Patient/caregiver was educated on precautions to be exercised while taking Memantine as follows:
- Memantine intake can induce some seizures, hallucinations, confusion, dizziness, and sleep. Closely watching for the therapeutic response and developing side-effects allows appropriate changes in the dose of Memantine, to help optimum control of your symptoms and can also contribute to controlling/reducing the risk for drowsiness and dizziness due to the medication. If the dizziness becomes bothersome, report it to your physician and other health care personnel, for any change in plan of care to be considered. Caregivers must be increasingly active in watching the patients taking Memantine, to help them keep away from activities that can compromise their safety, such as, independently walking around, until they are used to the side effects caused by Memantine.
- Do not take or administer Memantine with alcohol or opioid pain medications, such as, hydrocodone and codeine, as these products can compound the drowsiness Memantine can cause, thus compromising safety and potentiating a serious risk for accidents and falls. A number of OTC cough medications and antihistamines, muscle relaxant medications, antidepressant medications, antipsychotics, and antianxiety medications, can potentiate the dizziness and confusion caused by Memantine and so, must be avoided taking along with Memantine. Starting the medication at a low dose and gradually increasing the dose, to help optimum control of your symptoms, can contribute to reducing the risk for drowsiness and dizziness due to the medication. If the dizziness becomes bothersome, report it to your physician and other health care personnel, for any change in plan of care to be considered.
