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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Caleb462 on May 6, 2003, at 2:20:53
Okay... I may be starting Anafranil soon... but maybe not. I'm worried about the anti-chollinergic effect - not so much the dry mouth or urinary retention, but the effect on memory and cognition. I've always had a pretty great memory... I was disorganzied and lazy in school, but did great on tests because I would memorize everything the night before. And not to brag, but I'm also usually regarded as being witty, intelligent, etc. I don't want to lose these things.
So to those who have used tricyclics, particularly Anafranil, has it effected your cognition at all? If so, did it pass? Thanks to all who asnwer!
Posted by daizy on May 6, 2003, at 8:39:16
In reply to Tricyclics and cognitive impairment... help!, posted by Caleb462 on May 6, 2003, at 2:20:53
> Okay... I may be starting Anafranil soon... but maybe not. I'm worried about the anti-chollinergic effect - not so much the dry mouth or urinary retention, but the effect on memory and cognition. I've always had a pretty great memory... I was disorganzied and lazy in school, but did great on tests because I would memorize everything the night before. And not to brag, but I'm also usually regarded as being witty, intelligent, etc. I don't want to lose these things.
>
> So to those who have used tricyclics, particularly Anafranil, has it effected your cognition at all? If so, did it pass? Thanks to all who asnwer!
I have to say that for me, Elavil has numbed me, Im also a witty and humorour person, yet I dont think I have laughed and joked in a long while, I seem to take what people say so seriously, and I never used to do that before, I also blow little things out of proportion, and have bad temper. Im not sure if all TCA's would do this, also I tend to be thinking about everything and nothing, a lot more, however isnt Anafranil used for ocd? Maybe its a lot different? good luck.
Posted by stjames on May 7, 2003, at 0:01:24
In reply to Tricyclics and cognitive impairment... help!, posted by Caleb462 on May 6, 2003, at 2:20:53
I was on TCA's for years. Sedation, yes.
Congitive impairment, no.
Posted by Ritch on May 7, 2003, at 10:37:41
In reply to Tricyclics and cognitive impairment... help!, posted by Caleb462 on May 6, 2003, at 2:20:53
> Okay... I may be starting Anafranil soon... but maybe not. I'm worried about the anti-chollinergic effect - not so much the dry mouth or urinary retention, but the effect on memory and cognition. I've always had a pretty great memory... I was disorganzied and lazy in school, but did great on tests because I would memorize everything the night before. And not to brag, but I'm also usually regarded as being witty, intelligent, etc. I don't want to lose these things.
>
> So to those who have used tricyclics, particularly Anafranil, has it effected your cognition at all? If so, did it pass? Thanks to all who asnwer!
I was taking a low-dose of amitriptyline (10mg bid) with lithium back in the '80's and I quit it after a month or two because all of my friends found me very "boring" and "unspontaneous". The sedation was fairly heavy, but it lifted some and I felt more focused and energetic after a couple of weeks, though. Doxepin was really a very heavy sedative that never seemed to get any better, I didn't like that one at all. Nortiptyline I found very tolerable, however. I don't know how Anafranil's sedation stacks up to these-I think Anafranil isn't as sedative as doxepin or amitriptyline-maybe it won't be too bad?
Posted by BrittPark on May 12, 2003, at 12:44:29
In reply to Tricyclics and cognitive impairment... help!, posted by Caleb462 on May 6, 2003, at 2:20:53
I've been taking imipramine for 20 years, with a few holidays, and have never noticed any cognitive impairment. I managed a greater than 100 average in 2 semesters of undergraduate organic chemistry while taking imipramine. When you first start taking a TCA you may feel out of it (mostly drowsy) because of its anticholinergic effects. Your body should get used to the effect fairly rapidly. Many people, including me, take their TCAs all at once at bedtime.
This is the end of the thread.
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