Are there any mood stabilizers that don't make you stupid? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Are there any mood stabilizers that don't make you stupid?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
cottonmather
Feb 04, 2009 18:12:00 I have tried so many. Are there any out there that don't make your IQ points drop. They all seem to shoot apart my short term memory.
#2
bob_loblaw
Feb 04, 2009 18:18:59 There are plenty of options available to you that include mediations as well as therapeutic help. I suggest that you discuss this with your doctor(s) and pharmacist. They will be able to provide far better direction than anyone on these boards can. I am a pharmacy technician and we get questions like this quite often. We also hear "I read it on the internet" even more often. The very high majority of the time the information is incorrect. No one here knows your specific situation and therefore cannot provide relevant medical assistance. Honestly, this is not the best place to get professional medical help.
#3
cottonmather
Feb 04, 2009 18:32:15
There are plenty of options available to you that include mediations as well as therapeutic help. I suggest that you discuss this with your doctor(s) and pharmacist. They will be able to provide far better direction than anyone on these boards can. I am a pharmacy technician and we get questions like this quite often. We also hear "I read it on the internet" even more often. The very high majority of the time the information is incorrect. No one here knows your specific situation and therefore cannot provide relevant medical assistance. Honestly, this is not the best place to get professional medical help.

But I have gone to many professionals, and they dismiss my concerns about my memory being impacted by these drugs, just saying "Oh, that shouldn't happen." But every support group I have gone to, every forum for bi polar dissorders I have been to, people complain about this side effect more than any other. I am tired of dealing with doctors. They just read the side of the bottle and if the side effect doesn't appear there, they don't recognize it as real.
#4
bob_loblaw
Feb 04, 2009 18:57:43 Then you need to find the doctor that will listen. I would suggest that you determine if it's really your memory that is failing or that you are just thinking that it is failing. Too often we see or perceive trends that aren't really there or assume that they are caused by a coincidental event.

I know that as I get older my memory is not what it used to be. Too often I think that it's something wrong with me, my medications, my stress, whatever. When I evaluate it honestly though, I find that my memory is just fine and that it's just me making assumptions.

If your memory is being impacted by these medications and you can't switch, then you need to make some adjustments in your life. Ask yourself what you are having a hard time remembering. If it's upcoming events, then set your cell phone to remind you or use a calendar. If it's people's names then find a mnemonic to help you remember. You may have to simply retrain your brain.

I don't know which medication(s) you are taking or have tried. I will look at depakote since it is one that I tried. Here is a listing from the PDRon depakote side effects:

More common side effects may include:
Abdominal pain, abnormal thinking, breathing difficulty, bronchitis, bruising, constipation, depression, diarrhea, dizziness, emotional changeability, fever, flu symptoms, hair loss, headache, incoordination, indigestion, infection, insomnia, loss of appetite, memory loss, nasal inflammation, nausea, nervousness, ringing in the ears, sleepiness, sore throat, tremor, vision problems, vomiting, weakness, weight loss or gain

You may want to look in the PDR if you can. Go the library and ask if you can make a copy of the appropriate page. Show it to your doctor.

When I was on depakote I had some problems but they weren't memory issues. Turns out I didn't need depakote. I don't have bipolar disorder. I have PTSD. That may be the case with you as well. You may be taking a medication for the wrong condition. This is something that your doctors need to determine though. I had to go through a dozen or so doctors before any of them figured it out. I now have two doctors which I see once a year unless I need help. I don't take anything except anti-anxiety medication and that's only as needed.
#5
cottonmather
Feb 04, 2009 18:59:04
Then you need to find the doctor that will listen. I would suggest that you determine if it's really your memory that is failing or that you are just thinking that it is failing. Too often we see or perceive trends that aren't really there or assume that they are caused by a coincidental event.

I know that as I get older my memory is not what it used to be. Too often I think that it's something wrong with me, my medications, my stress, whatever. When I evaluate it honestly though, I find that my memory is just fine and that it's just me making assumptions.

If your memory is being impacted by these medications and you can't switch, then you need to make some adjustments in your life. Ask yourself what you are having a hard time remembering. If it's upcoming events, then set your cell phone to remind you or use a calendar. If it's people's names then find a mnemonic to help you remember. You may have to simply retrain your brain.

I don't know which medication(s) you are taking or have tried. I will look at depakote since it is one that I tried. Here is a listing from the PDRon depakote side effects:

You may want to look in the PDR if you can. Go the library and ask if you can make a copy of the appropriate page. Show it to your doctor.

