memory problems

[romen33]

Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone has suggestions on overcoming memory loss, clouded judgement etc.. due to bipolar disorder. Before I was bipolar I was known for being preety smart, at work I was one of the top technicians they had, but now I can still fix things but when people ask me questions I can't remember the words or terms to describe things. Also it takes longer to think through problems, people expect immediate answers and when I try to reply my mind goes blank and so they think I'm stupid. Then about an hour or two later the answer comes to my mind, but it's too late by then to salvage my reputation. I almost got fired from my last job which I held for ten years prior to being bipolar because of this and was demoted which force me to look for new employment. God blessed me with a much better job now but I feel I have to prove myself competent to these new coworkers

 

[BRERDO]

Hi there. Just to chime on this. I, too, and Bipolar and the issues with your memory could likely be coming from the medication and dosage you are on. You might want to contact your prescribing doctor or psychiatrist and let them know what is going on and that is affecting your life and you are unable to get past it. If you have symptoms like these and they are easily controlled then a medication change is usually not required unless it becomes a hassle to you and your productivity in life.

If you are not currently seeing a psychiatrist and just a family doctor, I would strongly suggest it. A Psychiatrist is someone who has studied your disorder and has made a life's work from it. A family doctor knows what Bipolar is and the right medication to prescribe but they do not follow up with dosage increases and slight changes.

To touch on another thing you said, there is no "before I was Bipolar". It is an inherited gene and your neurotransmitters have always been firing the way that they do. They just to not show themselves until you are through your teens, most commonly. Before then, children are usually diagnosed with ADD (hypomania) and Depression (dystopia). They may indeed have ADHD/ADD and Depression but untreated when they grow older it may cause more problems as they could be misdiagnosed.

Anyway, if you are currently on medication for Bipolar Disorder, you will know if you are Bipolar I or II. Talk to a psychiatrist and you will be helped. If you currently are not on medication, contact a psychiatrist and you will be helped if it is deemed that medication is something that may benefit you.

I went through 9 different meds before I found the mix I am currently on, and even then I have had to adjust the meds I am multiple times just to find the right dosages of each that work best with each other. The payoff is EXCEPTIONAL... but it just takes patience to get through it.

Best of luck.

 

[Loven God]

That is a hard one , I had no problems until I started my meds. then I had to write down everythig or I would forget it . Most people that are bipolar all so have ADD which I do all so have that does not help eaither . You are not stupid just becouse you have a hard time remembering , it may make things more challenging , but not stupid . Being bipolar and holding a job proves you are far from stupid . I think it can be hard for us to except the changes that happen with bipolar , I still have a hard time excepting it myself . Remember God made us in certain way, I do belive to grow us and that I have done and it has brought me closer to God . I have taken my bipolar and what I have learned and now lead a bipolar and depression group at my church . I took what I thought was something bad and now am using it for the good of God . Just remember you are far from stupid and the only one you have to prove yourself to is God .

 

[rossignol]

When I had memory loss it was partly because of RX drugs and partly because of all the emotional stuff I was going through. I lost yrs, literally, because of my mental problems. You will get some of it back once God helps you to find the answer through Dr's or other means. God won't leave you with nothing, He won't abandon you.

 

[Loven God]

I do see a Psychiatrist and he is very good . I am Bipolar II and have been since I was 15 . It has taken many med changes to finily get something that keeps me stable , so I do not mind a little memory lose in exchange for being stable and staying out of the hospitals . I will get use to it and in due time it probley will gte better with the memory loss as the i am adjusting to the med. Thank you for you good advice and careing .

 

[Loven God]

I know God will always be there for me . My Psyshiatrist and meds have been a great help , but prayer and God have been my life changing thing for me . I know when times are hard and doctors and meds are not enough at the time I know I can call on the name of Jesus and He will hold me togeather . You are right God will not abandon me .

 

[romen33]

I am seein a Psychiatrist and I asked him about memory loss, unfortunately I had a seizure once caused by meds and so am limited in choices of meds because most meds have seizures as possible side effects, 2 weeks ago he switch me to zyprexa in hopes this will clear my mind up. So far its working somewhat better so I'm hoping for the best. This and lithium are the only 2 choices I have left. Before this I was on risperdal. But my concern is if this continues or gets worse it would be the end of my career, my previous employer did everything he could to make my life difficult and force me to quit. He claimed he was trying to make allowances for my disability as required by law, but my other coworkers told me he was looking for a way to get rid of me and replace me with someone faster and more productive.

 

[Loven God]

I am sorry about the seizures and the limets to your meds , that would make it harder . And your co-workers were probely right . That is how I lost my last job as a supervisor . They wanted someone more quicker and faster and one that did not make as many mistakes , so once they found that loop hole they fired me . I have not worked since then and that was 4 years ago . Since then i have been working on the right med mix , found it and it was working until this May and I had to go back into the hospital and they changed up my meds and now thing are ok now . Not perfect but i am stable . I have not looked for work becouse I am 53 and people don't want people my age they want younget people . So since I could not find work nor was I able to hold down a job becouse of my bipolar I put in for SSDI and got it . Not much money but it helps . I wish you the best of blessings on your new job .

 

[romen33]

I definitely feel blessed by God, since he opened the door for me to get a new job despite my bipolar. I thank him every day and its true that he takes care of us always. It seems that things always work out so I intend not to worry about this. My new job is with a public facility and they make a lot of allowances for people with disabilities, however some people still judge those of us there who have them. I mostly ignore them and do my job but find myself wishing I were "normal". Deep down I know no one is without fault and so I put my trust in God.

 

[Loven God]

I would like to be normal myself but I have came to the point that I have excepted that I am bipolar , not that I still don't wonder what a normal life would be like . It is just that I have lived it so unnormal for so long it is a way of life for me know . Don't get me wrong I still get days where I am longing to be normal again . At this point I don't think I will see normal again until Jesus returns . Until then I try to live everyday the best I can and trust Christ until He does return .