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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by zefdie on March 18, 2004, at 14:32:15
I've been on Wellbutrin 150 SR, twice daily, for about two years and over those past two years have noticed an extreme, aggrivating diminution of my capacity with language and thought. As a professional writer, this is a debilitating experience for me. I hadn't associated it with my meds at all and figured that it was part of my depression--it has led me to becoming increasingly depressed over the last few years.
As of today I'm on Effxor XR 75 mg in addition to the Wellbutrin. I'm hoping this will help with my severe depression but I'm concerned that the meds are causing my cognitive difficulties, and until I can fix this problem I fear I will continue to be depressed because it interferes so much with my profession and my basic sense of who I am. I've completely lost the ability to communicate with people over the last few years and often find myself staring blankly, rifling through my brain for words and thoughts that seem to be behind a screen.
I can't improve without getting rid of these symptoms. Does anyone have any suggestions? Is Wellbutrin known to do this, or is this a side effect of all AD meds? I'm dyin' for some advice on this because one of the main causes of my ongoing depression is my inability to write.
Thanks so much!
Posted by zefdie on March 18, 2004, at 16:04:38
In reply to Diminished language capacity on antidepressants?, posted by zefdie on March 18, 2004, at 14:32:15
> I've been on Wellbutrin 150 SR, twice daily, for about two years and over those past two years have noticed an extreme, aggrivating diminution of my capacity with language and thought. As a professional writer, this is a debilitating experience for me. I hadn't associated it with my meds at all and figured that it was part of my depression--it has led me to becoming increasingly depressed over the last few years.
>
> As of today I'm on Effxor XR 75 mg in addition to the Wellbutrin. I'm hoping this will help with my severe depression but I'm concerned that the meds are causing my cognitive difficulties, and until I can fix this problem I fear I will continue to be depressed because it interferes so much with my profession and my basic sense of who I am. I've completely lost the ability to communicate with people over the last few years and often find myself staring blankly, rifling through my brain for words and thoughts that seem to be behind a screen.
>
> I can't improve without getting rid of these symptoms. Does anyone have any suggestions? Is Wellbutrin known to do this, or is this a side effect of all AD meds? I'm dyin' for some advice on this because one of the main causes of my ongoing depression is my inability to write.
>
> Thanks so much!Also, I never had symptoms of anxiety before starting Wellbutrin, and now I'm a nervous mess. Does it sound like I shouldn't be on Wellbutrin at all? I'm concerned that it was partly responsible for ramping up my anxiety.
Posted by Clayton on March 18, 2004, at 17:58:21
In reply to Diminished language capacity on antidepressants?, posted by zefdie on March 18, 2004, at 14:32:15
I hate to suggest ANOTHER drug, but consider Provigil. I am on Paxil and Remaron and have experienced the difficiculties you describe.
Provigil went a long to to giving me my mind back. I can speak and articulate without hesitation...the vocabularies is back, too. Also my focus, and concentration are greatly in improved. Job performanvce is way up.
To top it all of, Provigil has increased the efficicacy of my antidepressants perhaps 75%. Not bad!
Just a suggestion. Good Luck!
Posted by Minnie-Haha on March 19, 2004, at 10:56:59
In reply to Diminished language capacity on antidepressants?, posted by zefdie on March 18, 2004, at 14:32:15
> I've been on Wellbutrin 150 SR, twice daily, for about two years and over those past two years have noticed an extreme, aggrivating diminution of my capacity with language and thought. As a professional writer, this is a debilitating experience for me. I hadn't associated it with my meds at all and figured that it was part of my depression--it has led me to becoming increasingly depressed over the last few years.
>
> As of today I'm on Effxor XR 75 mg in addition to the Wellbutrin. I'm hoping this will help with my severe depression but I'm concerned that the meds are causing my cognitive difficulties, and until I can fix this problem I fear I will continue to be depressed because it interferes so much with my profession and my basic sense of who I am. I've completely lost the ability to communicate with people over the last few years and often find myself staring blankly, rifling through my brain for words and thoughts that seem to be behind a screen.
>
> I can't improve without getting rid of these symptoms.I don't know if I can help you, but I can say I understand exactly how you feel. I graduate in May with a degree in journalism, but I've had a number of health problems the last two years that have really impacted my ability to communicate. When I speak, I stammer and grope for words. When I write, I struggle to put thoughts together. I have a BP Type 2 diagnosis and I haven't found the drug mix yet that has improved the situation. Like you, I wonder: Is it me, or is it the drug(s)? I am currently looking into the possibility that my problems might be (partially at least) thyroid related. Have you tried seeing an endocrinologist? The thyroid is a tricky gland and "normal" blood tests don't always mean that you aren't having problems.
Posted by twuffy on March 19, 2004, at 15:15:48
In reply to Diminished language capacity on antidepressants?, posted by zefdie on March 18, 2004, at 14:32:15
I too have had similar problems with ADs, but I have only been on Wellbutrin. I have particularly noticed that I switch words around. Like I will say "Do you egg some want?" and other ridiculous things. But it is not constant. I went off the WB because I was annoyed with this but a year and some months later lapsed into a really deep depression. So I am back on the WB. Happy at least...I would love to know more about Provigil. Never heard of it. Good luck to you.
