Concentration symptoms and conditions

I have been on Paroxetine which is the generic for Paxil, I was put on it for panic, anxiety and depression..I have been on since about sometime in March. Now if anyone can avoid running out of their medications it would be a good thing to make you don't.
I have recently ran out of my medication and I have noticed today mostly of the two days I have been without it some differences in my moods, and attitude. Today I have really noticed that I have been very impatient myself with family, husband, and pets, I get angry quicker about anything. I just don't feel right at all..
I am exhausted, I have no concentration, no focus at all. I am having a hard time right now. I go to a clinic to get my prescriptions and lately with what I have going on in my life,my needs get pushed aside.I am a full time student and now my husband goes to school so he can get a better job, and he has to be driven there two days a week by me, so that takes time out of that day to go and see the doctor.

I'm a 47yo female & sorry for putting this as a reply to another post - new here:

Gosh.. glad I found this place - have been taking Warfarin for AF for about 2 weeks now and have been slowly sliding down hill. Thing is you just never know when to contact a doctor hey.

My symptoms, bloating, weight gain already, light headed, blurred vision, have had numbness & tingling in right arm and leg, and now I'm slowly getting colder and colder, and have a high sensitivity to light. Just started my monthly cycle and it's literally flooding, and I have an awful pain in the left hand side of my neck - it's sharp and unbearable at times. Some days when I'm driving home from work I feel I should pull over, not sure what my body is going to do to me next. I lack concentration, am crabby most of the time (and was picked up on that today at work) - and very emotional.

I don't like this at all - at what point do I mention any of this without seeming like a whinger?
I have a physical job, which has been reduced to 'light duties' due to the risks at the moment, which I'm grateful for. Today I bumped my thumb only slightly and it swelled up in a bloody lump - the blood has disappeared but the swelling is still there together with 'loose' skin where the originally larger swelling was. Everything seems just so weird.. I don't feel like ME any more - I want ME back :((

I am a 48 year old female with a-fib. I am not overweight...just started falling apart since now I am menopausal. I've been on Warfarin for 6 weeks. My INR has hardly moved. I'm now on 8 mg and have my INR test on Monday. I started at a 0.9. Now I'm at 1.20 and have been there for three weeks in spite of upping the warfarin. I've not changed my diet except to exclude greens and green tea when I began the therapy. Everything else is consistent.
I just started exercising again a week ago. Something I haven't done in five years since I lost my sister. I bought a Total Gym and enjoy it. It has helped me get some energy back, has helped alleviate some of the mental fog, and has lowered the incidence of anxiety attacks. (I've been getting anxiety lately...since the mental fog and memory lapses...that bothers me since I love to read and write and the mental fog seems to be taking the joy out of it now.) The reason I decided to start strength training again is because of the joint pain I have been experiencing lately. I didn't have it before warfarin. I do now. Only one joint, though. The strength training does help, but every once in awhile, that sharp pain comes back to visit. It's just a little less now.
I plan to tell the doctor that I have begun strength training again. Not just because it's good for me and my heart, but it seems to help with the side effects of menopause and warfarin...without adding another drug like an antidepressant.
Warfarin...I believe is a life saving drug. BUT, I have to do my part too.

BTW, if I didn't have triple thick hair, I would complain about hair loss. Right now, it's a non issue for me. Just saves money at the hair dresser.

I have been on toprol for sometime now, and what I have found is, I have no sex drive at all which is causing problems in my marriage. I am always tired, can't remember anything short term that is and my shoulders are always hurting as if I have been lifting weights. I am also noticing bruises if any kind of pressure is applied to my skin which is weird. I also get swollen ankles and lots of hair loss. My vision is giving me lots of problems. I now wear glasses that are so thick you would think I borrowed them from the bottom of a Pepsi bottle. I just don't know what to do anymore. I have expressed most of my symptoms to my doctor, but my cries have gone unheard. I am afraid to stop taking the medication in fear of having a heat attack.. I have taken my daughter through a specialized school until she was able to manage herself but today I cannot remember how to do math or just simply write and essay which I think is weird. I am also having a hard time with spelling and reading long passages due to my lack of energy and concentration. Does anyone have advice that is helpful?

I've been taking Lisinopril for about three months and wonder if this could be causing my anger. Before this medication I was definitely not a angry person but lately even the smallest things set me off. Has anyone else experienced this type of side effect from this medication? It has definitely regulated my blood pressure maintaining at 120/80

Thanks,
M.

