I have lost my second job due to severe memory loss. I was on Effexor for 3 years, lost my job because I was making so, so many mistakes and forgetting even simple things. I just lost my second job today. I've been on Pristiq for 8 months and thought it was helping with the memory issue, but it's not. I feel like such a loser!!! Sometimes my memory is so bad I can't remember what floor I live on, what side of the street to drive on... I have difficulty remembering my own phone number. I can rarely carry on a conversation without stammering or forgetting what I was saying, or I forget the words. I've had MRIs, etc. etc., but nothing seems to help. I tried B12, which has given possibly a bit of help, maybe? Has anyone else had this problem? My doctor wants to tapper off, which I'm going to do (every other day) and maybe try something else. Any ideas from others with memory loss? I've also noticed my anxiety (bi-polar) is out of control and I take more Lamictal and Xanax than ever.

Thanks!

wow kbf, that sounds so tough; i'm so sorry for how scary every day must be to you! if you have access to health care, could you go see a neurologist or other specialist, maybe a brain doc that specializes in memory problems and might know better than a regular doc what might be going on?

I have had similar trouble. Forgetting peoples names, forgetting what you are doing at the moment, forgetting words, having sentences come out of your mouth in a different order than what you thought, forgetting a turn to a place you've been to a million times. It turned out to be the lamictal. I was taking 300 mg and my memory was terrible. I moved down to 200 and it was much better. I have since moved down to 100. Although bad short term memory is also a byproduct of depression, it is not this bad. I lost a CAR because of it. Forgot which parking garage I found it in and could not find it. Fortunately I suffer from depression and not bipolar disorder so I have switched to other medicines. I know there are other bipolar medicines available (depakote, lithium) that I hope you have not tride or work for you. I have also a had a similar problem on serzone. Hope this helps. Inform your doctor of this side effect, you won't find it in the literature. Hope you get employed soon. God bless.

I have had similar trouble. Forgetting peoples names, forgetting what you are doing at the moment, forgetting words, having sentences come out of your mouth in a different order than what you thought, forgetting a turn to a place you've been to a million times. It turned out to be the lamictal. I was taking 300 mg and my memory was terrible. I moved down to 200 and it was much better. I have since moved down to 100. Although bad short term memory is also a byproduct of depression, it is not this bad. I lost a CAR because of it. Forgot which parking garage I found it in and could not find it. Fortunately I suffer from depression and not bipolar disorder so I have switched to other medicines. I know there are other bipolar medicines available (depakote, lithium) that I hope you have not tride or work for you. I have also a had a similar problem on serzone. Hope this helps. Inform your doctor of this side effect, you won't find it in the literature. Hope you get employed soon. God bless.

I just thought I would mention that I took Xanex and it gave me bad memory problems. Once I got off it, I was okay.

GS

It's the lamictal I promise I'm on 200mg and wow all I can say is wow my memory is bad.