Posted by zefdie on April 1, 2004, at 13:26:37
In reply to Re: ssri's effect on cognitive functioning???, posted by bookgurl99 on April 1, 2004, at 8:25:54
This problem is driving me crazy. I had it before I went on Wellbutrin and it has only worsened since then. Reading up about Wellbutrin scared me--there seemed to be a high incidence, at least of people on boards such as this, of people losing their language capacity while on buproprion. I've gone off Wellbutrin and am now only on Effexor. I don't feel much of a change in my vocabulary capacity and general slowness yet--Effexor has a history of the same effect, as do all SSRIs/SSNRIs. Everyone's different; I'm just hoping that Effexor, when it really kicks in (I've just started it) helps a little.
I am a writer and this problem is especially troubling to me. It takes FOREVER for me to get the simplest ideas on paper. Complexity escapes me.
What I'm interested in is this: is it possible to mitigate all this in some way by doing logic puzzles, vobaulary building exercises, any kind of "cognitive training"? I'll try anything. If there are supplements or foods I should be eating daily, I want to get on top of that because this is debilitating enough to wreck my career.
I don't really have any advice except to share that these are the solutions I'm looking into. Each SSRI effects each individual differently--you're lucky that Paxil had that effect! Many people have the opposite. I remember when I was put on Zoloft in high school how much brighter and more articulate and more "myself" I felt. I'm hoping Effexor will have the same effect. Sadly, it's hard to tell whether that cognitive slump is the depression or something else--my molasses brain may just stem from bad circumstances, crappy friends, self doubt and an unchallenged mind.
Good luck!
poster:zefdie
thread:331128
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040329/msgs/331336.html