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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 19 of 19. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by sar on July 1, 2001, at 12:19:08
I feel quite content being on Prozac and klonopin, but I also feel DUMB AS A ROCK! I can't remember anything and I've been dropping everything on the floor. Is this usual, or is it just me?
Thanks.
Posted by SalArmy4me on July 1, 2001, at 13:56:52
In reply to dumb as a rock, posted by sar on July 1, 2001, at 12:19:08
http://www.dr-bob.org/tips/split/Word-finding-difficulties-.html
> I feel quite content being on Prozac and klonopin, but I also feel DUMB AS A ROCK! I can't remember anything and I've been dropping everything on the floor. Is this usual, or is it just me?
>
> Thanks.
Posted by mila on July 1, 2001, at 18:55:46
In reply to dumb as a rock, posted by sar on July 1, 2001, at 12:19:08
I was sharper than "normal" on Prozac, but very dumb on Paxil. go figure.
mila
Posted by forgetful on July 1, 2001, at 20:48:54
In reply to Re: dumb as a rock, posted by mila on July 1, 2001, at 18:55:46
My problem is Welbutrin. Memory and locating words and information.
Posted by laurai on July 1, 2001, at 21:16:28
In reply to dumb as a rock, posted by sar on July 1, 2001, at 12:19:08
> I feel quite content being on Prozac and klonopin, but I also feel DUMB AS A ROCK! I can't remember anything and I've been dropping everything on the floor. Is this usual, or is it just me?
>
> Thanks.me too. i hated the stuff! then i tried paxil and i got confused when i had to do something complex like answering the phone. those SSRIs just don't work for me. i'm now taking elavil, actually
works for my depression. why can't someone come up with an anti-anxiety/anti-depressant which makes me thinner, smarter, younger and more energetic? also, if it could make me enjoy doing my taxes and cleaning
my apartment, that would be a plus.
Posted by chiaratara on July 1, 2001, at 23:05:17
In reply to Re: dumb as a rock, posted by laurai on July 1, 2001, at 21:16:28
I know how that feels. Prozac gave me unbearable headaches, but Serzone made me as dumb as a rock.
My favorite "twilight zone" story is that I was waiting for a parking space and the next thing I knew I was sitting in a totally different parking space and I couldn't remember how I got there.
Dumb as a rock/dopey/spaced out, however you want to slice it, these SSRI's sure can take you on a ride. I found that these symptoms wear off after awhile.
Good luck!
Chiaratara
Posted by sl on July 2, 2001, at 10:08:04
In reply to dumb as a rock, posted by sar on July 1, 2001, at 12:19:08
I'm on Prozac and Nortriptyline, and I'm the same way. It's awful. I have word-finding probs, I can't remember things, I can't SPELL, I can't play strategy-games...I gotta get this stuff outta my body, I can't go back to college like this! :(
sl
> I feel quite content being on Prozac and klonopin, but I also feel DUMB AS A ROCK! I can't remember anything and I've been dropping everything on the floor. Is this usual, or is it just me?
>
> Thanks.
Posted by Else on July 3, 2001, at 6:22:10
In reply to dumb as a rock, posted by sar on July 1, 2001, at 12:19:08
> I feel quite content being on Prozac and klonopin, but I also feel DUMB AS A ROCK! I can't remember anything and I've been dropping everything on the floor. Is this usual, or is it just me?
>
> Thanks.
That' the main reason I switched from Effexor to Wellbutrin. And then there's that *other* side-effect.
Posted by sar on July 4, 2001, at 3:27:29
In reply to Re: dumb as a rock, posted by sl on July 2, 2001, at 10:08:04
thanks everyone, for your answers.
what is the *other* problem, else?
i feel the same way, sl--i'm currently on um, hiatus from college, and there's no way i could study or right a paper in this state.
i work in a bookstore and my main responsibilities are alphabetizing and putting things away. I'm a 23 yr-old english major who can't remember the exact order of the alphabet! i go to put a book away and forget where i'm going. thank god i don't have a really professional job.
i've got social phobia and severe depression for sure. posibility of generalized anxiety or bipolar disorder or mildly borderline.
any suggestions would be most welcomed.
sar
Posted by ChrisK on July 4, 2001, at 3:37:49
In reply to Re: dumb as a rock, posted by sar on July 4, 2001, at 3:27:29
Sar,
I know the feeling all too well. I forget people's names I am talking to and I've known them for years. it can be frustrating but I'll take it over the depression any day.
Many people react well to adding Ginko Biloba or Ginseng tablets to their diet. They are over the counter and a one month trial shouldn't hurt anything. My reaction to Ginko was mild but it did seem to help my wife.