Hi I posted this on the Coumadin site when I should have been here,

I am a 66 year old female and up to a year ago I felt 20 years younger now I feel 20 years older.

I fell and broke my hip June '08. Had a hip replacement and developed a blood clot (DVT) in my left leg.

They put me on Coumadin and when that didn’t do the job they added Lovanox (another blood thinner requiring shots in the stomach).

Not only has they not helped but my blood clot is growing.

My symptoms:
daily headaches, debilitating leg pain (the pain is so bad that it is crippling me), fatigue (an overwhelming feeling of tiredness, I set down for a few minutes and wake up hours later.), loss my concentration (trouble doing simple crosswords), can’t study simple directions, numbness in toes and hands. I can go on.

And the doctors? “It’s all in my head. It can’t be the blood thinners.”

I am going to copy your blogs and take them to my doctor and demand something be done.

Thanks again to this site and all of you. I was beginning to think there was something wrong with my mind.

I'm not crazy!!!! Thank you..

I fell and broke my hip June '08. Had a hip replacement and developed a blood clot (DVT) in my left leg.

They put me on Coumadin and when that didn’t do the job they added Lovanox (another blood thinner requiring shots in the stomach).

Not only has they not helped but my blood clot is growing.

My symptoms:
daily headaches, debilitating leg pain (the pain is so bad that it is crippling me), fatigue (an overwhelming feeling of tiredness, I set down for a few minutes and wake up hours later.), loss my concentration (trouble doing simple crosswords), can’t study simple directions, numbness in toes and hands. I can go on.

And the doctors? “It’s all in my head. It can’t be the blood thinners.”

I am going to copy your blogs and take them to my doctor and demand something be done.

Thanks again to this site and all of you. I was beginning to think there was something wrong with my mind.

**I found something that helps the foggy head, forgetfulness, short term memory, and sleepiness that comes with taking Lamictal!!**

I want to pass this along , because it has helped me SO much. I was diagnosed bipolar II recently and was put on Lamictal. I'm a writer, so my biggest concern was being able to find the words I need and having the concentration for my work, but suddenly I lost my ability to string words together when speaking OR writing. The words weren't even close to coming to me. I felt like I was sleepwalking half the time, along with other symptoms, but the bouts of spacehead were hardest to take. I felt pretty desperate and kept researching until I came across a post on a message board that claimed to have the answer.

If you can manage, do not take Lamictal at night. The following is so simple that it might seem strange that it works (it did to me):

All you have to do is set your alarm for a half hour to an hour before you would normally get up. Then take your Lamictal and go back to sleep for a half hour to an hour (it takes a little practice to get used to this morning routine at first, but it's totally worth it). For some reason, it's ESSENTIAL that you do go back to sleep for that short period and do not just rest with your eyes closed until it's time to get up.

I tried this, not really expecting anything from it, but on the very first day it seemed that at least 85 percent of the foggy-head was gone. Just gone. It has continued to work every day that I have managed to do it, and when I don't do it, the foggyhead is back again with a vengeance. I finally feel great, as if the medicine is doing exactly what it's supposed to.

Taking Lamictal at night (like doctors often recommend) can make the fogginess worse than any other time. The person who posted about this originally said he told his psychiatrist about his experience, and the psychiatrist told his other patients on Lamictal to try it. It worked for them too.

I hope this is helpful to others as much as it is to me, though I know everyone's body and brain are different, so it's possible that it won't work for everyone. I do hope if it works for you that you'll spread the word, because this is such a debilitating side effect.

Best wishes to you all.

After reading these posts I am more confused than before, because my experience is so far very different. I was diagnosed with DVT about two weeks ago and now take Coumadin daily; the Lovenox injections have been discontinued. The reason I'm so confused is I now feel the best I have in 5 (five) years.

Before being placed on the anti-coagulants I had memory and concentration issues that were progressively getting worse and greatly affecting my job, and had daily headaches. I had joint pain that made it difficult to get up after sitting for awhile; they felt constantly inflamed. I felt fatigued all the time and my muscles hurt like I had really pushed them; I just didn't have any strength, and had muscle cramps. I was constantly yawning and found my jaws hurt from clinching my teeth, subconsciously trying not to yawn. I was extremely sensitive to physical touch, even hugs hurt. I also felt extremely depressed and cried almost daily. My lips and left cheek tingled, as well as other parts of my body. Plus I would get the feeling of sudden pressure in my head (different from a headache) like it was going to pop off, and I my eyes didn't seem to track what I looking at and had difficulty in remembering or comprehending what I just read.

