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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Novelagent on July 3, 2012, at 9:35:33
I'm returning to school this fall, and am looking to go back on Aricept. It means having to take pepto bismo everyday for GI side effects, but it's worth it.
What's your favorite cognitive enhancer drugs or supplements? We could all using a fine-tuning...
I'm taking citicholine 500mg/day. I find my scores on Lumosity.com's iPhone app go up after I take DHEA, so I might go back on that, too...
Posted by jane d on July 3, 2012, at 10:12:49
In reply to What's your favorite cognitive enhancer?, posted by Novelagent on July 3, 2012, at 9:35:33
Practice.
What ever happened with those studies that said recall was best when in same physical state as when you learned something? Has that held up?
Seriously. You don't say how long you've been out of school but I get the impression that it can't have been very long so maybe your study skills aren't rusty. But, whenever I returned to school I found mine were. Can you pick something to study this summer.
Posted by ron1953 on July 3, 2012, at 10:17:43
In reply to What's your favorite cognitive enhancer?, posted by Novelagent on July 3, 2012, at 9:35:33
Meth
Posted by zazenducke on July 3, 2012, at 10:33:54
In reply to Re: What's your favorite cognitive enhancer?, posted by ron1953 on July 3, 2012, at 10:17:43
adderall and ritalin seem all the rage these days among the studious set!
I do lumosity too
Do you think it helps?
I'm not sure myself. My scores improve but is that just practice? I don't know. Is really better than Swampy?
Posted by zazenducke on July 3, 2012, at 10:37:15
In reply to What's your favorite cognitive enhancer?, posted by Novelagent on July 3, 2012, at 9:35:33
Posted by johnLA on July 3, 2012, at 10:48:52
In reply to What's your favorite cognitive enhancer?, posted by Novelagent on July 3, 2012, at 9:35:33
coffee.
without over doing it.
seriously, the days that i have 1 strong cup of coffee i actually shower, move my body and can concentrate better.
i know several people on another board that do major coffee throughout the day. i am assuming they built-up to that though.
when i was teaching it really gave me energy and focus to start the day.
i also agree w/jane. exercise the brain if you can. hard i know. wish i could do some of that myself these days. still, i think there has been recent research about the 'plasticity' of the brain when it's subject to learning new things which leads to positive cognitive health.
congrats going back to school. good luck.
john
ps i have never tried ritalin/etc. so, maybe my coffee suggestion is out-of-place in this discussion.
Posted by Phillipa on July 3, 2012, at 12:29:49
In reply to Re: What's your favorite cognitive enhancer?, posted by johnLA on July 3, 2012, at 10:48:52
If you feel good just go and do it. It will feed on itself. The more you do the better. Phillipa
Posted by ron1953 on July 3, 2012, at 12:30:15
In reply to Re: What's your favorite cognitive enhancer?, posted by johnLA on July 3, 2012, at 10:48:52
I have found that being truly interested in what I'm doing is sufficient. If I felt I needed "help" to go to school, I'd consider doing something more stimulating, as opposed to taking something more stimulating. As a matter of fact, I didn't go to college because IT'S BORING. You stated "go back on....." which I take to mean you were OK without the meds during the summer break. Maybe you should ask yourself what's wrong with this picture.
Posted by Dinah on July 3, 2012, at 13:06:36
In reply to Re: What's your favorite cognitive enhancer?, posted by ron1953 on July 3, 2012, at 12:30:15
> I have found that being truly interested in what I'm doing is sufficient.
That's been my experience as well.
But I remember classes when that would have been impossible.
Posted by rjlockhart04-08 on July 3, 2012, at 20:03:25
In reply to What's your favorite cognitive enhancer?, posted by Novelagent on July 3, 2012, at 9:35:33
Nemanda and Dexedrine Spansules
Posted by novelagent on July 6, 2012, at 13:33:05
In reply to Re: What's your favorite cognitive enhancer?, posted by rjlockhart04-08 on July 3, 2012, at 20:03:25
> Nemanda and Dexedrine Spansules
>
>Namenda doesn't do anything-- I think it's mostly a placebo effect for people who haven't tried Aricept or Reminyl (galantamine). If you've taken Aricept, you know how powerful it is... it's like getting a jetpack for your brain. It doesn't seem to do much for memory recall, but for processing speed, etc., it's fantastic.
Vasopressin is suppose to be good for memory recall, but you would only want to take it for a test or something, because it causes water retention.
Posted by alchemy on July 9, 2012, at 19:16:07
In reply to Re: What's your favorite cognitive enhancer? » rjlockhart04-08, posted by novelagent on July 6, 2012, at 13:33:05
Is "cognitive ability" basically being amped and focused? I have cognitive ability, but it is just too difficult to think, just like it is difficult to do anything. Its like it hurts my brain. I want to go back to school too but i cant get myself to do much. So does aricept help with motivation and anhedonia- to actually deal with using my brain?
Posted by novelagent on July 10, 2012, at 9:03:26
In reply to Re: aricept question, posted by alchemy on July 9, 2012, at 19:16:07
cognitive ability isn't a term, I don't think... I think you mean cognitive function. But Aricept has been shown effective for anhedonia caused by amphetamine abuse, and it sounds like treating your anhedonia will treat your motivation issues.
I can tell you I felt very alive, and motivated, like I was full of life on Aricept. I combined it with Adderall. Adderall and Aricept is your best hope, so I would try the two. I don't know about feeling amped-- that sounds like you're expecting the drug to do work for you, which no drug can. You still need to face whether you understand how your daily tasks connect with achieving long-term goals. If you can work that out with a therapist using CBT, you'll be more inclined to meet your goals. But if everything feels far off, you'll wind up feeling hopeless. You need to see how your progress towards a goal makes your goal come that much closer to being achieved.
Aricept helps with executive functioning-- how your brain processes high-level thinking. It sounds like you are also feeling overwhelmed, however, and that is producing cortisol, and impairing your judgment. You need to treat the anxiety as well. Unfortunately, benzodiazepines might blunt your cognition, so the best way to treat your anxiety may be maybe low doses of klonopin, maybe, but also an antidepressant and CBT every week. Klonopin may make you not care to do things, so that's why I'm hesitant to suggest it in your case.
> Is "cognitive ability" basically being amped and focused? I have cognitive ability, but it is just too difficult to think, just like it is difficult to do anything. Its like it hurts my brain. I want to go back to school too but i cant get myself to do much. So does aricept help with motivation and anhedonia- to actually deal with using my brain?
Posted by phidippus on July 17, 2012, at 18:31:23
In reply to What's your favorite cognitive enhancer?, posted by Novelagent on July 3, 2012, at 9:35:33
About 1000 mgs of Keppra.
Eric
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