Q. do you think my lamictal or ambian slow release ambian is making me my memory so bad?mictal, iI?

Question

i am really messed up. get lost driving, misplace thing and spend a great deal of time everyday looking for things that i have misplaced. finally locate them eventually. like my billfold or my watch or my cup of coffee? i suddenly the absent minded professor, too! also seems to affecting my vision and vocabulary. cannot remember names i should know. spellcheck doesn't catch a lot of words i cannot remember how to spell and i know it is misspelled have do a search then. lost.

Additional Details

***** NOBODY HAS COMPLETELY ANSWERED THE QUESTION AFTER FIVE ANSWERED. please will somebody address which of the two is most likely to be contributing memory problems. PLEASE?

***** WELL, i did it again! I meant to say in the first revision which pill is likely contributing Most to memory problems? Just noted my typing is much more of a problem, too. So not just mental but motor problems, too. Am very jerky at the wheel while driving and over correct.

***** WELL, i did it again! I meant to say in the first revision which pill is likely contributing Most to memory problems? Just noted my typing is much more of a problem, too. So not just mental but motor problems, too. Am very jerky at the wheel while driving and over correct.

***** NOBODY HAS COMPLETELY ANSWERED question after six! PLEASE READ the question with additions? ADD the symtom of "i have drastic drop in spelling ability and typing is more difficult."

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

I think its the lamictal. I have had a few of the same things recently when they upped my dose from 100 - 200mg and I'm just looking the pamphlet now it lists unsteadiness, confusion, memory loss, blurred and double vision as side effects.

Source(s):

Personal experience

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

i cannot thank you enough. i will be seeing doc but i didn't want to make an emergency appt. for this. again, thanks for your answer. take ten.

Answer 2

Amnesia is one of Ambien's side effects.Slowly cut back and see your doctor.

Answer 3

I was just like that the entire time i took lamictal and my doctor paid no heed of my complaints. After going off lamictal my short term memory improved, although not back to normal, and i realized i had amnesia for the entire 10 months i was on lamictal. Talk to your doctor right away and be persistant. The mfg. of lamictal does admit it can cause amnesia, but that info is only listed in the mfg.'s package insert for the drug. Ask your pharmacist for the "Package Insert" not the printout they give you when you pick up the prescription. Amnesia from lamictal is rare, but it DOES happen.

Source(s):

Personal experience

Answer 4

Speak to your doctor immediately. I know all meds have some kind of side effects. Get in touch with them and in the mean time, call your pharmacist. they may be able to advise you until you speak to you doctor.

Answer 5

I am on anti convulsants as well, and was on Lamictal once (which messed me up beyond belief). I take Depakote ER and yes, it can mess up your memory. Since I started taking Depakote i have lost my memory too. Can't remember where i am going when driving, lose things way more easily than i used to. Being of a somewhat "normal" mind and then suddenly losing it all can be devastating, i know. But eventually you'll get used to it and learn to deal with it, as I have. It's not fun, i know. It has debilitated me to the point that i cannot drive and have lost most of my independence, so you should feel lucky that you are still somewhat functional.
I'm sorry this happened to you, but i won't lie, it doesnt' get better. I have been on this med for 2 years now, and it gets to a certain point and stays that way.
However, i found that doing memory puzzles and games (like BrainGames or Acrostics) can help a little with memory.
I am glad to know I am not the only one! good luck and God Bless you!

Source(s):

experience

Answer 6

Yeah totally

Answer 7

Lamictal totally did all that stuff to me. After 2 years of living in a fog, I insisted to my doctor that I discontinue. My vocabulary was messed up, words came out in the wrong order, all that. I'd wander around my house looking for keys, glasses, etc. And I would go to the store and totally forget why I was there!
I don't know about slow release Ambien I've only taken it a few times with out incident. I know the regular kind causes me no problems at all and I've taken it for over 2 years.
My bet is Lamictal, you sound exactly like me. Talk to your doc and be assertive. I had to ask mine several times before he helped me go off.
Good Luck!

Source(s):

PS-I'm one week into discontinuation and know exactly where to find my keys, phone, wallet. Only a little tired is all.

Answer 8

Assuming that you are not taking Ambien during the day while you are trying to do these things, it's Lamictal and probably that you are stil hypomanic. Lamictal can be tough while you are increasing to a bipolar therapeutic dose. It gets better over 100-150. The med is great for depression and can help a lot with mixed states when over 150mg, but it doesn't handle hypo/mania so well. I was in the same way you are describing until we added Lithium which shut down the hypomania. I love this combo, but I have a lot of problems with depression. If you are the same, it's worth holding out until you are at a high enough dose to know how the med will really effect you, and then considering a second med to deal with they excess BP energy. If you mostly run high, it's probably too activating of a stabilizer for you - but wait until you're over 100mg to make that decision. Btw, although you probably aren't, just want to say that if you are taking Ambien during the day, you really need to talk to your doc - that's not a med to take to mellow you out.