Getting lost- cognitive effects

I know I haven't driven in a couple years so I don't pay much attention when other people drive, but I have lived here my whole life...none of these streets have changed and the landmarks haven't changed that much. I don't know if it is the medications I take or the headache itself, but I feel like a person in early Alzheimer's who has just realized they can't go out by themselves. My cousin from another state was sometimes less disoriented than I was. That is just wrong! She hasn't been here in roughly 20 years, but she can figure out which direction home is and I can't?!!?

So all that to say, I think I have been drastically underestimating the cognitive effects of my meds. I hadn't been in a situation where I noticed this effect before but that was a seriously eye opening experience. Has anyone else had problems like this or is it just me?

I'm sorry, Mary. I hope things get better.

Lisa

I am supposed to be increasing my dose of Gabapentin, but I may need to ask the doctor about the cognitive problems. I guess it doesn't really matter since I am almost never in the position to have to find my way around, but I do need to pay attention to what other areas I may be affected.

It's really not fair to have to suffer from side effects like this when all we want is a little less pain!

I was on Gabapentin for a month or so last year, and don't really remember much of that month...I was pretty spaced out on it, which did completely disappear when I came off it. I wasn't studying at the time, only working so they just had to put up with me a bit of a mess a work!

I've only been on topamax for a week and a half, so I don't know quite what it's doing yet - except I feel a bit wierd in the mornings (taking it just in the evenings at the moment). Was at work yesterday morning, and I was all shaky and my head felt rather fuzzy and forgot what I was doing even more often than usual (fun fun fun).

I guess taking a combination of things that can effect cognitive abilities it isn't suprising you're noticing it. Have you been on them for a while? I was told with Topamax that after a few months (if it was working) they would reduce the dose again to see if it was still needed. Not that you really want to risk more pain from stopping them.

Ooh, my head has just done that fuzzy thing so I'm going to stop rambling about there...

thyqua xx

With those meds(besides the side effects)Do you find them to work for the pain? What is gabentin? I never heard of it!

Lisa

Thyqua

Thyqua, I have been on all of my meds for a good while.Topamax and Seroquel seem like forever...Topamax has to be well over a year, Seroquel was several months after Topamax...Gabapentin is the most recent but I think it has been at least 3 months but the dose has changed a couple times (going up). It does seem to be helping the pain a little.

I know the Topamax and the Seroquel are working because if I forget to refil the prescriptions and miss a day of either one it HURTS. I try not to do that. But I am noticing that I am not as smart as I used to be...it is sad. I tried to read one of my sister's textbooks from grad school and I can't understand it. The sentences are too complicated for me to unravel what they are saying without tremendous effort and then I forget by the time I get to the end of the sentence what the beginning was about. I will just go back to fluff fiction or something easier.

At least I am not hurting as bad as I was. The trade is still worth it to me because living the other way was miserable and I couldn't function at all. This way at least I can do some things and have some sort of life even if I am not as intellectual as I used to be. If I were still able to work as a counselor this would be a HUGE problem, but since I can't it doesn't really matter that much.

The last couple of days I feel fuzzy (if that makes any sense) all the time, and it takes me ages just to write a reply on here! But I figure that's just the topamax.

Thyqua