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Avatar universal

Anti-depressants and memory/concentration

About 4 years ago I was going through a tough time - a breakup of a 4 year relationship. Until that point, I was not a real emotional type of person. I had a demanding job and was going through the breakup. I found myself going through crying fits - VERY out of the norm for me. For the first time in my life started to ask myself if there was something wrong with me. I went to see my family doctor about the situation. I was "diagnosed" with depression and put on Wellbutrin and Lexapro.

Within 6 months, I began experiencing a high level of confusion, lack of concentration, lack of memory, lack of coordination and  . . . what I can best describe as dizziness? I also experienced a lack of motivation and periods of "zoning out" as well as uncontrolled muscular movements (whole arm, hand, foot or leg).

As I began to notice these conditions, I went back to the doc who said these are not common side effects of the medications. Stated it must be some other physical issue. We did all the blood tests TWICE (came back ok), an MRI and an EEG - looking for issues in the brain (no fault found there either). I was sent to a psychiatrist - two visits with him resulted in the conclusion that it was NOT a psychiatric issue. I was sent to a specialist to evaluate cognitive ability - I was said to be all good. ALL of these tests say I am fine - but I KNOW for a fact that I am NOT fine. I MAY meet "the norm" for the average person on all tests but there has to be something that is not normal for ME. Of course we never took any of these tests OF ME when I was well. We have only taken tests of me when I am not well and then compaired the results to that of other people. In the end we did end up changing the meds - as I recall, I was then on Provigil for a short time and then Cymbalta. I was on Cymbalta for a couple years but went off of that about 9 months ago and have NOT BEEN ON ANY anti-depressants since.

I decided to go off ALL anti-depressants because the ONLY effect I got from any I took was the side effects - everything from MASSIVE night sweats, to a TOTAL elimination of my sex drive AND all of the previously mentioned issues relate to cognitive ability. Did any of these meds help with the original issues of sadness related to the breakup? WHO KNOWS? I was so distracted with all the "new problems" once on the medications, the sadness / moodiness was actually LESS of a concern for me. Trying to keep my job of 12 years became much more important - even though I LOST THAT JOB because I could no longer perform the job which required multi-tasking ability which I simply no longer had. Additionally, it is hard to tell if the meds helped with my original concern - for the fact that you have to wait through the "ramp up" period - maybe I would have just rebounded on my own within the 6 months and not had any of these crazy side effects.

Fast forward to today. I have been off all meds for 9 months and have been HOPING my cognitive ability will get back to what it once was. That has not happened. Confusion, lack of memory, lack of ability to prioritize and follow through are all really big issues for me to this day - although BETTER than three years ago. I have been in and out of the doctor’s office more times in the last 4 years than I had ever been to the doctor in the previous 30 years of my life - all to no avail. I have lost my job, I have gone bankrupt, I have ended up living with family and currently have no job - no income - no insurance. I can't even play the game anymore - even if I wanted to.

The way I see it, there are two possible situations - #1 I had a MAJOR mental melt down 4 years ago and the fact that the timing was exact, on the dot when I happened to start taking anti-depressants was nothing more than a coincidence OR #2 the anti-depressants CAUSED all these issues. I am not 100% sure which it is but I can honestly say that if I had known then what I now know about anti-depressants, I would have NEVER started down that road. I believe they have ruined my life. The ironic thing is, if there was ever a point in my life I SHOUILD be depressed, anxious and having crying fits, it now but I'm not(!?).

Question is, does ANYONE out there know what the correction is for what either Wellbutrin or Lexapro (or the combination) has done to me? Will I ever get back to "normal"? Can anyone help?

