How and when to take memantine - Brand names: Ebixa, Nemdatine, Valios

It's important to take memantine as your doctor tells you.

Dosage and strength

Memantine comes as 5mg, 10mg, 15mg and 20mg tablets. It also comes as a liquid (oral solution) that you swallow, containing 10mg in 1ml.

The starting dose is:

• one 5mg tablet, once a day. This is usually increased by 5mg every week until your dose is 20mg. You may get a starter pack containing 7 tablets of each strength to help you increase your dose
• one 0.5ml dose of memantine liquid, once a day. This is usually increased by 0.5ml every week until your dose is 2ml (20mg)

How to take it

Take your memantine dose at the same time each day.

Standard tablets

Swallow your standard memantine tablet whole with a drink of water.

Dissolvable tablets

Memantine also comes as a tablet that melts in your mouth (orodispersible tablet). Put the tablet on your tongue and let it dissolve until it has gone. You can have a drink of water afterwards if you need to.

Soluble tablets

Dissolve your tablet in half a cup of water and drink it straight away.

Liquid

Memantine liquid comes in a pump dispenser (which pumps out your dose) or in a bottle with a syringe.

How to use the pump dispenser

Press the pump down 1, 2, 3 or 4 times depending on your dose. One pump gives 0.5ml and 4 pumps give a 2ml dose.

Pump the medicine onto a spoon or into a small glass of water. Do not pour or pump the medicine straight into your mouth.

How to use the syringe

If your memantine liquid comes in a bottle with a syringe rather than a pump:

1. Push the syringe into the bottle neck and turn the bottle upside down.
2. Fill the syringe to the right dose, turn the bottle the right way up and remove the syringe.
3. Squirt the medicine onto a spoon, into a small glass of water or straight into your mouth. Swallow your dose straight away. Have a drink of water afterwards if you need to.
4. Wash the syringe and let it dry before you use it again.

How long to take it for

You'll keep taking memantine unless your doctor tells you to stop.

You, or the person you are caring for, will have regular check-ups with a doctor to see whether memantine is still helping and if you should keep taking it.

Only stop taking memantine if your doctor tells you to. If you stop, your symptoms may come back or get worse.

If you forget to take it

If you forget a dose of memantine, skip the missed dose and take the next one at the usual time.

Do not take 2 doses to make up for a forgotten dose.

If you forget doses often, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask a doctor, pharmacist or dementia support group for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine.

When you start taking memantine, you will increase your dose over a few weeks to help avoid side effects. If you forget to take these doses speak to your doctor.

If you take too much

It is very unlikely that taking 1 or 2 extra doses will cause any problems.