My husband also had similar problems with Aricept, plus extreme nausea. It got worse when the prescription was boosted from the starter dose to the 10mg maintenance dose. Aricept (donepezil hydrochloride) is a cholinesterase inhibitor that reduces or prevents acetylcholine breakdown in brain tissue. Aricept is used to treat mild to moderate dementia like that found in patients with Alzheimer's disease. How to use Aricept. Read the Patient Information Leaflet if available from your pharmacist before you start taking donepezil and each time you get a refill. ARICEPT is available for oral administration in film-coated tablets containing 5, 10, or 23 mg of donepezil hydrochloride. Inactive ingredients in 5 mg and 10 mg tablets are lactose monohydrate, corn starch, microcrystalline cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and magnesium stearate. Summary. Diarrhea is found among people who take Aricept, especially for people who are female, 60+ old , have been taking the drug for 1 month, also take medication Namenda, and have Dementia alzheimer's type. My husband has been taking Aricept for dymentia for 1 year (he is in his late 50's), and his eyes are deteriorating. We have seen Neuro and Opthi doctors. What. Can Aricept cause Diarrhea? Diarrhea is a known side effect of Aricept. Complete analysis from patient reviews and trusted online health resources, including first-hand experiences. Aricept 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. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert. ARICEPT, as a predictable consequence of its pharmacological properties, has been shown to produce diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. These effects, when they occur, appear more frequently with the 10 mg/day dose than Common side effects of Aricept include: diarrhea, insomnia, and nausea. Other side effects include: fatigue, muscle cramps, vomiting, weight loss, anorexia, and ecchymoses. See below for a comprehensive list of adverse effects.