Sincerely,
Confused
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Avatar universal
So thankful to come across this thread. I have been struggling trying to work out what is wrong with my brain. Last year my Dr put me on 10 different AD's because I was allergic to each one I tried. After a week on one, I would have horrific hives. So my dr would change me every 2 weeks trying to find the right one. I finally gave up because as you all know, starting and getting off medication takes a massive toll on you at the time and I couldn't stand it any longer. But here I am 6 months later, trying to study nursing and absolutely devastated that I seem to not have the ability to concentrate, talk, think or remember. Not to mention my personality has changed so much. I can't even remember who I used to be.I need to know that this can get better.
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2 Comments
I too, am so relieved to come across this string of posts. I have been on Bupropion since 1996, then tried to wean myself a few times, but always had to go back on it again. I'm having the same cognitive issues and I am often embarrassed by my memory loss, especially at work. It's really scary and I too am without answers. Is there a support group out there with a panel of doctors to answer these questions we all have? I live in Atlanta, Ga, so please let me know if anybody has come across a support group?  
I too, am so relieved to come across this string of posts. I have been on Bupropion since 1996, then tried to wean myself a few times, but always had to go back on it again. I'm having the same cognitive issues and I am often embarrassed by my memory loss, especially at work. Itt's really scary and I too am without answers. Is there a support group out there with a panel of doctors to answer these questions we all have? I live in Atlanta, Ga, so please let me know if anybody has come across a support group?  
Avatar universal
On Effexor.  Can't concentrate.  Forgetful.  Easily distracted.  Embarrassingly my work buddies have now nicknamed me, Sidetrack.  I try to hide my symptoms, but when it gets later in the day, I can't remember simple words to complete simple sentence while having a conversation.  Went off the drugs for 6 months.  My concentration and memory improved, but my depression returned. Have tried various herbs and vitamins to try to counteract the effexor's effects on my concentration, but to no success.  My psychiatrist told me that my experience cannot be related to Effexor.  Told me to go to other doctors.   I know that he is wrong. Now I don't know what to do.  Continuing to try to find alternatives.  Trying other antidepressants has not helped.
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Avatar universal
Definitely in the same boat, before I started taking lexapro (had to change it to an off-brand within a few months) I had the ability to remember things without even trying and my cognition abilities would have me awake at night sometimes due to the string of thoughts I would have, all within a matter of minutes with infinite outcomes to a single thought.  After taking this gods forsaken medication for about three years, I found that I was highly apathetic towards everything, my sex drive fluctuated, and I even had trouble remember things even if I TRIED.  I went cold turkey (yes, the withdraw symptoms are pretty intense but not impossible) and to this day (three years later) I still face both memory and cognition problems, as well as anger problems.  These symptoms definitely contributed to me failing in college (that's 32k I owe now with no degree).

There is definitely something wrong here that isn't being addressed by the medical community, some kind of study that needs to happen.  This kind of continued and consistent symptoms are actually ruining lives and making it that much more difficult to function in a society that demands normal people to have such abilities as memorization and focus in the job place; the problem is that with no support showing that these symptoms are definitely caused by a common cause we are all labeled "lazy" or "unmotivated" when the problem may not be entirely our fault, collectively speaking.  There has to be a way to demand some kind of further study on this problem.
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Avatar universal
Guys! We are all on the same boat. I am on Lexapro 10 mg for the past three years. Although I got some benefits from  (relating to my anxiety and depression), I am getting more and more problems in my cognition abilities. Forgetfulness, lack of concentration, poor memory, slow thinking, and failure in ability to keep up with mental challenges are the problems that most of us suffer from. Now, question is???  Are these symptoms due to depression continuation or medication side effect??? Answer: I don't know, and guess what??? most doctors don't know either. Keep posting your experiences, and that's the only way we might be able to help each other.
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Avatar universal
I disagree with your statement to start a new post.  The original poster may no longer be reading this, but this thread is helpful to some (me, for instance), and that bears keeping it alive.  If you're no longer interested, please move on, and give those of us who need it a chance to find a cure.
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Avatar universal
The single biggest mistake that I ever made in my life was taking my Psychologist’s advice and starting Wellbutrin (Bupropion). It completely destroyed my life. The anger and irritability that it caused were definitely a part of that. If I were you I would avoid it at all costs. Be careful the withdrawal can be nasty.
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Avatar universal
Well I see things have not really made a positive turn, the original post to this thread was almost 4 years ago! Guess what, people are still going through the same things, and I speak for myself. So even though somebody posted that it is an old thread and ignore it, well it still is of help as you can see people are still deriving information out of it. MANY people are still going through the same things.
My case is exactly what the original post here described: (4yr relationship,all the same situations with forgetting things..etc) Just right now I got really angry at somebody for taking a drink I left in the fridge, and guess what, I had placed it on the counter maybe ten minutes before! That's why I am here now posting, I went directly to Google because situations like this have started to become the norm! I have been on a generic Wellbutrin (Bupropion) for 3 months now, I take 300mg a day, and it is my first time to ever take anti depressants in my life. I want to stop taking them now, especially now that I have been reading that it might take a loooong time to get back to normal if at all even possible now. By normal I mean concentrating and focusing and not doing really absent minded things.
My question is now that I want to stop taking the meds, I have heard that it is really bad to just stop taking them cold turkey, is it? Should I gradually stop taking them? I really would just like to stop TODAYbut im not sure that is wise, yet I feel as as if my few remaining brain cells are at stake! Anybody please advice..

