Posted by Questionmark on November 15, 2007, at 2:02:34
In reply to Re: Nardil or SSRIs + Cognition, + LongTerm Memory, posted by circusboy on November 12, 2007, at 15:34:34
Thank you.
Several things. You said there are big gaps in what you remember from the time you were on Prozac? That seems to support exactly what I'm talking about. In regard to Paxil's slight anticholinergic effect, I think it would be more than that. I feel like Nardil has been doing the same thing (to my memory), yet it has no anticholinergic properties as far as I know.
Yes, no, it FEELS like it's tied to the fact that being on these serotonergic drugs results in having memories that, as you said, "aren't so rich or intense". I guess that in itself equals a less clear memory. But even further, i'm afraid that after going so much time not thinking about your memories as clearly or emotionally or even frequently, they start to fade-- so that they become less clear, or even disappear (and even if and after one has discontinued the drug). But then I think, maybe this is inescapable, for maybe that is one of the (if indirect) antidepressant qualities of the drug-- to keep my past and my memories from entering my consciousness and depressing the ____ out of me. I don't know. I don't know if I'm explaining myself well. Damn it.
I dunno though. It also even seems like the experiences that I'm having while ON the drug become less vivid and detailed in my memory, too. It's like... I don't know.
Ah shoot. I dunno.
I guess I just want to know if this is normal or not. Cuz if it's normal-- for everyone, including those not on drugs-- then I can better accept it. If it's not normal and is actually the drugs; the Nardil... I can't accept it. So i'd just like to know.
But you're right, my memory, as with my cognition, would probably not be any better at this point even if I quit my drug. Because then depression would be consuming my mind to the point of near paralysis.
Ah i love this life.
> No, I understand... And you're not being selfish; you're worried that an essential part of yourself has been taken away by the drugs.
>
> That said. Your memory in general might have been worse on Paxil not because of its primary effects on the serotonin transporter, but because of its secondary effects on acetylcholine receptors. I've never tried Paxil, though, so I can't say from personal experience.
>
> My recall is generally better on serotonin drugs. (My concentration / working memory was problematic on Prozac, but I'm not sure I can generalize from that drug. Now that I think about it, my memory was also very strange -- I was good at making creative connections and using my prior knowledge, but there are big gaps that I don't remember from that time). What they /can/ do is separate me a bit from my emotions, so that my memories aren't so rich or intense.
>
> We'll see -- I've just started Zoloft again -- but I'm starting to think this might be an acceptable trade-off. Without a small chemical boost, my memory is bad and I'm often confused by little things (am I heading the right way on the highway? what is the name of that ... thing?), and I'm much less optimistic, curious, and motivated. I'm not as good in conversation. Lately, I've been having disturbing obsessive thoughts and fears that I'm going to screw up (on purpose!) at work.
>
> So yeah... your memories were probably more colorful before the drugs. But they may not be any better if you quit at this point.
>
> (One thing I can't speak to is Nardil's pharmacodynamics. Maybe someone else?)
>
poster:Questionmark
thread:794524
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20071104/msgs/795220.html