Donepezil

i am 65 years old woman who has got her Alzheimer’s diagnose only the last month. I had a feeling that sooner or later I would be diagnosed with this disease because for the last 3 years I was doing very bad. So I was prescribed to take Aricept 5 mg along with Namenda. Early after I have found out that Namenda is making me feel very agitated as well as very angry to everybody around me so that’s how I decided to quit taking it. I was told to take only 10 mg of Aricept and that’s what I did but I had very severe side effects so I had to wait for a new doctor in order to take over the past neurologist’s care but I couldn’t wait so long because of those horrible side effects and that’s how I decided to adjust medication’s dosage myself. this is exactly what I did. I have tried to search for a dosage that would continue to keep helping me with the memory but that would lessen the side effects. by the way the side effects are: water retention, very bad muscle cramps in my legs, severe back pains, my hands and ankles swellings as well as increased blood pressure which I guess lead to another side effect: heart palpitations. It was too much and too severe side effects for me to continue taking that dosage so that’s how I found out about the right dosage. I am currently using only a half of the 5 mg of the Aricept pill in the every morning. I still do have some side effects but they are much less and they are greatly reduced while I am still getting benefits from the drug with my memory. I am now much better as Aricept has restored my ability to read (I love reading), I am also having a lot more energy than in the past plus I can focus back again. much symptoms that become more and more horrible and severe during the last 3 years have now disappeared or lessened with the help of Aricept. Really helpful drug. Oh yeah, I have also noticed that lower doses on most drugs are doing a better job for me. maybe it is just me but maybe it is how the medicines are done.