                                            God Bless  
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Avatar universal
It seems by your posts that your cognitive abilities are fine.  They show reason and the ability to analyze and focus on topic.  If you were as bad off as you think you would not have been able to communicate so effectively.  I agree with what you say, I have been damaged by the psych drugs like you but still have the depression and anxiety with many more diagnosis's to boot, now personality disorders too.  Mental Health has no accountability or expectation of results for payment, plus you get a lot of bad treatment in many mental health facilities.  It's up to you to fix you is what I hear and everything else is not provable one way or the other, whether it's the meds or the illness. Psychiatrists will never admit the meds are a problem.  If your dsyfuntional now it's your problem,  I know cause my life is a shambles now too, welcome to the world of Mental Health.  Feel lucky your not locked in a hospital on drugs or you haven't tried to kill yourself yet.  I have experienced those too. Good Luck and wish you the best.
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Avatar universal
I'd like to add a comment about my experience with Wellbutrin. I don't tolerate drugs well, and so was put on a fairly small dosage a few years back. I started driving strangely having problems with left hand turns, and then eventually right hand turns. I drove the wrong way on one way streets, and curbs seem to appear out of nowhere. Sounds bizarre, doesn't it? My prescribing Dr., a psychiatrist, said Wellbutrin was interferring with my executive functions. The dosage was lowered, and my driving problems stopped. Now, several years later, at 150mg SR I've noticed that my concentration is poor. I am constantly misplacing things, and forever, having to waste time looking for them. My age is 67, so it could be age related with the medication adding to it. I play computer games, and have a record of my scores from previous years, and they are all considerably higher than my recent scores. So I've decided to again cut back my dosage gradually to see if there's any improvement. I don't want to lose my mind prematurely.
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Avatar universal
Hello,

Wanting to find influence of antidepressant on cognitive abilities I find this forum and uau....exactly the same problems with memory and concentration loss as axadent1 describe it.

I'm writing from Slovenia, 26 years old and I was taking Zoloft for only 2 months but because of dizziness I stopped taking it. Now its more than 2 months I've been off Zoloft but my cognitive abilities wont come back???!!!!

I do exactly dumb things as axadent1 described, very f...scary! I also feel tired, have less enegy, worsen appetite, I also find my personality has changed - but I am not depressed at all!! This is side effect from antidepressant but why is still present after taking the drug for only 2 months?!?

I told psychiatrist for this problem but he said he has never heard for this kind of side effect taking so long. It must be some another disease. But I know it is from antidepressants!!! I know how was I before started taking it and how am I know. I would NEVER have taken the drug if I had known this would happen! And taking it for only 2 months!?They totally fuc....up my brains. I am not able to work at the moment because of this. And I am just praying my cognitive abilities to come back.

