• Basic Info
• Top Questions
• Clinical Info
• Interactions

What is memantine?
Memantine reduces the actions of chemicals in the brain that may contribute to the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Memantine is used to treat moderate to severe dementia of the Alzheimer's type. Memantine may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

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What is the price of this medication and similar alternatives?

This pricing information is subject to change at the sole discretion of DS Pharmacy. For the most current and up-to-date pricing information, please visit drugstore.com.

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What are the possible side effects of memantine?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using memantine and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• cough, chest tightness, fever, trouble breathing;

• chest pain, fast heart rate;

• confusion, hallucinations;

• sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body;

• lack of coordination;

• fainting or seizure (convulsions);

• urinating less than usual or not at all;

• pale skin, easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness; or

• increased blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, trouble concentrating, chest pain, numbness, seizure).

Less serious side effects may include:

• nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, loss of appetite;

• dizziness, tired feeling;

• weight loss;

• swelling in your hands or feet;

• fast heart rate;

• easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;

• joint pain;

• anxiety, aggression;

• skin rash;

• redness or swelling of or around your eyes; or

• urinating more than usual.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

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How should I take memantine?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results from this medication. Take this medicine with a full glass of water. Memantine can be taken with or without food. The liquid (oral solution) form of this medication comes with patient instructions for safe and effective use. Follow these directions carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.

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What is the most important information I should know about memantine?
Before using memantine, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have a seizure disorder, cataracts, liver or kidney disease, or a bladder or kidney infection. Memantine can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

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What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

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What other drugs will affect memantine?
Before taking memantine, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs: cimetidine (Tagamet); nicotine (Commit, Habitrol, Nicoderm, Nicotrol, Nicorette); ranitidine (Zantac); quinidine (Cardioquin, Quinadex, Quinaglute); sodium bicarbonate (Alka-Seltzer, baking soda antacid home remedy); antiviral medication such as amantadine (Symmetrel) or rimantadine (Flumadine); cold or cough medicine that contains dextromethorphan; a diuretic (water pill) such as hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HydroDiuril, Hyzaar, Lopressor, Vasoretic, Zestoretic) or triamterene (Dyrenium, Maxzide, Dyazide);

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Can I take this if I am pregnant or trying to get pregnant or if I am breastfeeding?

Memantine has been assigned to pregnancy category B by the FDA. Animal studies have failed to reveal evidence of teratogenicity. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy. Memantine is only recommended for use during pregnancy when benefit outweighs risk.

There are no data on the excretion of memantine into human milk. The manufacturer recommends that caution be used when administering memantine to nursing women.

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Who should NOT use this medication?

• Known hypersensitivity to memantine hydrochloride or any ingredient in the formulation.

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What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Overdose symptoms may include restlessness, drowsiness, unusual behavior, hallucinations, feeling light-headed, or fainting.

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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking memantine?
Do not use this medication if you are allergic to memantine. Before using memantine, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have: epilepsy or other seizure disorder; cataracts; liver disease; kidney disease; or a bladder or kidney infection. If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take memantine. FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

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Can I stop taking the medication if I feel better?
As a general rule, you should always take your medications exactly as prescribed and do not change the dosage or stop taking the medication without first discussing it with your healthcare provider.

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I am on so many medications; do I have to take them all?
This is called polypharmacy—many different medications being used at the same time by one person. Sometimes, being on multiple medications is acceptable and appropriate but at other times it may be problematic. If you are receiving your medications from multiple physicians you need to ensure that they all know what medications you are taking. The best way to do this is to make a list of all the medications you are currently using, including all nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and over-the-counter drugs (if possible, also include all the diseases you have been diagnosed with). Give a copy to every doctor who takes care of you so they have it on file, this way they can avoid duplicating medications and perhaps even try to consolidate some. After every doctor's visit remember to update the list accordingly. Also, as much as you possibly can, try to use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, this way any potential drug interactions can be caught and averted.

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Where can I get more information?
More Information

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