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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by cycling on July 9, 2010, at 12:45:07
So all my life I've always had trouble not remembering where I put things and so on and so forth. But now as I'm growing up (23) that problem is still there. Throughout college that's when things got pretty bad as far as my OCD then manifesting into mania. I eventually began seeing a pdoc about 1.5 month ago and he put me on Lithium, Lamictal, and now Klonopin. Now, I want to say it's because my mind is always some where else and I that I have problems concentrating but I'm not sure. Or is it the lamictal that's causing the short term memory loss? I've starting to write things down to remember, but I'm 23, should I have to be doing that? I mentioned it do my pdoc but he didn't think much of it. So, is it my cycling random racing thoughts the origin of my short term memory loss? My long term memory is still there but for instance, I had an appointment on one tuesday, and I promised the doctor I'd make it, but I completely for got about it on Friday. I need an answer to this problem. My concentration is horrible and my head isn't as clear. My mood is better now that I've been on Lamictal but my concentration and memory hasn't improved one bit, maybe its even gotten worse. Has anyone experienced this? If so, what treatment can I take to help this? I've started to exercise, I take about 1-2 grams of Omega-3, viitamin b complex, just started magnesium. Please someone help me with this. I can't live like this all my life
Posted by Phillipa on July 9, 2010, at 13:24:33
In reply to Short Term Memory Loss - A symptom or inherent?, posted by cycling on July 9, 2010, at 12:45:07
I started with notes, now I forget the notes. I think some is normal for a lot of people. Phillipa
Posted by SLS on July 9, 2010, at 13:43:17
In reply to Short Term Memory Loss - A symptom or inherent?, posted by cycling on July 9, 2010, at 12:45:07
Memory difficulties are often a symptom of major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. However, Lamictal is known to produce memory impairments in some people. How much Lamictal are you taking? I find that anything over 200mg affects my short-term memory.
- Scott
Posted by cycling on July 10, 2010, at 0:07:52
In reply to Re: Short Term Memory Loss - A symptom or inherent? » cycling, posted by SLS on July 9, 2010, at 13:43:17
Yah I'm up to 400mg lamictal. I'm getting down of this sh*t. It didn't really do anything for my cycling random thoughts. It made me feel better, but I noticed that at around 100mg. My pdoc was hoping by increasing it the thoughts would go away, but he was wrong. It happens I guess? There this prescription they give for memory... i forget what its called but I don't want to resort to that. I want to get off this stuff, maybe get on seroquel or something, and get my damn memory back. I'm a pretty damn smart student but this short term memory loss just makes me look like an idiot because I'm forgetting the littlest things all the time. Thoughts anyone?
Posted by SLS on July 10, 2010, at 4:32:40
In reply to Re: Short Term Memory Loss - A symptom or inherent? » SLS, posted by cycling on July 10, 2010, at 0:07:52
> Yah I'm up to 400mg lamictal. I'm getting down of this sh*t. It didn't really do anything for my cycling random thoughts. It made me feel better, but I noticed that at around 100mg.
I recently reduced my dosage of Lamictal from 200mg to 100mg for precisely this reason. I recovered a great deal of my memory and cognitive function and retained the antidepressant benefits. I don't know if this would be true of rapid cycling, though. I think it is worth investigating a dosage reduction before abandoning Lamictal altogether. Just be sure to taper gradually or you will be likely to experience a dosage-reduction rebound depressive reaction. Such a reaction is not necessarily an indication of an inefficacy of the lower dosage.
Good luck.
- Scott
Posted by cycling on July 10, 2010, at 12:27:05
In reply to Re: Short Term Memory Loss - A symptom or inherent? » cycling, posted by SLS on July 10, 2010, at 4:32:40
I was not put on lamictal for depression, that's the interesting part. I was put on lamictal for racing cycling thoughts and my angry mood which was cause by my racing thoughts. When I came to my pdoc I was pretty uppity and intense and also very confident, attributes of hypomania. I was manic but not manic depressive if that makes any sense. would you happen to know of any better treatment for what i described?
Posted by SLS on July 10, 2010, at 13:02:28
In reply to Re: Short Term Memory Loss - A symptom or inherent? » SLS, posted by cycling on July 10, 2010, at 12:27:05
> I was not put on lamictal for depression, that's the interesting part. I was put on lamictal for racing cycling thoughts and my angry mood which was cause by my racing thoughts. When I came to my pdoc I was pretty uppity and intense and also very confident, attributes of hypomania. I was manic but not manic depressive if that makes any sense. would you happen to know of any better treatment for what i described?
Lamictal is not known to be a very potent anti-manic agent, despite its being called a mood-stabilizer. It may not be helping at all.
Depakote (Lamictal must be reduced in dosage or discontinued when combined with Depakote).
Zyprexa
Trileptal
- Scott
Posted by Conundrum on July 10, 2010, at 20:53:58
In reply to Short Term Memory Loss - A symptom or inherent?, posted by cycling on July 9, 2010, at 12:45:07
Lamicital is known for causing memory loss especially at higher doses.
Posted by linkadge on July 11, 2010, at 20:01:56
In reply to Re: Short Term Memory Loss - A symptom or inherent?, posted by Conundrum on July 10, 2010, at 20:53:58
Lamictal does not have the track record for treating bipolar that other medications do.
I think it is / was overhyped. There are many more failed trials for lamotrigine in mood disorders than sucessful ones.
Linkadge
Posted by herpills on July 11, 2010, at 20:24:05
In reply to Re: Short Term Memory Loss - A symptom or inherent?, posted by linkadge on July 11, 2010, at 20:01:56
> Lamictal does not have the track record for treating bipolar that other medications do.
>
> I think it is / was overhyped. There are many more failed trials for lamotrigine in mood disorders than sucessful ones.
>
> LinkadgeAlthough I take Lamictal myself and it helps some, I agree with you. The way it was "marketed" as being better for depression than mania...well, that doesn't mean it actually works well for depression for most people! And the whole thing about it being "the first medication since lithium" approved for such and such...
herpills
Posted by cycling on July 18, 2010, at 2:59:33
In reply to Re: Short Term Memory Loss - A symptom or inherent?, posted by herpills on July 11, 2010, at 20:24:05
So I'm weaning off lamictal and I've seen some improvement with my memory but not my focus. I've also added seroquel though so i can't be completely sure my memory improvement is due to decreasing hte lamictal. My next question is, how the hell do i improve my concentration because its absolutely horrible. My mind is never where its supposed to be. My opinion is that I'm not stimulated, stimulation causes focus and concentration. I'm lacking that. I have random and often cycling thoughts, which can be attributed to bipolar 1, but I think this was simply a manifestation of my adhd. So what do i do now? Stimulants?- that would increase my thoughts supposedly or would it focus? When I first came in I was diagnosed manic, got lithium, took care of it. i got attention deficit now. does seroquel and stimulants work? or maybe seroquel wellbutrin?
Thoughts?
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