Posted by sar on July 4, 2001, at 6:05:50
In reply to Re: dumb as a rock » sar, posted by ChrisK on July 4, 2001, at 3:37:49
hey ChrisK,
what are ginko/ginseng primarily used for? this is stuff you can buy at the grocery store, right? Is it safe to take w/ AD/benzo? (do you know?)
in what way did it help you, and in what way did it help your wife? what are yalls diagnoses, and what are you seeking from meds?
nosily & gratefully,
sar
Posted by Cam W. on July 4, 2001, at 11:24:47
In reply to Re: dumb as a rock, posted by sar on July 4, 2001, at 6:05:50
Sar - Just to let you know; Gingko biloba will only help those who have decreased blood flow in the brain. If you have normal brain perfusion, the
Gingko will not do much.Also, ginseng has shown to have no effect in some recent studies, although I have heard several people who swear by it. It did not do anything for me when I gave it (and bee pollen) a 3 month trial (I may not have been taking optimal dosages, but it was a reputable brand).
I too, have trouble thinking quickly, sometimes, with the Effexor. I am chalking a lot of it up to age, rather than the drug. I think that I just have to try a little harder, to break throught the fog. I'd hate to see what a benzo would do to me.
- Cam
Posted by Willow on July 4, 2001, at 21:34:04
In reply to Re: dumb as a rock star » sar, posted by Cam W. on July 4, 2001, at 11:24:47
*I too, have trouble thinking quickly, sometimes, with the Effexor. I am chalking a lot of it up to age, rather than the drug. I think that I just have to try a little harder, to break throught the fog. I'd hate to see what a benzo would do to me.
Some of the ADs certainly do affect your thinking in a negative manner. The reason I stayed with the effexor through the start-up was because it did improve problems I was having with "thinking."
I don't think we should settle for something that impairs our cognitive abilities adversely. But then on the flip side we have to learn to be more patient with the medications giving them a chance to kick in, which is hard to do when anxiety/depression is at its worse.
If suddenly you notice a severe change or friends do, it probably is medication or the symptoms of the affliction. Before I realized that something was wrong with me, I thought my husband was playing practical jokes on me by relocating frequently used things, and then I thought he was trying to drive me nuts. But when the problems were happening without him around I knew the children wouldn't be involved in some type of conspiracy against me and I had to acknowledge that yes it was me that was misplacing things. Now after years of getting using to messing around, I've learned little tricks that help, like writing even the simplest things down and my kettle has a whistle. Little basic things can help.
Willow
Posted by sar on July 5, 2001, at 15:02:17
In reply to Re: dumb as a rock star, posted by Willow on July 4, 2001, at 21:34:04
Cam,
thanks for ine information...i'm giggling right now 'cos I just realized what you changed the subject line to.
Why would you be afraid of what benzos would do to you? Are you referring to cognition?
I think the root of my depression is my social phobia, nervous nature, ruminating thoughts, and comlete lack of confidence(which prozac and klonopin have helped quite a bit). Any opinions as to whether or not I'm on the appropriate meds?
thanks,
sar
Posted by sar on July 5, 2001, at 15:07:41
In reply to Re: dumb as a rock star, posted by Willow on July 4, 2001, at 21:34:04
Willow,
that is funny (i know it's not really, but it makes for a good silly story.)
my father and one of my best friends thought prozac has made me a little mean. the klonopin has evened this out, now i'm just a bit stupid and giggly. I find myself laughing at length at things that really aren't that funny or that are kind of inappropriate to laugh at.
psychiatric drugs are weird.
thanks, Willow. I'm glad you're liking Effexor for the most part. hope you're whistling today.
love,
sar
Posted by chiaratara on July 5, 2001, at 16:33:44
In reply to Re: dumb as a rock star...Willow, posted by sar on July 5, 2001, at 15:07:41
that is interesting that you became "mean" on prozac. i had a similar problem with Wellbutrin. i became "snappish" and very agitated. both wellbutrin and prozac have a sort of "speed you up" effect.
what were you like when you were depressed. are you the stay in bed and sleep type (like I was) or could you not relax, were nervous, etc. i had a friend who was already quite speedy who went on prozac, and she felt like things moved way to fast for her to keep up. she couldn't answer simple questions because she felt like she was thinking too fast and things would just whiz right past her. she would have problems locating thing, etc.
maybe prozac is too speedy for you. i am on paxil and effexor, and they are way too sedating for me. i was already a sleepy depressed person, and now i can really sleep like a champ. i feel somewhat stoned on these medications, but they do allow me to concentrate on things. i can read a whole book in an afternoon. when i look up from a book and try to walk around, i will get a little dizzy from concentrating so much.
i did go on paxil my last year of graduate school, and i wrote a master's thesis on it. it slows you down a bit, but i did allow me to study and somehow keep the info in my head. talk to your doctor and experiment with some combinations of drugs. at least you know of something that works (what you are currently on.) you might find something that allows you to slow down and concentrate. prozac and wellbutrin (yes, I tried them while "experimenting) gave me headaches, made me "snappish" and made me feel like i had attention deficit disorder.
good luck.
