless you are a doctor you cannot say otherwise. ) That is not what this forum is for, to come on and sell your one belief. IMO. BUT , if you must, if you feel that strongly and are that worried about the pharmaceutical companies than , may I suggest, that you simply start a thread. Start a thread about natural approaches to disease and share your views there. Keep it updated. I am sure that many posters would fully enjoy that. It would be your thread. Just, don't , please, don't jump around from thread to thread saying the same thing. And , please, try and remember there is more than one answer out there. You have strong convictions, I actually like that in a person, but what I do not like is when a person with strong convictions tells others that their strong convictions are all wrong. Sooo , please, can you just start a thread but please do be careful because I researched some of the natural cures you mention and they can be very dangerous. They are unregulated and , just because they are natural does not necessarily mean they are safe. I mean oleander is natural. Poisen Ivy-natural. Silver colloidal is VERY dangerous. So I ask that you please be careful.
And I would like to learn more about which vitamins are good for you and what supplements help. I think that it would be a great thread that would last a long time.
Peace.
For someone who claims to be a caregiver and contributing countless posts to many threads articulating your belief in the danger in trusting doctors and taking prescribed medications, I find it ironic (and scary) that the one physician to whom you hold up as exemplary (Dr. Sherry Anne Rogers) is the very same MD whose medical license was revoked in 1999 for 8 counts of MEDICAL MISCONDUCT.
Seriously? I hope that others who read your posts recognize that your advice needs to be questioned for it's efficacy and validity. You're probably sincere in your desire to "help" others. Please consider your comments and the impact they may have on "gullible" members before pressing the submit button. It's a question of social mores and ethics.
I only recently began mentioning Dr. Rogers because she has written several books and I happen to have recently read them. Many alternative M.D.s always face the risk of having their licenses pulled but it doesn't mean that they are bad doctors.
I have had head catscans, head MRI, blood tests, etc...At the cardiologist, he asked me to stand up. So I stood up - and felt myself tilting. He caught me. My heart was fine, my blood pressure - was very low. His recommendation - take in more sodium. And when getting up from the chair/bed, to sit first, and then stand. I'm suppose to also walk slowly.
Another incident at the clinic, I had slammed against the wall on my way out. The doc called back to the exam table. I had a severe heart infection. From a scale of 1 to 7, 7 being the worst, my heart was a 6. I was ordered complete bedrest for 6 weeks (which I didn't listen) and daily anitibiotic by IV at home (my nephew did this for me.)
Father was falling like me. I've seen him do it several times. His is slow motion. Gave me time to try to drag the sofa to him before he hit the floor. When he landed on the floor, it was like he could not get up by himself. He kept trying and trying. He couldn't even turn around. I had to prompt him to get on his hands and knees and crawl to the sofa and pull himself up. He had a very difficult time doing that. It was as if when he slowly was falling, like his muscles were slowing giving way. Once he landed on the ground, his muscles were not working like it should. This happened for several months. He had a stroke. The nurse kind of blamed me that I allowed him to get a stroke since falling down was part of the sign.
So was his having difficulty grabbing or holding things. His hands refused to grab the object. He also was having drenching sweats. sigh...maybe if you're a nurse it's obvious. For me, it was all signs of old age.
JMiller, what I'm trying to say is that when I get dizzy and find myself tilting, most times I cannot move my hands to block my fall. I saw my father slowly falling down and he too could not move (as in try to walk to the sofa to break his fall). We both fall/tilt where we are when it happens. Maybe that's why your husband fell? He may have tilted and couldn't move his hands to block or prevent his fall? Maybe someone will come on and give a solution.