Medications
IMPORTANT REMINDERS:
– Carry an LBD medical alert wallet card from LBDA.org.
– Consult your doctor before taking any medication.
– Certain medications may worsen LBD symptoms or cause severe side effects.
Common LBD and PDD Rx Medications:
Seroquel/quetiapine (require Rx): for LBD psychosis
Exelon/rivastigmine (require Rx): for Rem Behavior Disorder (RBD) and cognition
- 6mg pill 2x/day (pill form may work better than the patch)
Remeron/mirtazapine (require Rx): for depression and RBD sleep issues
- lower doses may be more effective
Aricept/donepezil, Namenda/memantine (require Rx): for cognition-enhancing
Nuplazid/pimavanserin (require Rx): for PDD psychosis
- reduces hallucinations and delusions without disrupting motor ability
Sinemet/carbidopa-levodopa (require Rx): for PDD movement issues
- higher doses can increase psychosis
Zonegran/zonisamide (require Rx): used with levodopa for PDD motor issues
Myrbetriq (requires Rx): for incontinence
Gemtesa (requires Rx): for incontinence
Trazadone (requires Rx): for sleep and depression
Cymbalta (requires Rx): for mood, depression, anxiety
Lexipro/escitalopram (require Rx): for depression and anxiety
Zoloft/sertraline (require Rx): for depression, mood, anxiety, and agitation
Common LBD OTC Medications : Consult your doctor first.
Melatonin (OTC): for sleep (5mg) and sundowning (10mg)
Natrol (OTC): time released melatonin gummies for sleep (5 or 10 mg)
Claritin (OTC): for allergies
MiraLAX (OTC): for constipation
Senokot (OTC): for constipation
Magnesium (OTC): for constipation, sleep, and muscle contractions
**OTC cold/allergy medications can cause sleep issues, agitation, and hallucinations.
Medications NOT Recommended for LBD
Haldol (haloperidol) and Risperdal (risperidone): NO
- Both are antipsychotics that can cause severe, adverse, possibly fatal reactions.
Benzodiazepines: NO
- Used for sedation, anxiety, sleep, muscle spasms, and seizures.
- Can cause aggression or agitation
- Xanax/alprazolam, Ativan/lorazepam, Klonopin/clonazepam are benzodiazepines (prolonged use can cause a rebound effect)
Benadryl: NO
- An OTC cold/allergy medicine that can cause severe sleepiness, hallucinations, and cognitive impairment.
**These drugs should be added to your allergy list on all online medical records.
Other Rx medications with possible contraindications:
Paxlovid (oral, antiviral pill for Covid symptoms) – may cause adverse reaction when taken with Seroquel/quetiapine. For severe Covid symptoms, Seroquel dosage should be reduced or stopped while taking Paxlovid.
Gabapentin (for sleep and anxiety) – low doses only – higher doses can increase psychosis
Neudexta (for agitation) – sometimes used off-label with cautions
Wellbutrin (atypical antidepressant) – may increase confusion and anxiety