About 6 (six) days after starting treatment it completely changed and these symptoms are essentially gone. I have talked with my doctor and pharmacist and they are baffled. I am concerned this change, while welcomed, may indicate an underlying condition that is not yet diagnosed. Has anyone ever heard of such an impact from starting Coumadin treatment?

Has anyone experienced muscle loss of the heart since they are on vytorin? In 15 months on Vytorin my heart ejection fracture went from 48 to 30.

I have been on lisinopril for over 3 years - 5 mg/day. I am a 52 year old female in great shape and exercise daily. For over a year now I have had muscle aches, muscle weakness, heart palpitations, foggy brain feeling, insomnia, fatigue, some tingling in extremities. I also sometimes get these spells where all these symptoms come on at once. It's very strange. Been to numerous doctors including, PCP, 2 neurologists and a rheumatologist and after many tests they all come up with nothing. After reading posts at this site I think it may be the Lisinopril and with my PCP's permission stopped taking it 11 days ago. My blood pressure is fine - I am monitoring it daily. My symptoms still remain. Does anyone know how long these symptoms may continue? I am grateful for any additional information you could provide.

ive been on seroquel for about three months...low dose,,,25 mg to 50 a day,,,ive noticed im an emotionless zombie,,,my concentration is poor ...my focus is off,,,i even think it effects my speech,,slurring and stuttering..it helps me sleep though thats the only positive thing it does...makes me a bit more relaxed during the day too.........but i wanna get off it soon,,,i want to go through the days without being lethargic and zombie like............ive been suffering from some pretty heavy depression lately..don't think this med is helping out much..............i need advice from you guys please

I am glad I am not alone with this issue . I have experienced most if not all the side effects.It would be impossible to be employed in any activity under these conditions.I changed the timing of to afternoons after I ate and it helped a little.I,ll go to night time this week end see what happens.
It did drop b/p fast,but the effects are just to much.Doctor said to stay out of sun wear hat etc.I thought my arms were dying, shoulder joint pain ,having to stop while shopping to catch up with spells light headedness,head aches,numbness all over,and bad concentration.I am on 20 mg pink round lisinopril.

Well it has been 10 days since I stopped taking Lipitor. I am now sleeping 7 to 9 hrs straight - headaches gone - not as moody as I used to be - better concentration at work and huge improvement in short term memory. I forgot to metion that my doctor put me on 40mg hence it didn't take long for the side effects to start. I saw my Doctor and explained that I was off the Lipitor and told him why. He is keeping an eye on me and I will keep you all updated.
cheers from Down Under.
Goose

Below is my original post from 7 months ago i am still waiting for most off these side effects to improve especially my memory which is still terrible and also the tinnitus ...the aches and pains are slightly better but that depends on the day only the severe itching is better but i still have the fatigue in the mornings ..

I am a 52Yr old male and was diagnosed with T2 Diabetes 2 1/2 yrs ago ....The doctor prescribed me simvastatin a few month later 20mg once a day all had been fine till about 6 months ago when I developed tinnitus and started feeling very tired...My concentration started to lapse especially when driving as i found i couldn't remember driving down a stretches of the road etc ie passing speed cameras etc ...my memory also seems to have slowed down and i have problems recalling recent conversations or things i have done etc...just recently i have been getting severe itching on the soles of my feet almost becoming painful i have pains /aches all over and now especially have pain in my left arm right knee and fingers...when i get up in the mornings i feel like i have run a marathon the day before as i ache especially my neck and shoulders...needless to say i have now stopped taking the tablets after reading this forum and i am seeing my doctor next week initially i put all this down to getting older ... S.

