Expert: Paula Damgaard - 1/22/2008

Question
My husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer's at 55 years old in Nov 2004. Dr. put him on Razadyne and Namenda at that time. He also has been in an Alzheimer's study at Duke University for 18 months not knowing if he had medicine or placebo. Now foe 2 months he has been in the open label study how definitly getting the Flurizan. He is rapidly declining. I have read that earlt onset progresses faster. Do you know anything about the pregression of early onset?

Answer
Hi Sandra, Unfortunately, it has been my experience that the younger they are the quicker they go.  I am not sure why.  

However if it has been a sudden drop, I would wonder if 1. Does he have a urinary tract infection or 2. maybe he isn't tolerating the fluizan?  Something for you to ask the study doctor at Duke.  Sometimes this does happen and taking them off the drug or fixing the infection will help.

Good luck.  I am sorry you are going through this.  If I can help in any other way please let me know.   Paula