Next week I have CT test, I have also appointed for EEG. I did blood test yesterday and next week I'll find out the results. I did some "brain" tests with my doctor but everything was ok. As axadent1 said, tests were ok but if I done it before this they would se huge difference!!!

What is happening?!?
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Avatar universal
I didn’t read what other people have wrote... but i'm a 27 year old female that has gone through TONS of sad and trying times over the past 7 years.... It was funny when I read about your cognitive abilities and your lack of concentration/focus and your dizziness/vertigo...

I've just started Depression/Anxiety meds for those symptoms.. as well as the hopelessness feelings. A possibility could be that those meds that had you on weren’t the right ones and your depression/anxiety increased. Don’t give up.. my doctor told me that the reason why there are so many meds on the market (besides the pharmaceutical companies trying to outdo one another) is because one drug may work for some, where others it doesn’t. It takes time and effort with your doctor to determine which one works for you.

Wish you luck!
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Avatar universal
I just ran across this thread after having similar problems. I took fluoxetine for 6 months. I have been off it for about a year and a half and am still having memory, concentration and sleep issues that are causing job performance problems for me. As others have described, it is like my mind is completely different than it was, and it is very upsetting. The side effects are worse than the original depression! Had I known this would happen I never would have taken the drug. I am worried that I will never get my mind back. I ran across this book while searching and wanted to recommend it to the others who are having similar problems: Prozac: Panacea or Pandora? the Rest of the Story on the New Class of Ssri Antidepressants Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Lovan, Luvox & More by Ann Blake Tracy. The summary described our problems very well and I'm hoping it has some help for us.
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Avatar universal
To comment on your question. I too have memorty loo, lack of concentration, lack of abliity to priortize. I lost my I was a Hospice nurse. Thr powers that be said I spent too much time with patients, plus I have a W/C case that is active. My paperwoek was NEVER turned in on time, I believe this was the result of my problems.  The firing me was the best thing I could do, I think. I was getting so far behimd. It was afraid that I could have caused have harm to a patienr, and I wouldn't live with myself.

I am on Provigil 200mg daily, Wellbutrin 100mg 3x day,  Lamictal 100mg 2 tabs twice daily, Effexor 75mg 4 times daily, Neurontin, plus other B/P meds KCL, diuretics,pravachol, and numerous vitimins after gsdtric bypass. I can remember an an incident fron the past , say45 years ago. I can see how a chair was sitting and a shell fo a door, butI can't remember if I ate breakfast this morning soooooooooo I just eat when I am hungry. As for the side effects, I will deal with then rather deal with them than the condition I was in. My husband said I didn't bath for a month. I slept or stayed in bed to myself most of the time that month.. I have posted above, but forgot. See I told you I amLlosing my mind. Well I willl close. TTYL.
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Avatar universal
Okay yes I know, but the thread still comes up in searches so I figured someone might find it useful reading in the future..? Didn't want to start a new thread for the same issue. No worries, just felt like sharing and had nothing else to do. Not expecting answers if that's what you mean.
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Avatar universal
You do realise you are trying to talk to someome who posted this post over a year ago don't you? The likelihood is they are gone and you are resurrecting a thread that is irrelevant. Please, if this problem is current for you, start a new thread, don't dig up old discussions.
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Avatar universal
Hi there, I came across your experiences while googling ADs vs. memory loss.

I was on Effexor for 7 months in 2002-2003 and it changed my life. Not for the better either. I think my salvation was a great psychiatrist, whom I saw weekly for a year and twice a month for the following year after my divorce. When I was first diagnosed with depression and started taking the drug, I felt as if someone pulled me into a tunnel where everything moved in slow motion. That was spooky! I've always relied on my quick thinking and held responsible jobs: suddenly it took me 2 hrs just to write a single email.

