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I feel somewhat reassured that it's a possibility that my memory ...

Posted at 1:46 PM on May 31, 2009 by jl_cle, #41891
I feel somewhat reassured that it's a possibility that my memory loss is a side effect of lamictal. I was diagnosed with BP I and the medication has done wonders. I still get very depressed sometimes, but not as severe as it was without the med. I experience(d) rapid-cycling which I was told is less common for this disorder. My short-term memory is horrible. Sometimes have trouble remembering conversations and even things that happened a short time ago. For example, I recently played a few games of pool with my son and on our way home, I couldn't recall whether or not I won any of the 3 games. It's pretty embarrassing and scary when someone "catches" you or notices that you have completely blanked. I have to write things down if I want to discuss them with my therapist, because I won't remember what my issues were within the last week or two. Sometimes, when someone asks me if I remember something, I act like I do, because I probably should remember it. Again, I feel like an idiot because I don't. At work, it's not too much of a problem, because I insist that everyone sends me a reminder email, so I have a task list to work from instead of recalling things from memory. I also get completely lost in my train of thought during conversations. I tend to go off in tangents and completely forget what point I was trying to make. I also have trouble focusing and my mind is always because obsessing over some thought, usually something negative. I feel like I waste a lot of time doing unproductive thinking. I'm not sure if this is a symptom of the disorder of not.
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Reply 5 months ago on Jun 05, 2009 by bethann, #20403

I haven't been able to spell simple words for a few months and it's getting worse. Yesterday, I had to schedule a class for nursing. When I filled out the forms, I FORGOT MY ADDRESS. I had to look at my drivers license. I was so upset yesterday. How am I going to take a class and remember anything! I am taking 300mg of Lamictal.

Everything you mentioned is happening to me. I'm so glad I read this. I thought it was dementia and I'm 50. It scared me so much. I see a great doctor and I'll let her know what is going on. (if I remember)

Thank you so much....I'm not alone.

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Reply 2 months ago on Aug 14, 2009 by babalon156, #22241

I had this same problem with lamictal. My short term memory was simply *gone*.I was taking the generic form of lamictal, and when I switched to the name brand, almost all of these side effects disappeared. The change was dramatic, and was noticeable in just a couple of days after switching. My insurance co. has not been super helpful about this, but to get my mind back it was worth the extra money.

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