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About half of all nursing home residents, an estimated 5 million people or so, have dementia. They have difficulty organizing their thoughts and managing their day-to-day activities. Often, they may not be able to read the newspaper or carry on a conversation. They may repeat themselves-or ask the person they are talking with to repeat what was just said. Doctors prescribe medications for Alzheimer disease, but such drugs have minimal impact on such dementia symptoms.
Can Medications Can Improve Dementia Symptoms?
Q. My 83-year-old mother was diagnosed with dementia several years ago. She has been declining in her mental capabilities and is on the Alzheimer’s drug Aricept.
She recently became ill with salmonella and was hospitalized for a week. There, she was prescribed Levaquin every other day for two weeks to clear the infection. After the third dose there was a remarkable improvement in her dementia symptoms. The days that she took the medication were better than the days she didn’t.
When she finished the medication, the dementia returned. I’ve asked her neurologist and medical doctor if there is a compound in Levaquin that could be responsible for the drastic improvement and they both said no. I know she can’t take this antibiotic on a long-term basis, but the results we saw were amazing.
Amazing Results from an Antibiotic:
A. We are intrigued by your report, even though we could find no evidence that antibiotics like levofloxacin (Levaquin) improve dementia symptoms. Such drugs can cause agitation and confusion. There is, however, one case report of a person with cognitive decline due to hydrocephalus becoming less apathetic and more capable during levofloxacin treatment (Neurologist, May, 2012).
Narcotics Offered Temporary Improvement:
Fifteen years ago, we received a number of reports about dementia symptoms being reduced or temporarily reversed by a narcotic such as hydrocodone or oxycodone. We can’t explain those unusual reactions any more than we can explain your mother’s temporary improvement. You can read some of those stories here. Perhaps some scientist will find your story interesting and conduct a study of antibiotics in people with dementia.
Could Lyme Disease Cause Dementia Symptoms?
As soon as this story was published, a doctor from San Antonio, TX, contacted us. Dr. AM reminded us that infection can sometimes cause dementia symptoms:
“The dementia of Alzheimer disease and the dementia of a spirochete infection is identical.
“In the New England Journal Of Medicine – Jan., 2013 – an 80-year-old female presented with dementia. Because of her past history of lymphoma, a lumbar puncture was performed looking for lymphoma cells. In the spinal fluid were spirochetes –Borrelia miyamotoi. The patient was treated with antibiotics resulting in a cure and the dementia disappeared.
“Borrelia burgdorferi infections (Lyme Disease) must be ruled out in all patients with dementia. Dr. Alan Mc Donald, pathologist, detected the DNA of the Lyme spirochete in 7 of 10 brains in Alzheimer patients.
This is referred to as neurospirochetosis. An infectious cause of dementia is treatable and curable.”
Borrelia miyamotoi can infect the central nervous system (Emerging Infectious Diseases, Sep., 2016). The usual treatment for this pathogen is doxycycline or amoxicillin, however, rather than a drug like levofloxacin (Clinics in Laboratory Medicine, Dec., 2015). As a result, we don’t know if this fascinating hypothesis might actually help explain your mother’s temporary improvement.
We have two interviews that may be of interest to those who want further information. In one, Dale Bredesen, MD, describes his multifactorial approach to treating dementia. In the other, Edward Breitschwerdt, DVM, and Robert Mozayeni, MD, discuss the many different sorts of pathogens that can be transmitted by ticks or fleas. The specific infection they focus on most, Bartonella, can cause severe cognitive symptoms.
The Trouble with Levaquin:
Even if this were the explanation-and we don’t know that it is-we could not recommend levofloxacin for people with dementia. Fluoroquinolone antibiotics like ciprofloxacin (Cipro), levofloxacin (Levaquin) and moxifloxacin (Avelox) have some serious side effects and should be reserved for situations where they are the only appropriate antibiotic. (That would not include most tick-borne infections, which are usually treated with doxycycline, amoxicillin or cefuroxime).
Side effects of fluoroquinolones include:
- agitation
- confusion
- anxiety
- muscle and/or joint pain
- tendinitis or tendon rupture
- insomnia
- tremors, restlessness
- headache
- digestive distress
- dizziness
- severe skin reactions, sun sensitivity
- peripheral neuropathy
- uveitis
- seizures
- diarrhea due to C. difficile overgrowth
- depression
- heart rhythm disturbance
- toxic psychosis, hallucinations, paranoia
- suicidal thoughts or actions
Older people appear to be especially susceptible to these side effects, particularly the serious ones.
