Cognitive impairment

Well here I am again posting another question...so here goes - 17 weeks ago I started a new job after being out of work for about a year due to bipolar disorder. I have had nothing but complaints about my work (behind my back) which were recently brought up when I was approached by my boss. All my colleagues had complained. They all stated that I could not do my job (or any) due to the fact that my mind was too severely disorganised and memory was so bad.

In the statement it read that 'I could not learn nor remember simple tasks' I am devastated. Apparently my behaviour was observed by several people and they wanted to know whether I had a mental illness that would cause this. So I admitted I had bipolar. They wanted to know why it had not come to their attention before and I told them it had because I had mentioned affective illness in the medical questionnaire. They telephoned occupational health and wanted to know why I had passed the medical which I now have to re-do. They were told that neither bipolar nor the medication to treat it would cause such cognitive dulling and that therefore I was basically dim. I know this cannot be true because prior to my breakdown I was a straight A student.

I am gutted. I had no idea the extent of my cognitive impairment. I was never as bad as this before I had a psychotic breakdown. Can I have your opinions whether the cognitive impairment would be caused by bipolar, psychosis or the meds used to treat it (600mg seroquel/1400 tegretol)? so that I can take steps to put things right. I don't want to go back to a life on disability and this had destroyed what little confidence I was building up.

[ILADVOCATE]

Yes those medications especially Tegretol can cause cognitive blunting. It should be listed among the side effects on the package insert. Bipolar can cause a lessening in awareness and concentration. Before I started the Lovaza (which is used as a mood stabilizer in me) I was having trouble focusing and concentrating and the family member I have with bipolar has difficulty focusing and concentrating on certain tasks and getting their ideas and thoughts organized. That's quite common.

[starbunny]

Well, things have gone further and now my GP has wrote to my work and told them I am basically unemployable and gave them my entire psych history from first hospitalisation aged 12. He also told them that I took a variety of illicit drugs (which I havent for the last 20 years) but made it out like I am a current drug user. :S  Even brought up sensitive personal information like miscarriage 15 years ago/overdose and private relationship probs. Feel TOTALLY humiliated. Like my entire private life has just been broadcasted. On paper it reads like every couple of years since 12 I have had major psych crises, makes me feel like my entire life has been a waste of time and that I will never get rid of the shadow of this illness.

[paranoid_cataclysm]

Sounds like they're just trying to find any excuse to get rid of you because of the complaints and whatnot.  They either lied about what they were told or the person who told them neither bipolar disorder nor the medication can cause cognitive blunting to whatever extent you have it doesn't know what they're talking about.

[adel_ezz]

my opinion (you don't have to follow it) is that you were in a little hurry to find a job. Either you are really impaired and you can't work or that you are in a transitional phase in which you need some rest. So if you can survive on the disability then i would advise you to be patient until things materialise. Either your mental health will deteriorate further - hope not- in which case it will show up anyway in this job you have now and it's difficult to hide it, or it will change with time, so you might take a rest until things become clearer.

[starbunny]

Thanks for your comments - I guess I was in a hurry to find a job, but here it is more the case that you are 'hurried into work' because you are constantly sent on work focused interviews and so forth and are almost pushed into work before you are ready. This is how the system works in UK :(
I'm off sick now anyway. I guess I'll just have to see what happens. Thanks again, much appreciated.