Word choice symptoms and conditions

I have taken Lamictal for about three years since I was 19. I feel like I'm experiencing the memory loss of a 60- or 70-year-old. I've always been quick and witty with impeccable grammar and spelling. These days, I struggle to remember words and their meanings, spellings and pronunciations.

I can't remember conversations I had with people half an hour before or items on my to-do list. I MUST write everything down. Sometimes, if it's in my planner, I still don't remember to do it.

It has affected me in my college classes, on the job and in my relationships. I hate the feeling that I'm less intelligent and quick as I used to be when I'm just 22. My short-term memory is shot.

Along with memory loss, I struggle to focus (always have been a straight-A student), follow conversations and often feel confused and need people to restate their thoughts so I can understand.

It's just so embarrassing to be so spacey. I didn't put it together until my sister (also on lamictal) told me about the memory loss and it clicked. At least there's a reason for my new-found stupidity.

Thanks for telling me doctor. Oh wait, she didn't.

I've only been on topamax for about a month and a half and already I'm feeling some interesting side effects. In the first week of taking the medication I had such pressure behind my left eye I thought it was going to pop. It eventually went away and has not come back (thank the Lord). I also experienced some pretty nasty numbness, tingling, and uncomfortable pins and needles in my fingertips and toes/sole of my foot. The tingling in my hands usually lasted a few hours and the tingling in my feet only lasted for a couple of minutes. This tingling is never predictable.

Eventually the tingles went away and I was tingle free for a while. But in the past few days they came back. It actually coincided with my PMS. The tingles came back and with intensity about three days before my period started. I was wondering if it was common to have a side effect return or increase in intensity around your menstrual cycle? My hormones are pretty nutty and the reason I'm on topamax is to stop severe migraine auras and slight seizures that are tied to my menstrual cycle.

The feet tingles are the worst. It feels like I'm being jabbed with needles and I hate when it happens while I'm sleeping because it wakes me up and I can't fall back asleep again until they go away... they are that irritating. The hands I can deal with because I'm used to my left arm going numb when I was having the auras.

My sleep patterns have been disturbed because of topamax... I'm not too peeved about that. I still manage to get enough sleep. However there are times when I'm out with friends or having conversations and I'll know the word I want to say and I'll just bust out the wrong one. Like for example saying symphony instead of sympathy. My friends have gotten used to it and know what I'm trying to say. It cracks them up when my word salad produces sexual innuendos on accident when I really mean something else. BUT it's really messing up job interviews at the moment. I'm a bright and articulate person who is getting her BA in Anthroplogy and Archaeology, minor in History and am trying to get research assistant jobs at museums and universities. It's really hard to get a job when you are sitting there sounding like an uneducated moron high on crack.

I haven't had problems with memory, thank the Lord. Even though I've got the word salad going on (and it's strange... the word jumbles are only when I'm speaking... I'm super coherent when typing) I'm not forgetful. I was able to make it through finals week perfect, while juggling a full work load. I hope I don't start losing my memory.

I haven't lost any weight (AW SHUCKS!!!!!). I was looking forward to that one. How soon should I expect to lose weight by, if I do in fact lose weight? I'm a difficult duck when it comes to weight loss. I've been at a stable weight since I was 13. I'm an athlete so my body is my temple sort of thing. But in the past two years I've put on a little bit of unwanted weight in certain areas when I stopped hitting the weight machines :( My question is, if I haven't lost it yet... will I lose any?

I'm also classified as type II bipolar, obsessive compulsive, and anxiety disordered. I've noticed my mood has stabilized. I'm not as all over the place as I used to be. My highs could get pretty high and when they would get up there my obsessive compulsive would almost go on a little joy ride. And when I was low, I was super low and my anxiety would take the depression out for a spin. But now I feel a calmness and a zen that I never felt previously. It's not an apathy I can certainly tell you that. I feel like I am in control of my life. I thank topamax for that.

Reading all of these posts I just worry that the honeymoon period of my medication maybe over. I worry about other side effects cropping up. I think that I can deal with my tingling extremities and that I can manage my word salads. I don't want the pressure in my eye to come back. I also don't want to start exhibiting the other side effects. What is the possibility that I will start exhibiting more side effects or are you generally stuck with what initially presents in the first month or so? My doctor also does NOT intend on increase my dosage. He thinks 50mg once a day will do me just fine. Oh and one last question, anyone else experiencing the side effect increase coinciding with PMS?

Sorry for the super long post! All replies are welcome!