I have had migraines for years and as I got older the migraines got worse. I was having four a month when my doctor started me on Topamax. I was to take 25 mg at night for a week and then increase each week until I was up to 100mg. I never made it 100mg. At 50mg I woke up with double vision. My doctor said the Topamax was so great for migraines that I stayed at 25 mg for over a year. Thats when the side effects started. I had lost of concentration and inability to find the right words. I thought I was just getting old...even thought I was in early stages of Alzheimer. I had mild depression but thought it was from things I was going through in life. Then I notice that my morning urine would smell. I cant even describe the smell just different and I knew something was wrong. I haven't had a menstrual period in over five years but started spotting. Thats when I looked up the side effects. I stopped taking the Topamax immediately. The smell in my urine went away after a few days off of it. I am hoping that my memory and concentration improve gradually. Its not worth the problems it causes. Now I'm looking for another way to lessen the migraines.

I'm 38 years old and I started Topamax in July of 2008 for severe migraines. I've had an average of 12-15 migraines per month since my early 20's and nothing was working. While initially adjusting to Topamax I had the tingling in my hands and feet during the first month but then it went away. My neurologist increased the dose very slowly from 50mg to 100mg to 150 mg. The migraines have decreased in response to each dose increase. At 100 mg the migraines reduced to 10 per month and at 150mg they reduced to 6 per month. My dose is now being raised to 200 mg which the Dr. says is the maximum recommended for treating migraines. The worst side effects I've experienced are extremely dry mouth (from 150 mg+) and slight hair loss. My starting weight was 138 and I lost 11 pounds very gradually before my weight stabilized at 127. I haven't noticed any problems with food or drinks tasting different. For some reason, I always have insomnia for the first week after a dose increase but then it goes away. I've only had mild concentration problems but nothing notable or problematic. So far, the medication has been remarkable and I can't believe what it's like to live life without so much migraine pain! I hope other people can have the same benefits from this medication.

I received yet another email from someone who has had a recent MRI due to memory difficulties and the MRI indicated brain shrinkage. This drug is breaking the blood brain barrier, causes depression, and is shrinking the brain. I know of 3 people who began Lisinopril and over a period of less than 2 years, have had MRI and their brains indicate shrinkage. We are wondering why Alzheimers is becoming an epidemic. More people are being prescribed Blood Pressure medicines at earlier ages, particularly Ace Inhibitors because they are cheap and these drugs are pentrating the blood brain barrier and causing a drug induced brain damage that mimicks Alzheimer symptoms. It begins to appear as depression, so, they treat the depression with anti-depressants. They improve for a period of time and then the symptoms of memory loss, difficulty retaining, concentration issues, mental sluggishness begin to present again. The Doctors are in denial, not us who are posting these symptoms. The obvious is oblivious. You cannot take a healthy individual who never took anything more than an aspirin and within 17 month of taking this medication have depression, memory issues and brain shrinkage. I hope if there are any Doctors that read this site, they pay attention to their patients and watch those people on Ace Inhibitors who then follow a pattern of memory problems and depression. It's much more than depression. I bet if all those people who experience memory difficulties got and MRI, there brains would show shrinkage.

Hi, I'm rapid cycling bipolar. I was taking 300mg of lithium a day and it helped a lot. Then started the crying and paranoid feelings again. I also took venlafaxine 150mg. My psych doc increased the venlafaxine to 225mg time released and the lithium to 300mg twice a day. I have really bad headache that make me sick to my stomach. Bad hand tremors, weight gain, extreme thirst, dry mouth, constant urination, confusion, memory loss, bad concentration, heart palpitation that are very scary and problems with my balance. I've been taking these meds for a year now. I'm hoping that I just need to get used to the new dosage. On the plus side mentally I'm great, it's just the physical aliments that are getting me. I have an appt. with my doc on the 13th. I'm hoping that he'll have some answers for me. Hang in there I know how you all feel! please tell me if anyone else has these same symptoms. Thanks,

I have been taking Remeron for about 1 week for bi-polar. The most profound side effects that I have, deal with concentration, motor skills, problems sleeping, and an increase in weight (5 pounds) and appetite.

I started at 20mg and it was great, but then doctor said to try 40mg to see if even better, but it wasn't, so back to 20mg. It has been a couple years now. I had to start taking it at night, because I was getting too sleepy while driving to work and back. That made it better. Definitely has helped with emotions, pain in my arm, and small daily headaches. I have gained weight, and can not sit still long-or I get sleepy. I didn't know blurred vision and concentration were side effects, until reading this. I think I may try to go to 10mg. Really, never want to get off of it, because I have lived with IBS my whole life, which is very painful, and makes me have to get to a bathroom quick. Celexa has changed my life in this regard. Now have daily movements that are healthy. No more pain. It has to be the Celexa, because it happened at the same time I started taking it. The doctor says he has had others say it, and it is probably because it calms you down.
Good luck to all of you!

