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Memory Loss & Lamictal

Fri, 08/12/2011 - 23:08
Hi everyone. I'm Kat, I've been active on this board for a while but mostly in the Women With Epilepsy forum. I was going to post this in there but I feel like it should be more open to everyone since it's not focusing on women only issues. Since starting Lamictal almost two years ago, I have noticed some fluctuations with my mood as well as my ability to concentrate, that showed mostly as I got up in the dosage. I started at 25mg like most patients and eased my way up to my current 250mg BID (twice a day) dosage. I did the escalation slow as recommended & did not experience any obvious side effects. However, as I've gotten more into my medication routine with it, I have noticed that my moods seem to fluctuate (just a little bit, but still noticeable) and I know that Lamictal is also used to manage bipolar disorder. I am currently in the process of switching doctors so I've been waiting to talk to my new doctor about these issues. I don't have the best relationship with my current doctor & feel as if he doesn't listen so I don't see the point in even bringing it up. In fact, I believe I brought it up to him in the past but to no avail. His answer for everything is either "that's normal but not worrysome" or "lets increase the dose & call me in a week". To run through what I've noticed, the main thing is that I have a hard time handling a day regimen that requires me to multitask. This presents a lot of problems because I have a very busy life with working, managing my home due to my boyfriend being away a lot for his work, taking care of a new puppy practically by myself & being a college student, about to enter a very heavily crowded schedule. I have taken on two jobs in the fall after school starts & even though I have an optimistic look to it, I know from my past that my memory lapses cause a lot of problem. For example, I missed the deadlines for several things involving school that will make my semester hard such as missing the deadline for a grant that would be very helpful & missing the date to order the main campus parking permit & having to get one that's much more difficult to deal with. I've always been a little scatterbrained but it seems much worse lately. Sometimes someone can tell me something & in just fifteen minutes, I forget what they said. This causes a lot of frustration with everyone around me & makes me feel incompetent. I'm not entirely sure it's just the medication but in my heart, I feel like it has something to do with it. Does anyone else that's on Lamictal (I take the generic lamotragine) experience similar problems? If so, how much does it affect your life & how much is your current dosage? I appreciate any feedback. Thanks guys!

Comments

Re: Memory Loss & Lamictal

Submitted by comment on Sat, 2013-08-17 - 01:14
Thanks... I'll look into other AED. Have you used any other forums about epilepsy? I'd like to find a site that has more active members. Blessings!

I was only on lamictal for 2

Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 2014-08-03 - 07:42
I was only on lamictal for 2 weeks and immediately noticed memory problems.  I am off now,  but the memory problems progress. I have a constant confusion of time. It seems to warp. Either very very quickly or very very slowly and I repeat myself a lot. Its a very weird feeling.  You feel like you aren't real.  Im 17 so I shouldn't be losing memory.  The feeling is similar to staying awake 30+ hours. Idk if any of you have but do you notice how time starts to kinda warp.  Well imagine that 10 times worse

I am really scared.  I was

Submitted by blhitchcock901@yahoo.com on Sun, 2014-11-23 - 13:51
I am really scared.  I was diagnosed 8 years ago with Bipolar.  For 5 years, I took Lexapro 10 mg, Lamictal 50 mg, and Clonopin .5mg with no problems. I was relieved to know that there was help for this crazy disorder.  After my parents died, I spiraled downward.  I went to the doctor desperate.  I didn't want to live and I didn't want to die.  He prescribed Seroquel.  I had night mares and could not even get out of bed.  I was referred to another pyschiatrist to gradually increased my dosage to Lamictal 200 mg.,  and the continued dosage of Lexapro and Clonopin.  I was recently weaned off of the Clonopin which they have found to cause early dementia.  I was given trazodone and vistaril.  The trazodone did the same thing that the seroquel did.  The vistaril makes me nervous and jittery.   I've seen the change gradually since I have been going to the psychiatrist for the past year and the upped dosage in Lamictal.  He says that it was the Klonopin.  I can not sleep without the Klonopin.  This morning was the scariest of all. I went to church, left the keys in the car with it still running.  I'm scared.  What am to do?  I also take Synthroid for thyroid, Losartan and Metropol for high blood pressure.  I feel like I have early dementia.  My mom had dementia at 70.  What do I do?  My doctor will not listen.  He says he has tried everything there is to try.  

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