Memory and Retention: Lamictal & Ritalin

Dear Doctor:

After spending a period of time being completely over-medicated and having a severe memory crisis and other unpleasant symptoms, I was weaned off of Wellbutrin, Klonopin, Seroquel and Trazodone as well as switched to a different category of Ritalin. Now, I am down to Lamictal a@150 mg daily and Ritalin LA @20 mg daily. Most of the memory issues and nodding off/sudden fatigue (etc), disappeared immediately, although there would be occasional periods of (mild) forgetfulness.

However, for the past 3 months, I have felt as if my brain has-flatlined: My thinking has become more one-track and linear; I find it harder to make intellectual connections; If I am told a phone number, I cannot retain it, forget it the minute that I have heard it and/or or reverse the numbers. Overall, I am less sharp.

I have been on the Lamictal and Ritalin LA for several months and this flatlining and return to memory issues did not happen immediately. Before it was as if I had flashes of having an infants' brain, it was so severe that I had to write thoughts down on Post-It Notes as I had them, otherwise I would lose them. (Plus there was the nodding off/sudden fatigue every afternoon.) That scary period was a year ago.

Although I am not in "crisis," the (consistent) brain haze has been for the past 3 months and only after repeatedly telling a psychiatrist; my PCP; and a therapist; did I get referred out for a neuropsych. evaluation. I finally got the referral for what I thought - and was lead to believe -  was a neurological work-up (with scans etc) and arrived only to  take an IQ test of sorts. (I understand the purpose of it;I just felt ambushed.) A positive result of this testing was that the neuropsychiatrist was so disturbed at the results that he contacted my psychiatrist and said that a referral to a neurologist and further testing (etc) might be in order.

When I went for a follow-up appointment with the neuropsychiatrist, he changed his tune slightly and said that the results did not necessarily point to memory loss... and that the difference in my verbal v. non-verbal reasoning would have been long-standing. (Yes, this is true.) However, the issues that I mentioned are not long-standing and are VERY recent... I have never had the issues that I described above. In fact, as a chronically disorganized person, my ability to "cram" got me thru school (inc. my Masters).

I recently went to see a neurologist and had a brain scan for which I have not yet received the results. The current psychiatrist said that perhaps an additional test might be in order... I will be seeing a new psychiatrist in another 2 months and hope that this person will help me to find, if at all possible, a solution to treating the mood disorder and the ADHD which does not result in a dulled brain. It would be great if it could be done in one pill but 2 is fine... if I could have my old brain back. (Both the mood disorder and the ADHD were diagnosed a little over a year ago).

When I went thru the first crisis, which was EXTREME, I felt as if I were swimming against the tide and that I needed to sort other things out in my life. If the people treating me didn't feel this was an issue... Then, I got a resurgence of energy and that led me to the neuropsych eval which led me to neurologist... I must add that the neurologist thought I was "fine"  and tried to point to "depression." Well, I am not depressed and have not been for months. In addition, I was severely depressed for many years and this was not an issue. He finally relented and referred me for a brain scan.

I have respect and appreciation for all of these professionals, all of whom are skilled at what they do. That said, what is going on in my brain/mind disturbs me and I'd like to find a way to address very real conditions - the mood disorder and ADHD - in such a way that I do not have to live with impaired cognitive functions. I would appreciate your feedback and do not expect a diagnosis. Thank you for your time.