Posted by afatchic on July 6, 2001, at 18:38:26
In reply to Re: dumb as a rock star...Sar, posted by chiaratara on July 5, 2001, at 16:33:44
Wellbutrin turned me into a witch. Serzone made me a space cadet. My short term memory got so bad it was interfering with my work and my home life. I bought some ginko to help with the memory problems but after taking one dose, I couldn't remember where I put the bottle! That's when I decided I'd had enough of Serzone. Now I'm on a trial of Effexor, can't wait to see what interesting side effects will pop up this time.
> that is interesting that you became "mean" on prozac. i had a similar problem with Wellbutrin. i became "snappish" and very agitated. both wellbutrin and prozac have a sort of "speed you up" effect.
>
> what were you like when you were depressed. are you the stay in bed and sleep type (like I was) or could you not relax, were nervous, etc. i had a friend who was already quite speedy who went on prozac, and she felt like things moved way to fast for her to keep up. she couldn't answer simple questions because she felt like she was thinking too fast and things would just whiz right past her. she would have problems locating thing, etc.
>
> maybe prozac is too speedy for you. i am on paxil and effexor, and they are way too sedating for me. i was already a sleepy depressed person, and now i can really sleep like a champ. i feel somewhat stoned on these medications, but they do allow me to concentrate on things. i can read a whole book in an afternoon. when i look up from a book and try to walk around, i will get a little dizzy from concentrating so much.
>
> i did go on paxil my last year of graduate school, and i wrote a master's thesis on it. it slows you down a bit, but i did allow me to study and somehow keep the info in my head. talk to your doctor and experiment with some combinations of drugs. at least you know of something that works (what you are currently on.) you might find something that allows you to slow down and concentrate. prozac and wellbutrin (yes, I tried them while "experimenting) gave me headaches, made me "snappish" and made me feel like i had attention deficit disorder.
>
> good luck.
Posted by sar on July 7, 2001, at 3:53:39
In reply to Re: dumb as a rock star...Sar, posted by chiaratara on July 5, 2001, at 16:33:44
Hey Chiatara,
I'm dysthymic and depressed. When dysthymic (most of the time) I tend to oversleep, overeat, and become a doormat. My self-esteem becomes so low that I cannot defend myself and will believe anything anyone says about me, be it postive or negative.
during major depression I become completely somatic and nihilistic: I don't believe in anything but eating, drinking, fucking, sleeping. I vacillate between being a drunken bitch to being a sweet stiff-limbed (from overdrinking) depressive.
what is constantly with me is nervousness. i believe i've had social anxiety all my life, which contributed to depression and generalized anxiety--so I get all worked up and nervous and tired and depressed at the same time.
I go through periods of denial--when dysthymic, I try not to eat, to save money, work hard and impress people--but when the Major Depression hits I don't give a shit, and I'm running around blackout drunk cracking jokes and privately obsessing over suicide.
I hope this isn't too personal, it's just that I've grown accustomed to posting here, I really enjoy the anonymity and not feeling like I have to Pretend.
Prozac abd klonopin have lessend my depression/anxiety, but I've been known as "sweet" all my life, and that is my crux--am I a bitch, as people now accuse me of being, or am I just no longer the same old doormat?
This is all over the internet, so it is impossible for you to know.
Maybe the snappy aspect of SSRI's augments well my "sweet" nature (i.e., doormat). I've yet to decide.
i did take paxil for a week a year agi but the weight-gain prospect scared me, and i threw it awy.
I do feel much dumber and less attentive, but I feel that Prozac and Klonopin have helped me sharpen my comfort, humor, and true personality--which I'd been ignoring all along in the sake o not messing w/ my brain and being "real."
Well, I'll tell you, it feels a hell of a lot better to be drugged.
I'm going to ride these meds out for awhile but I appreciate yr respinse. I don't think I need to be "sedated" except emotionally. Energy-wise, I need to be "activated.
thanks, chiatara, and good luck to you.
sar
Posted by v on July 7, 2001, at 17:02:51
In reply to Re: dumb as a rock star...Sar, posted by sar on July 7, 2001, at 3:53:39
i was so glad to find this thread!
i was currently on concerta & effexor.. just recently added wellbutrin to the mix and i feel like my brain is turning into an eggplant... on the one hand, i must admit i do tend to like the stimulation - even if it is a bit much - but i definitely feel "over-medicated" at times and am easily irritated, sometimes a bit paranoid about people and can't sleep without taking something... i also feel like i'm experiencing major attention deficit which is comical since that's what i'm on the concerta for... i'm having trouble concentrating - terrible word finding and become stupified by the strangest thing... i recently sat in a parking lot, totally perplexed by which direction to go in because i couldn't remember which side of the street went in what direction...
now i'm somewhat more productive but i wouldn't say that i'm more than a little less depressed
would adding klonopin help with any of this and does this weird stupidity subside?
sorry that this post is so long...
regards,
v
This is the end of the thread.
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