Posted by Minnie-Haha on March 19, 2004, at 16:48:44
In reply to Re: Diminished language capacity on antidepressants?, posted by twuffy on March 19, 2004, at 15:15:48
I wondered what Provigil was, too, so I went to HealthSquare.com and found this definition: "Provigil is a stimulant drug used to prevent the excessive daytime sleepiness suffered by people with narcolepsy." I guess it's used for depression, too? I am BP2, so I'm not sure if that would be good for me. I also wondered if getting on thyroid meds (Thyroxine) would be OK, too, but my psychiatrist seems to be fine with the idea. I'm gonna go see my PCP, too, before I get the RX filled, just to see if she's in agreement. Maybe I'll even seek a referral to a thyroid specialist, to get a second opinion. The endocrinologist who RXd the Thyroxine wants to shrink some thyroid nodules, but the symptoms that sent me to him were anxiety, insomnia and nausea -- now kinda low-level, but worse before. My thyroid stimulating hormone is in the low-normal range. Based on that, and my symptoms, I'd say I was closer to being hyper-thyroid right now, as opposed to hypo. I sure don't want to increase my anxiety, insomnia, etc., which has taken me months to get almost under control with a low dose of Ativan. Also, I've had palpitations off and on recently, while I'm ramping up on Trileptal. (My pdoc took me off Lamictal when I got a rash, even though I'm convinced it was a sun allergy. I was on vacation in Hawaii when it happened, using a sunscreen I'd never used before.) Wow... that wandered, didn't it? There you go, that's me lately.
Posted by francesco on March 19, 2004, at 18:42:25
In reply to Diminished language capacity on antidepressants?, posted by zefdie on March 18, 2004, at 14:32:15
Many people report a similar side-effect on Wellbutrin. When I'm on Anafranil (serotoninergic) my language abilities improves a lot. I don't know why though.
Posted by noa on March 19, 2004, at 18:44:50
In reply to Re: Diminished language capacity on antidepressants? » zefdie, posted by francesco on March 19, 2004, at 18:42:25
The only language related SE I've experienced is on Effexor---word retrieval difficulties, and it is very dose dependent for me.
Posted by snapper on March 19, 2004, at 21:05:50
In reply to Re: Diminished language capacity on antidepressants?, posted by noa on March 19, 2004, at 18:44:50
u meeeen thinking talking just bei ing a blle to funxion cerrektlie at allll...lol lol!!!
sorry I just need ed to laugh depression jacks up every process in your body!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
eeeeeeeeekkkkkkkkkkkkk heeeeellllllllp DR. DR. DR> hurse nurse give me A blue pill a green one oh uh I meen a red and orange one ahhhhggggg1!11 do any of these pretty little and pricey pill really do anything at all !!!!!!!
sorry if I sound ambivelant or sarcastic and I def don't want to offend anyone !!
NO I AM NOT NUTZ -ALTHOUGH I FEEL LIKE IT!!
YA KNOW OF ALL THE THINGS IV'E LOST IN MY LIFE - IT'S MY MIND I MISS THE MOST!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ANYONE REMEMBER THE OLD HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS SONG FROM THE 80'S { I WANNA NEW DRUG ? } forget the new drug !! HOW BOUT A NEW BRAIN!!!!
Posted by SDA on March 20, 2004, at 11:32:02
In reply to Diminished language capacity on antidepressants?, posted by zefdie on March 18, 2004, at 14:32:15
I used to strugle with written work in high school. Perhaps its no coinsidence that I was on Wellbutrin the entire time. I don't do much writing these days, so I can't really say whether or not my skills have improved.
Has anyone who has gone off Wellbutrin been able to recover their language skills?
Posted by T_R_D on March 22, 2004, at 13:33:41
In reply to Re: Diminished language capacity on antidepressants?, posted by SDA on March 20, 2004, at 11:32:02
I've been both on and off W (and many other meds...) and I find the "aphasia" is perhaps both illness related and med-related...I haven't been able to distinguish which as it has happened pre-treatment and when I've been on lots of other drugs. It definitely does increase when I am feeling more depressed, however. Also, when I've been (hypo)manic I've never had a problem...but then again, everything just *fits* and comes together when you're in that state... ;)
Posted by zefdie on March 22, 2004, at 13:36:44
In reply to Re: Diminished language capacity on antidepressants?, posted by T_R_D on March 22, 2004, at 13:33:41
Thanks for all your help. I decided to go off Wellbutrin after finding this:
http://neuro-www.mgh.harvard.edu/forum/ADHDF/3.18.982.52PMWellbutrinandCogn
After much poking around, I've found more complaints of cognitive impairment from Wellbutrin than from other ADs. I'm extraordinarily depressed at the idea that the last two years of struggle with my work were caused by the medication I was taking to hoist me out of chronic depression. I suppose I could be much more depressed, but thankfully the Effexor is working pretty well so far.
Noa: what Effexor dosages have you experienced this on?
Posted by harryp on March 23, 2004, at 23:28:25
In reply to Re: Diminished language capacity on antidepressants?, posted by zefdie on March 22, 2004, at 13:36:44
This is fascinating. Thank you zefdie.
Since my studies and hobbies involve math, philosophy, and serious creative writing, I can usually tell if my brain isn't working up to capacity.
I took Welbutrin for at least a year and I don't remember any cognition problems that didn't seem related to the depression. Certainly, I didn't feel smarter when I went on one of my occasional drug vacations.
I did get cognition problems from nearly all the SSRI's, Paxil, Effexor, and (worst of all) Remeron. Parnate is the first AD I've ever taken that not only works, but did not impair my cognative or emotional response. It's a miracle drug as far as I'm concerned.
This is the end of the thread.
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