Posted by SLS on December 30, 2014, at 14:01:23
In reply to Clonazepam + Alzheimer's, posted by Guy on December 30, 2014, at 10:55:26
> Anyone else going to continue with this med long-term despite the possible risk of alzheimer's? I figure I'd rather have some quality of life now at age 60 than go off the drug and be incapacitated for years to come. Still, the whole dementia thing is rather unsettling. I have been totally unsuccessful in finding an AD to treat my life-long anxiety. High dose Zyprexa helps, but leaves me feeling fat, lethargic and dead inside. Furthermore, AP's are apparently associated with brain shrinkage. Sigh!
My impression is that Nardil, Paxil, and Effexor are the best antidepressants to treat GAD with.
Latuda is a AP worth looking at. It is weight-neutral and thought to exert AD properties. It should not leave you feeling flat. However, I don't know how well it treats anxiety disorders.
There is some evidence that low dosages of lithium help to prevent the development of Alzheimers. This is one of the reasons why I continue to take 300 - 450 mg/day. 100 mg/day might be enough.
I think chronic BZD use is *associated* with a 1.5 times risk of contracting Alzheimers. That is not an overwhelmingly large number. Just having an affective disorder raises the risk to between 2.0 and 3.0 times. It may be that people who go on to develop Alzheimers are more likely to have anxiety earlier in life as a prodrome.
I would probably take the chance with a BZD if it meant having a life worth living. I have chosen to take an antipsychotic for this reason, despite the risk of tardive dyskinesia. So far, I haven't found anything to use as a substitute. It is a gamble without clearly-defined odds.
- ScottSome see things as they are and ask why.
I dream of things that never were and ask why not.- George Bernard Shaw
poster:SLS
thread:1074589
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