Many people in the world fall prey to one of the dreadful brain disease known as ‘Alzheimer’. Abnormal changes do take place in the brain in the Alzheimer’s patient like – the parts of the brain that control memory, thinking etc. do not work properly. Many symptoms start appearing such as, memory loss, change in mood and behaviors, problems in routine and familiar tasks, trouble in thinking, poor judgment etc. Moreover, there are three stages in this disease namely – mild, moderate and severe. Symptoms do vary and become worse, as the patient advances in the stages of the Alzheimer’s disease.

To treat the Alzheimer’s disease, many medicines are available and some are used in combination to get more benefits. Namenda i.e. Memantine is one of the famous medication used to treat this kind of mental disorder. Actually, Namenda i.e. Memantine is a NMDA receptor antagonist, which reduces the actions of the chemicals in the brain that may contribute to the symptoms of Alzheimers disease. It belongs to the drug class miscellaneous central nervous system agents.

Generally, Namenda is used to treat moderate to severe dementia of the Alzheimers type. This medication is used to Alzheimer’s symptoms, by reducing abnormal excitement in the brain. This is not a cure and this medicine does not stop the progression of the disease. However, there is no proven risk in humans during the pregnancy.

Before taking Namenda ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer’s information for the patient and read it carefully. Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking Namenda i.e. Memantine medication. However, Namenda i.e. Memantine may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Follow the directions given by the doctor exactly for the usage of the Namenda i.e. Memantine medication and also read the prescription label carefully.
Generally, swallow the whole tablet with a glass of water. The Namenda i.e. Memantine medicine may be taken with or without food. And do consult your doctor so that your doctor will guide you, if you need to follow any special diet during the complete course.

However, if you wish to use the medication for your children, please contact your pediatrician for the dosage.

If you notice any of the symptoms, which seem severe or persistent to you, please contact your doctor immediately. The symptoms may be – extreme tiredness, weakness, vomiting, skin rashes, dizziness, confusion, shortness of the breath, hallucinations, agitation, localized pain, especially in your back, coughing, sleepiness, headache, constipation etc.

Inform your doctor if you experience any of these side effects or some new side effects occur which appear too bothersome to you.

Inform your doctor if you are allergic to the formulation of this medication or any other medication in any other form and also inform your doctor about any other medication you may be taking in any other form.

Namenda i.e. Memantine may interact with the Ropinirole, Antihistamines, foods, varied medications, Herbal Products, Nutritional Supplements, Vitamins, Pramipexole, Pergolide, Levodopa, Trihexyphenidyl, Amantadine, Dextromethorphan etc.

It is also important to inform your health care professional, if you are a frequent user of drinks with alcohol or caffeine or if you smoke or if you use any kind of illegal drugs as these things may affect the way your medicine works.

In case of overdose call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222.
If the suffering patient has collapsed or is not breathing call local emergency services at 911. Canadian residents should call their local poison control center directly.

The symptoms of overdose may include – fainting, hallucinations, restlessness, drowsiness, feeling light-headed, unusual behavior etc.

Do not allow any other person to use your medication without getting doctor’s prescription themselves and also avoid using this medicine for other health conditions on your own. Keep the medicine away from the children and pets.

Also inform your doctor, if you are pregnant or are breast feeding. If you conceive during the course, inform your doctor immediately. And in case, if you wish to use the medicine in children, please contact your pediatrician for sure.

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as you remember. And, if it is almost the time of your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue to your regular dosing. Do not double your doses in any case and consult your doctor for the missed dosage.

The Namenda i.e. Memantine medication is used to treat the Alzheimer’s symptoms, by reducing the abnormal excitement occurring in the brain. However, remember that this is not a complete cure and this medication cannot stop the progression of the disease in any case.

However, it may also be used to treat some other medical conditions which may be determined by your doctor accordingly.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses also, so ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information about the Namenda i.e. Memantine medication.

Namenda i.e. Memantine medication should be stored at 15-30°C and at cool and dry place. Check Expiry date without fail. Keep all medicines away from women, newborns, children and pets. Also, keep it away from heat, dampness and direct light. In any case, do not store the Namenda tablets in the bathroom.

Following precautions must be taken during consuming generic Namenda i.e. Memantine:

1. It is very important for the patient to know that before using Namenda they must inform their health care professional or doctor if they have or ever had - liver disease, kidney disease or infection, seizures, urinary tract infections, asthma, cataracts, bladder infection etc. Also inform, if you drink alcoholic beverages or smoke.

2. Also acknowledge your doctor if you need to undergo any kind of surgery, including dental surgery or need an x-ray procedure that uses contrast agents. So, inform your doctors immediately about it, so that the doctor can decide whether to continue taking Namenda i.e. Memantine medication or stop it during the surgery.

3. Let the doctor also know, if you are in-taking or are planning to take any prescribed or non prescribed medicines, health supplements or any other OTC medications, vitamins etc.

4. Do not use the Memantine i.e. Namenda medication, if you have any kind of allergy to it or to any ingredients of it and tell your doctor or pharmacist about the allergy and get treated.

5. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breast feeding before taking Namenda medication. Hence also, inform your doctor immediately when you plan to conceive, or become pregnant during the course.

6. Do not share the drug with others unless they are prescribed by the doctor themselves. And if your symptoms of side effects do not improve in few weeks or if they become worse and bothersome, check these conditions immediately with your doctor.

7. Please, use the medicine in the prescribed amount and do not overdose it or use it for the longer period of time. Do not discontinue on your own and consult your doctor before doing so to avoid further problems.

8. Please do avoid smoking or consuming alcohol or alcohol containing beverages or medicines, during the complete course to obtain good results soon. And if you smoke, smoking will decrease the effectiveness of this medication.

9. However, Memantine i.e. Namenda can cause severe side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Hence, be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

10. For more information, contact your doctor and your pharmacists.