The side-effects diminished in about 3 to 4 weeks and Effexor effectively "zeroed" my anxiety-levels (as well as all positive feelings...), enabling me to go through the first months of intensive cognitive therapy. Anyhow, I cried from the beginning to the end of every session for the first six months. After 7 months on the AD, I suddenly began experiencing high BP, dizziness and my ASAT/ALAT-labs (indicating liver function) popped up. My shrink saw this as a sign to get me off it, so I stopped incrementally, experiencing all the same horrid side-effects all over again.

I really expected to "be myself" after quitting the drug, but guess what. I wasn't. I've tried to describe how it was... It's like everything familiar in your head has been re-organized, re-indexed somehow. I KNEW I remembered a certain name, issue, amount, person etc. BUT COULD NOT recall the details. It's as if pretty much everything was "on the tip of my tongue", but refusing to come out. I can only describe this as F...ING SCARY. (Pardon the French.) My shrink didn't have answers either. Apparently, I too was somehw "over-sensitive" to the effects of the drug?

What is interesting, is that I don't think I've ever gone back to be the same person. I know, life will do that to ya! :0) But that's not what I mean. You have a certain cognition, a way of thinking, you know what you're made of and what you can do: then suddenly, all that familiarity is gone and you have no way of knowing how you'll do and what you'll remember. THESE I consider to be effects of the AD Effexor.

I've not taken any ADs after Effexor. At the time, I was 31-yrs old and pretty frieked out. Had a great job though and incredible friends, so I pulled through somehow. Started writing everything down at work and in private, made lists, post-it notes everywhere, coped. Somehow. I must have spent at least 3yrs re-learning how to think and remember. Figuring out the "indexing" in my head, if you will. What took the longest to come back was creativity. I used to write poems, articles and songs for my own amusement and small publications. I don't think I'm exaggerating if I say, that innovativeness and creativity started coming back to me 5-6yrs after stopping the drug. This is how it happened for me. Needless to say, I will never EVER in my life knowingly ingest psychotropic drugs again. NEVER.

Like I said, I've had the best shrink. She helped me sort out the divorce and just about all the very human misconceptions about myself and relationships I had accumulated until that age of 31. I now am a happy mom, re-married, working and studying a master's in politics. So I just want to encourage all of you who have gone through a similar hell with ADs. The human brain has incredible healing power. I think my recovery was possible because I had very concrete and "reality-based" cognitive therapy on a regular basis and submitted to that painful experience we humans call "growth". This, I believe, gives me a totally different starting point, should my depression ever occur again. I've done my homework. I am now realistically responsible for my own life and accept myself with a healthy dose of mercy, humour and love.

I am under the impression that huge global pharmaceutical companies are not too keen to investigate this phenomenon we have experienced. Por que sera...? ;0) But it seems that ADs can really alter the brain's functions (=destroy them, in plain English!!) to a far greater extent that we know. This is why I would never recommend ADs to anyone without proper guidance and regular controls (and I mean WEEKLY!), preferably not at all without some sort of hard-core therapy that gets to the bottom of the real issues.

So, don't give up!! :0)))))))
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Avatar universal
OMG !!! It sounded like you were describing me to the tee. All the symptoms and side effects. Sad thing though these are the only meds that come near helping my depression and severe anxiety. I am on Wellbutrin, Effexor, Provigial, Neurontin and Lamictal. MD finally got these meds and they have symptoms some. Man those night sweets, nightmares, confusion, concentration, memory loss have me wondering if I have Alzehimer's (sp) .My disease has resulted in me being disabled and unable yo work. Filed for SSA Disability. Probably will deny. I was forgetting things at work. Also getting further and further behind in my paperwork. Lost my job. See, I am a nurse (RN ). After a while I was glad they terminated me for I couldn't and wouldn't live with myself had I caused any harm to anyone. I am sorry I dumped all this out to you all that read this. Thanks for allowing me to. BTW, it's been a while since you last posted. How are you doing. Are you off meds? Did MD change your meds? Hope I am not being too nosy. Tell me if I am. Hope to TTYL