When I was on depakote I had some problems but they weren't memory issues. Turns out I didn't need depakote. I don't have bipolar disorder. I have PTSD. That may be the case with you as well. You may be taking a medication for the wrong condition. This is something that your doctors need to determine though. I had to go through a dozen or so doctors before any of them figured it out. I now have two doctors which I see once a year unless I need help. I don't take anything except anti-anxiety medication and that's only as needed.

aren't anti anxieties addictive
#6
bob_loblaw
Feb 04, 2009 19:24:43
aren't anti anxieties addictive

Some can be. I only take them when absolutely necessary. I think I average about 2-3 per month maybe less.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 cottonmather Feb 04, 2009 18:12:00	I have tried so many. Are there any out there that don't make your IQ points drop. They all seem to shoot apart my short term memory.
#2 bob_loblaw Feb 04, 2009 18:18:59	There are plenty of options available to you that include mediations as well as therapeutic help. I suggest that you discuss this with your doctor(s) and pharmacist. They will be able to provide far better direction than anyone on these boards can. I am a pharmacy technician and we get questions like this quite often. We also hear "I read it on the internet" even more often. The very high majority of the time the information is incorrect. No one here knows your specific situation and therefore cannot provide relevant medical assistance. Honestly, this is not the best place to get professional medical help.
#3 cottonmather Feb 04, 2009 18:32:15	There are plenty of options available to you that include mediations as well as therapeutic help. I suggest that you discuss this with your doctor(s) and pharmacist. They will be able to provide far better direction than anyone on these boards can. I am a pharmacy technician and we get questions like this quite often. We also hear "I read it on the internet" even more often. The very high majority of the time the information is incorrect. No one here knows your specific situation and therefore cannot provide relevant medical assistance. Honestly, this is not the best place to get professional medical help. But I have gone to many professionals, and they dismiss my concerns about my memory being impacted by these drugs, just saying "Oh, that shouldn't happen." But every support group I have gone to, every forum for bi polar dissorders I have been to, people complain about this side effect more than any other. I am tired of dealing with doctors. They just read the side of the bottle and if the side effect doesn't appear there, they don't recognize it as real.
#4 bob_loblaw Feb 04, 2009 18:57:43	Then you need to find the doctor that will listen. I would suggest that you determine if it's really your memory that is failing or that you are just thinking that it is failing. Too often we see or perceive trends that aren't really there or assume that they are caused by a coincidental event. I know that as I get older my memory is not what it used to be. Too often I think that it's something wrong with me, my medications, my stress, whatever. When I evaluate it honestly though, I find that my memory is just fine and that it's just me making assumptions. If your memory is being impacted by these medications and you can't switch, then you need to make some adjustments in your life. Ask yourself what you are having a hard time remembering. If it's upcoming events, then set your cell phone to remind you or use a calendar. If it's people's names then find a mnemonic to help you remember. You may have to simply retrain your brain. I don't know which medication(s) you are taking or have tried. I will look at depakote since it is one that I tried. Here is a listing from the PDRon depakote side effects: More common side effects may include: Abdominal pain, abnormal thinking, breathing difficulty, bronchitis, bruising, constipation, depression, diarrhea, dizziness, emotional changeability, fever, flu symptoms, hair loss, headache, incoordination, indigestion, infection, insomnia, loss of appetite, *memory loss*, nasal inflammation, nausea, nervousness, ringing in the ears, sleepiness, sore throat, tremor, vision problems, vomiting, weakness, weight loss or gain You may want to look in the PDR if you can. Go the library and ask if you can make a copy of the appropriate page. Show it to your doctor. When I was on depakote I had some problems but they weren't memory issues. Turns out I didn't need depakote. I don't have bipolar disorder. I have PTSD. That may be the case with you as well. You may be taking a medication for the wrong condition. This is something that your doctors need to determine though. I had to go through a dozen or so doctors before any of them figured it out. I now have two doctors which I see once a year unless I need help. I don't take anything except anti-anxiety medication and that's only as needed.
#5 cottonmather Feb 04, 2009 18:59:04	Then you need to find the doctor that will listen. I would suggest that you determine if it's really your memory that is failing or that you are just thinking that it is failing. Too often we see or perceive trends that aren't really there or assume that they are caused by a coincidental event. I know that as I get older my memory is not what it used to be. Too often I think that it's something wrong with me, my medications, my stress, whatever. When I evaluate it honestly though, I find that my memory is just fine and that it's just me making assumptions. If your memory is being impacted by these medications and you can't switch, then you need to make some adjustments in your life. Ask yourself what you are having a hard time remembering. If it's upcoming events, then set your cell phone to remind you or use a calendar. If it's people's names then find a mnemonic to help you remember. You may have to simply retrain your brain. I don't know which medication(s) you are taking or have tried. I will look at depakote since it is one that I tried. Here is a listing from the PDRon depakote side effects: You may want to look in the PDR if you can. Go the library and ask if you can make a copy of the appropriate page. Show it to your doctor. When I was on depakote I had some problems but they weren't memory issues. Turns out I didn't need depakote. I don't have bipolar disorder. I have PTSD. That may be the case with you as well. You may be taking a medication for the wrong condition. This is something that your doctors need to determine though. I had to go through a dozen or so doctors before any of them figured it out. I now have two doctors which I see once a year unless I need help. I don't take anything except anti-anxiety medication and that's only as needed. aren't anti anxieties addictive
#6 bob_loblaw Feb 04, 2009 19:24:43	aren't anti anxieties addictive Some can be. I only take them when absolutely necessary. I think I average about 2-3 per month maybe less.