Shari
I have also noticed my 88 yr old mother improves with levofloxacin. Not diagnosed, but obviously showing signs of dementia. At certain times she gets worse, delusion, paranoia etc. The first time she was having severe delusions I thought she had some kind of instant overnight deep alzheimers, but it was caused by an UTI. So if I notice things getting worse I have a urine sample tested for UTI. Yet, later tests show white blood count comes back in urine, but there is no bacteria. Still, and thankfully, the Dr has given levofloxacin twice, and she improves. I notice it on the 2nd day of 5.
Now I’m wondering if it is dentures and poor dental care causing some kind of bacteria and this is the problem. I just wanted to add, I too have seen an improvement about day 2…about a month or two later while the mild dementia is still there, the paranoia and so forth returns.
Chrissy
My 92 year old grandfather was hospitalized with pneumonia for 4 days. He was already starting to show signs of mild dementia months before he got sick, but the pneumonia greatly progressed/exacerbated his cognitive decline. When he was released and prescribed antibiotics to take at home, none of them seemed to make any improvements until he started taking
Levaquin.
On the days he takes it, he’s awake and alert. He cracks jokes and can remember events that happened the day before. It really is a huge and noticeable difference. He’s active and wants to go for walks. After he finished the round, he started getting worse cognitively and physically. His doctor prescribed a Z-pack which helped him with his pneumonia symptoms but did nothing to improve his dementia. When he finished the Z-pack, they said he still had a little bit of pneumonia hanging around so I asked if they could put him one more time on Levaquin because we saw the most improvement.
After the second day on Levaquin, it’s like he’s back to his old self, chatty and can remember everything we have going on. It’s astonishing, and I’m dreading when he takes his last pill.
I, too, thought there would be more information and data on this occurrence. I’m disappointed and saddened to learn it has adversely affected so many.
lee
ca
I have repetedly seen improvement in my grandmother after antibiotics treatment. I dont find it hard to believe I am alone and seem to find a lot of people on line trying to dismiss this. Why?
karen
toronto
An infection can cause symptoms in an older person that are similar to dementia. When the infection is cured, the older person returns to usual cognitive functioning. It happened to my dad.
Rick
I was prescribed Cipro prior to prostrate surgery even though my bacterial count was practically none existent. After four days, I found it difficult to find my way home let alone drive my car. Maybe the lady had been suffering from dementia for a long time and never realized it. Proton Pump Inhibitors certainly do nothing for your memory and neither do chemotherapy drugs!
David Lee Valdina
FL
There are two variables, one is the drug and the other the hospital stay. The improvement may have been a result of the hospital stay and not due to the drugs. Don’t be too quick to assign cause and effect to events that might just be coincidental.
Jackie
North Carolina
Levaquin was given to me for bronchitis. I felt I was losing my mind and the side effects were horrible. So instead cipro was prescribed. The pharmacist told me it was a similar drug. I took it and had a similar experience. The doctor told me to stop right away. Evidently there is some effect on the mind and mine was a negative one.
Roseanne Terry
Dallas
Not advised, especially for those over 60. FQs can cause all kinds of terrible CNS, tendon, muscle problems, often causing permanent disability. Many thousands of us are victims of this drug. Please do not let your loved one become the next one.
CATRYNA
California
Those of us who have been harmed by Fluoride based antibiotics know, through our research, that these drugs do not help dementia, but in many cases have caused it. This article is a LIE!!!!
Yosefa
Hello. I was actually Floxied. I can tell you that my friends, co-workers, and family would all say that this drug devastated my health and wellness. I do not know why this woman had a positive reaction, but I know first hand from THOUSANDS of people how horrible these drugs are.
I personally experienced side effects that still effect me, 2 years after I took Levequin. I belong to a group online with thousands of “floxies” (peoples effected by levequin) and this article is causing an uproar. I think it should be removed because the side effects out weigh ANY of the benefits. I love Peoples Pharmacy but I do not approve of this article. Terry, please remove it.
Kat
Texas
Unless the Levaquin was fighting some sort of infection in her brain, I don’t see how this is possible. I know many people who use fluoroquinolones find the opposite to be true. My fluoroquinolone use made my brain and legs feel like they were on fire. Then I nearly wrecked my car because I was perceiving the stop sign in the wrong place. For months, I couldn’t recall the simplest words. I still get brain fog 10 months after stopping. I think it’s dangerous to encourage people in this way. I am happy for the mother, but the typical reaction seems to oppose this one.
Kelly
Springfield, MA
The fact this article talks about improving the quality of life after taking Levaquin, sounds like a bunch of garbage for me. I was prescribed 250mg of Levofloxacin to be taken for 10 days. After a few days, I didn’t feel better, so she increased my dosage to 500mg for 10 days with 5mg of a corticosteroids. I read on the prescription warning pamphlet that taking the two together could lead to an increased risk of tendon damage or rupture. Worried about these warnings, I asked the doctor and she told me “not to worry” and that it was “extremely rare” and that I am “young” and it “doesn’t happen to young people”.
