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Memory Loss & Lamictal
Fri, 08/12/2011 - 23:08Comments
Re: Memory Loss & Lamictal
Submitted by comment on Wed, 2012-10-10 - 10:48
Re: Memory Loss & Lamictal
Submitted by happyplace on Wed, 2012-10-10 - 12:26
I have been on lamictal for a year now after a horrid time on topramax and keppra wasnt much better. I feel blessed t have lamictal, but it is not without side effects as you have described. I have had partial complex and grand mal, but now it is a rare few moments of staring. I can deal with the side effects.
I can lose my balance at times-dont wear high heels and hold to rails when i go up and down stairs.
My memory is a joke and I no longer practice clinical nursing as a result so I wouldn't hurt anyone, but I still practice in another industry. I go to college full time and that is what has made a difference in my memory. I went from not being able to play words with friends to finishing one degree and working on another masters. We can do anything we put our minds too. So what I cant scuba dive- go catch crabs or dig for oysters. I fish now and hike. There is beauty everywhere.
Organize yourself and do the same thing everyday. Put your keys/purse/wallet in the same place every day at work and at home. I keep a small notepad on me or for you younger ones-pull out your phone. I set my alarm on my phone very frequently for the big things. I keep a bigger calendar and pad at my desk. Every meeting or event is captured. I put columns on the pad for TIME/EVENT, then DISCUSSION, then FOLLOWUP and go ahead and put what/when i need to do for that followup. Make your own calendar and put it in a book and KEEP it to refer to. Look at it at the end of the day. Do not get frustrated u didnt get it all done or missed something. No one died-move on.
It took me 9 times of watching Pulp Fiction to realize I had seen it. I know memory loss intimately, but when I was at the Mayo Clinic and they traced the origin of the seizures, I was told this memory issue would always be there and I needed to adapt. It is worse on the lamictal, but not having seizures that I cant control is worse than forgetting something. I even keep a small list in the kitchen for when I run out of something and then tape it to the calendar the day I am going to the store. Look at it this way- you can't remember bad memories either-lol. Adapt and be happy!
I have been on lamictal for a year now after a horrid time on topramax and keppra wasnt much better. I feel blessed t have lamictal, but it is not without side effects as you have described. I have had partial complex and grand mal, but now it is a rare few moments of staring. I can deal with the side effects.
I can lose my balance at times-dont wear high heels and hold to rails when i go up and down stairs.
My memory is a joke and I no longer practice clinical nursing as a result so I wouldn't hurt anyone, but I still practice in another industry. I go to college full time and that is what has made a difference in my memory. I went from not being able to play words with friends to finishing one degree and working on another masters. We can do anything we put our minds too. So what I cant scuba dive- go catch crabs or dig for oysters. I fish now and hike. There is beauty everywhere.
Organize yourself and do the same thing everyday. Put your keys/purse/wallet in the same place every day at work and at home. I keep a small notepad on me or for you younger ones-pull out your phone. I set my alarm on my phone very frequently for the big things. I keep a bigger calendar and pad at my desk. Every meeting or event is captured. I put columns on the pad for TIME/EVENT, then DISCUSSION, then FOLLOWUP and go ahead and put what/when i need to do for that followup. Make your own calendar and put it in a book and KEEP it to refer to. Look at it at the end of the day. Do not get frustrated u didnt get it all done or missed something. No one died-move on.
It took me 9 times of watching Pulp Fiction to realize I had seen it. I know memory loss intimately, but when I was at the Mayo Clinic and they traced the origin of the seizures, I was told this memory issue would always be there and I needed to adapt. It is worse on the lamictal, but not having seizures that I cant control is worse than forgetting something. I even keep a small list in the kitchen for when I run out of something and then tape it to the calendar the day I am going to the store. Look at it this way- you can't remember bad memories either-lol. Adapt and be happy!
Re: Memory Loss & Lamictal
Submitted by Gagreen on Wed, 2012-10-10 - 09:28
I am new to this website and this forum. Reading all of your posts and comments is scary. My daughter has been on 800 mg of Lamictal for about 4-5 years. 400 in am and 400 in pm. She has had all these symptoms you guys are talking about. I was reading through them and saying to myself, "Oh my God". We dont know what to do either. She is 23 and trying to go to school and failing tests, forgetting stuff, cant drive......You know the drill. Very frustrating for all of us. Hang in there, all of you!