I am so glad I'm not the only one that has the crazy symptoms. I am being treated for an inflammation in my optic nerve. I woke up over a month ago now with double-vision. I was on 100mg a day for seven days then went down to 60mg. I feel like I'm high all the time though. I have to take my pills at 7 in the morning and they are still effecting me until about 2 or 3 in the afternoon. I can't drive or do anything that would take a lot of concentration cause I just feel out of it around my eyes. Also I have tingling in my face and arm. Not sure if this is a side effect or if its the possibility that I may have Multiple Sclerosis. (getting an M.R.I. done for further testing) Does anyone else have those tingling sensations?
My vision has almost come back to normal now. The Prednisone has done wonders for that, but I really hate taking it.

I have been taking 1,000 mg for about 6 month to lower my LDL to 70 mg from 107 mg. I also take 81 mg aspirin about 30 min. before I take my 1,000 mg Niaspan. My HDL and triglycerides are fine. Lipitor did not lower my LDL and Vitorin caused the tingling in my right arm. After discontinuing Vitorin, I was put on Niaspan. The flushing is OK but the itching on my back was horrible not to mention insomnia. Itching comes and goes but what worries me that recently I have developed the pain in my toes, (excluding the big toe) and when I get out of my bed my feet do not want to support me for at least 5-6 steps. I have been always able to walk for miles! I realized that one of the side effects of Niaspan is elevated concentration of uric acid (gout) or glucose (diabetic condition).
Any similar side effects?

I have taken an oral form of Doxycycline daily for at least a year.
Before, I thought such symptoms were relevant to a fluctuation of bodily chemicals during pubescent growth.
I am now sure otherwise.
During the time between when I was prescribed and today, I would never have known that these things were side effects of an antibiotic.
I'd wake up every morning, take a shower, and feel like I'd vomit if I kept standing. I laid down on my bed and realized I felt way too hot. I'd take off my shirt and lay down in front of my floor fan.......Now, every morning after I take a shower, I stand out in my back patio, 45 degrees, in only my boxers--completely comfortable for as long as whenever.
I have terrible sleep.
I stay up at night thinking too much about almost nothing.
Overwhelming self-conscious thoughts.
Overwhelming.
Sometimes I feel like I have to do simple things manually, instead such movements occurring normally, like auto-pilot.
Walking. A majority of the time I walk, its like my first steps:
bring left knee forward, put left heel down, bring right knee forward.....
Blinking.
Concentration.
Anxiety, paranoia, you name it--
I developed a smoking habit that numbed out all the stress.
I am not quite sure if I was addicted other the occasional crave of a cigarette, but...
Look,
every now and then, because my doxycycline came in the mail, I would have a week or two without it.
I think, antibiotic, right? Doesn't matter right? just like a Vitamin? just take it and whooosh its all good, it does what it does, helps my acne whatever--
during those periods without it, I felt distinguishibly happy and calm and I didn't even crave cigarettes.

As of now, I realize that those were not loony mood swings, and, a multitude of people suffer and have suffered from doxycycline.

I have been taking zoloft for 14 years for panic disorder with mild depression. various doses, but now im at 200 mg, and have been at that dose for a long time. it was like a lifesaver from my previous med, imipramine. i did have really vivid dreams, weird ones, for a long time, but not so much anymore. i think that the long term effect of taking it has taken a toll on my mental clarity/concentration, though. I feel like i can't concentrate on anything or complete a thought anymore. even typing this i feel like i'm getting lost. like i'm constantly in a fog. or it could be that i have 5 month old twins, lol, i guess. but really, its never been this bad.
i too feel like i have had some loss of emotion, not feeling sad when its completely appropriate to. and i've also had way too much emotion at the wrong times, flying off the handle at people and such. the worst thing is my dr. would ask me "what makes you happy, what do you do for fun?" and i would just stare at him with a blank look cause i had no idea what that felt like anymore. or maybe i couldn't think enough to answer him. physically i think zoloft makes me twitch - eye twitches, nose twitches, throat clearing. and i can't have an orgasm to save my life :(
recently i've been having some breakthrough anxiety and my dr. wants to add wellbutrin to the zoloft. if anyone has experience with this please send me a message. i'm kind of scared to do it.