After 2 days, my body was poisoned. Everything inside and outside hurt and I could barely walk. It felt like I had painful rods in my legs and I couldn’t flex my ankles. For weeks, I was in excruciating pain and going through the many “stages of grief”, by reading about others who had been “floxed” with no recovery time frame in sight. In the months following, I went to many specialists and no one could figure out what was wrong with me, and no one wanted to admit it was from the fluoroquinolone antibiotic. I went to a rheumatologist, acupuncturist, physical therapy, chiropractor and a neurologist. The neurologist concluded that I have small fiber nerve neuropathy, after taking a painful EMG and Nerve Conduction Study.
I’ve been battling for years and I still battle every day with this toxicity I was poisoned with. I recently found out my ears are now ototoxic as well and I am losing my hearing at a drastic rate and developed bad tinnitus. I never know when I wake up how I’m going to feel the rest of the day. Some days are better than others, but most days are painful. The symptoms I experience in both of my legs/feet are bee stings/spider bites, stabbing pains, burning, itching, tingling, numbness, soreness, muscle tightness, cramping, charlie horses, pins and needles, “sprained ankle” feeling, and twitching. All I want, is to be a normal young person again, but I feel like that’s never going to happen. I’m almost 4 years out after taking these evil antibiotics, and still live in pain daily.
Jen
Ma
This article scares me. I am 39 yrs old and Levaquin has destroyed my life.
Sherry Reiver
NC
I couldn’t believe what I was reading about the Levaquin helping her mother’s dementia since it causes so many mental problems especially in the elderly. My father hallucinated badly for 6 weeks after one IV bag of Levaquin and then died of an aortic aneurysm.
This group of fluoroquinolone antibiotics which also include Cipro, Avelox and Floxin are all very dangerous and potent drugs for nearly 99% of the reason why they are prescribed. The FDA changed the labeling in July and has warned doctors to prescribe another drug in certain cases.
Since her mom is old many other issues can and will arise but they will blame her age and her dementia and not the Levaquin. I suggest this woman read up on these drugs and never allow her mother to take them again.
Cathie
Springfield, MO
I am 71, and have been finding I’m forgetting things, and can’t seem to find the word at the end of the sentence. I was miss-spelling words when I typed an e-mail. I bought a bottle of Vinpocetin. It says take one to three capsules a day. I only take one a day. It has helped. The symptoms aren’t as bad. But, I know I DO have a problem with memory. I also take Gabapentin for non diabetic mild sensory neuropathy in my feet. I’m sure it’s caused the memory problem. I didn’t have a problem before I started taking it four years ago. It says it will cause short term memory loss. I guess that is what I have.
Maggie
Virginia
A previous article from People’s Pharmacy on Skyrocketing Generic drugs had a link to the FDA list of drug shortages and discontinuations. Levofloxacin (LEVAQUIN) injection and oral were on the discontinuation list.
Maggie
Laura
New Jersey
I was so excited to read this letter “Can Medications Improve Dementia Symptoms.” My mother (now 89) came down with dementia suddenly about 2 years ago after a medical procedure. We got many varying diagnosis and desperately visited many specialists who prescribed various drugs, some of which almost killed her. The prevailing medical attitude is “Your mother is old. Accept it.” I could do that, but three times she had a complete 100% reversal, each lasting only a day or two, and only when she was hospitalized and on various temporary drugs or IV (including antibiotics and pain meds). Each time we begged the doctors to analyze, or explore, or consider why, but none of them would (not their specialty). Her neurologists seemed equally uninterested, just saying it is normal to have good days and bad days, as if we were in deluded denial. These were not “good days”…these were a 100% different, alert, alive, remembering EVERYTHING, intelligent, articulate, happy person!
If you know of anyone who is doing any studies into this, we would be happy to participate. My mom is off all drugs now (except her synthroid and baby aspirin) and physically doing well. Memory and mood still very poor.
Polly
Plano, Tx.
First, on the Levaquin discussion – my Mother had dementia from TIAs. Each time she had to be hospitalized she would be routinely given oxygen and her mind was as clear as could be, like back to normal. This would last for several days afterward. I could imagine “how hard can it be to try this all dementia patients/residents in nursing homes?”
Next – Praluent – my LDL cholesterol was horrible even thought my HDL had always been in the 90s. When the HDL dropped to 74 and one week later I had a heart attack. I couldn’t take any of the statins nor Livalo for those who can’t take statins and was started on Praluent. It didn’t take long until my LDL is 31 (for real) and my HDL is 129.