Originally Posted by zoeboboey
DEFINITELY depression AND meds have effected my memory. It is frustrating because the way I see it "I used to be smart" and now I find myself in the "deer in the headlights" situation far too often - where I get CAUGHT not remembering something I should have (chuckle) more embarrassing than dangerous since I got myself out of nursing for now. Don't know if I will ever have that memory back, sigh... I'm on minimal meds right now and not too depressed and STILL having a bit of difficulty.
Good luck Red and all
How nice of you to reply. Thank you for confirming what I feel about meds. I had a pretty bad problem with panic. My pdoc has had me on a generic Klonipin for a couple of years. While beginning to heal I have found that not only does that med make me sleepy, .5 mg bid. As I have been feeling better, I have noticed some days I don't take it all, and some times just one .5 mg instead of .5 bid. I have found that the lessening of the the med, I don't feel as spacy, and my memory is better. I do take .5 sometimes when I get to feeling a little stressed, but it seems my mind is clearer and I don't sleep as much. This is rather encouraging for me, and I am starting to heal from the depression. Maybe you won't get the memory back, but I am finding that as I get better and not taking meds as often, at least my life at present is getting clearer and I am starting to remember more and I and I am more alert. Exercise and yoga help also. I read a lot about it, and I found one to be very good, "Self esteem." I always had a feeling that people were more powerful than I. And this book added a lot to my unreasonable feeling that "I was't good enough.
I'm not saying that I am against taking these meds when you need them, but I am pleased to find that my memory and concentration is getting better. But of course a lot of work went into this.
So you are out of nursing aso? I had such ambiguous feelings about nursing, because I had been out 10 years, and when I came back, I found nursing to be so much different. It seems like nursing is much less caring, and more mean. Now I think one of the reasons I am starting to heal is because I have removed myself from a very toxic work environment. It effects me financially, but you know what, I feel so much better and healthier now. Hang in there, and educate yourself all you can about depression. It really helps.
Red