Blessings,
Madlyn
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1 Comments
The thing that worries me is that these meds are so potent, that people are forced to resign..they lose their jobs. Really people! These drugs are so dangerous, imagine how your depression will increase if you have stress coz you dont know where your next paycheck is gonna come from??Im sticking to my testimony..Ive been on lamatical, flunxol, risnia and i even sometimes forgot where my workplace is. For me personally, ive started applying for more serious jobs with more responsibility because i feel im ready to take them on. With Miradep, and Zopivane (and relislim for the weight control) i feel in control, im more often in a good mood and on top of things, at work and at home..the therapist said the meds helps 20%, the circumstances affects your well-being 80%. my circumstances at home is crappy at the moment, but im coping with it, and i feel like the best thing i couldve done for myself , is to leave all those drugs which made me lose my concentration, and turned me into a zombie. There was a time where i couldnt even carry out the simplest of tasks..but now im 100%
Avatar universal
Have you ever considered getting tested for ADHD (predominantly inattentive). You don't have to be hyper to fit the diagnostic criteria! But, lack of concentration, distraction, impulsivity and disorganization are the hallmarks of this disorder.  I suggest you do some extensive research about it and maybe read some reputable books.

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/adhd_in_adults/page3_em.htm

This disorder usually responds well to stimulants such as caffeine; which heighten the ability to concentrate.

Other possible reasons for cognitive difficulties: bipolar disorder (which responds better to mood stabilizers and is worsened by antidepressants), Alzheimers, schizophrenia (this is more extreme and involves hallucinations), or medical reasons such as low blood iron (though you have said that you had blood tests, low iron can cause dizziness, moodiness, and brain fogs).

Good luck!
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Avatar universal
Are you still reading this post?  I just came across it, and it looks like it's been over a year since the last post on this thread.  But I've had an almost identical experience, but with different meds.  If you still read this, could you post something.  Thanks.
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Avatar universal
Just a note on Cymbalta ... I'm a massage therapist and have pretty much quit because of it.  If I touch a person that is taking it I feel like passing out and lose my mind - I am no longer myself, and am drained.  It can take at least a day to get over it.  And thats just from contact to their skin.  I am sensitive, but know because of that, that it is a SERIOUS energy altering substance.  Godspeed to anyone that ingests it!!

  What I do to overcome that and other ill effects of things (like antibiotics and heparin that I on for an infection from the job) is detox my liver!!!!  I cut out almost all fat (oils, nuts, seeds, meats, and dairy) and eat plenty of green vegetables, wheatgrass juice - macrobiotic eating.  Eventually, things rebalance and strengthen.
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Avatar universal
You said, "I am not convinced that medication is a long-term answer for ANY non life threatining mental challenge.  I have now reached the point where I would rather live my life feeling 'abnormal' than risk the problems associated with meds".

You may have gathered from my post that I reached this point about 9 months ago - well, actually before that but 9 months ago was when I DID go off the meds. The MAIN reason I did that was because I REALLY REALLY wanted to get back to how I could function before I started taking them.

Additionally, I started wondering what the long term side effects of these meds are. I don't think anyone knows the answer to that question and they probably will not know for another 20+ years. I find it ironic that the health care industry will tell you that anything "in excess" is bad but then tell you to take these pills EVERY DAY for the rest of your life. The reason they feel this is a good idea is because they claim they will improve your "quality of life". I, for one, did not find ANY improvement to the quality of MY life - in fact, I found a significant reduction in MANY MANY ways.

In business (of any kind), the general goal is to create customers for life which insures continuous revenue and stable profits. *I* would venture to say that the drug companies have solidified a way to meet this objective - and everyone in on board. The first thing I was told when I was given my first pills was that you will have to be on these meds for a about a year before we will "really know" if they are right for you - then we may have to try something else . . .and do that for a year and so on and so on and so on. It seems like a throwback to the days of "take two of these and call me in the morning" only it's a MUCH longer timeframe.

In the meantime, we are paying (either out of pocket or through insurance) $200.00 a month to a drug company that is in NO WAY held responsible for a positive outcome. For what?!? So they can run TV ads urging us to "consult with your physician to find out if XYZ PROUCT could be right for you"?!?! We wonder why it is so expensive to get health insurance. DUH!

I have pretty extensive experience in the AUTOMOTIVE industry as it relates to insurance companies. The way they do it in that industry, if what the "professionals" do to fix a car does not fix the car, the insurance company DOES NOT PAY for it - not the parts, not the labor fees - not even the rental car used during the time it took for that "repair".

I also have extensive experience in the REAL ESTATE industry. This is an industry that is driven by RESULTS. If that deal does not CLOSE, you don't get paid AT ALL - even if it's not your fault - no matter how much time and money you spent putting the deal together . . .you get ZIPO.

I find it ironic that mechanics and realtors get very little respect while doctors get as much if not more than any other professional.  So, why is it then that drug companies and doctors are not held to the same high standards that even your mechanic is? OH . . .thats RIGHT . . .I forgot . . .because they are only "practicing" and we have to be "patient".

What do you think YOUR doctor would do if he/she took their car to a shop to get the brakes done and when they got it back, they squeaked? Do ya think they would pay to have it done again? What about if while this job was being done, the guy damaged a lug nut? Do you think the doctor would pay to correct the damages done by that professional during the requested job - even if the brakes were otherwise done perfectly?



HHHHMMMMMM

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Avatar universal
Your complaints sound awfully familiar.

Regardless of my specific situation, I too began wondering if my Lexapro had the effects you describe.  I can't say our situations are the same, but something you said hit me like a brick:

"#1 I had a MAJOR mental melt down 4 years ago and the fact that the timing was exact, on the dot when I happened to start taking anti-depressants was nothing more than a coincidence OR #2 the anti-depressants CAUSED all these issues."

I took this drug, though, because it DID ease my temper and irratability and I really needed to do that with a situation I was in.

I have a good indicator of my ability to multi-task and handle mental challenges, and I DEFINITELY noticed a decrease in these abilities.

I am not convinced that medication is a long-term answer for ANY non life threatining mental challenge.  I have now reached the point where I would rather live my life feeling 'abnormal' than risk the problems associated with meds.
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Avatar universal
OK . . .so one FOR Effexor and one AGAINST. Well, guess it just goes to show - there are no consistent answers in this world of mental issues - what works for one, harms the next - PRETTY COOL HUH?

As far as sex drive concerns, well, I have not had a sex drive for 4 years now - even now that I have been off all meds for 9 months. This is something I did not mention in my original post - MAINLY because I could really care less about sex right now - I just wish I could get my mental power back (it is GONE - I am NOT who I once was).

I supose it is a related element to the whole picture - maybe the lack of sex drive is linked to the other issues I am having. I KNOW the lack of sex drive is TOTALLY out of the norm for me as well (along with all other issues previously outlined in my original post). All my life I was 100% driven in all respects (including sex) but now . . .not so much. Prior to 4 years ago, I was sexually active daily - regardless if I was IN a relationship or not. Now . . .my sexual activity sits at ONCE in the last year & probably 10 times in the last 4 years . . . and I really don't seem to care (!?). Needless to say, I am NOT in a relationship right now and I really don't care about that either (!?)
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228936 tn?1249094248
I sorry to hear what happened to you and it would be very tough to know what caused your mental memory problems. I was on effexor and it killed my sex drive and helped end a relationship and made my mind fuzzy. I'm glad I off of it as I know it made me slower and now only take a small dose of welbutrin. I was off everything for a while but needed extra help with stopping smoking. all the best
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