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Mirtazapine and instant memory

Posted , 3 users are following.

NickOliver
NickOliver

On Sunday mornings at 10.30 I organise a French convesation group. Saturday night I took my mirtazapine at half past midnight.

At the group I found that I hardly recall the words that I wanted to say. As an example I wanted to think of the word for yesterday - hier. I always have a problem remembering that - I know it is either hier or demain (tomorrow) but if I can't think of the two words in the first place I can't juggle them. When you tell me the word, I know it.

Of course, conversation requires the instant use of words, In English, we can think of alternative or simpler words for the same thing but if one can't think of the basic word it is very difficult. Effectively one is left saying one can't think of the word.

I note on https://patient.info/medicine/mirtazapine-for-depression-zispin-soltab that it effectively says that "Mirtazapine may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert".

Precisely!

And http://www.drugs.com/sfx/mirtazapine-side-effects.html

Effectively "effects common with psychiatric medications (e.g. constipation, confusion, loss of coordination, memory loss)".

When I have important meetings I don't take it the night before.

Last night I dropped off to sleep and woke up at 2.30 and therefore didn't take it.)(

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1 like, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • HH195
    HH195 NickOliver

    Posted

    Nick, 

    I have had a similar experience to this,., and strangely enough involving language...

    I have been on Mirtazapine for nearly 2 years.

    I was prescribed this Shortly after returning from a 3 year period in Spain... Where I learnt to speak Spanish...

    Since being on Mirt I have found that my language skills have disappeared in the form of speaking Spanish... I struggle to the point where I can't!!

    But yet I can read write and listen to Spanish and no exactly what is being said, I even dream in Spanish...,

    Does anyone know what is happening here?

    It crossed my mind that maybe my confidence has lessened, but I work in a Spanish restaurant and my colleagues and friends are mostly Spanish/Latino so I am surrounded by the language...

    Anybody any ideas?

    Also, on this forum... Are we all patients/ex patients? Or do we have medical professionals too?

    Wishing everybody well xx

    • NickOliver
      NickOliver HH195

      Posted

      Hi It is the same reason why we shouldn't drive when we are on Mirt. Our reactins are affected. Noone is tesiing you when you are reading/writing and even listening to a language. Your reactions are affected. It requires split second reaction. When you ae listening you are not then having to respond - it is passive.

      I think we are mostly users/ex-users - although I am bipolar and therefore once a user alsways a user. And I think that professionals shuld identify themselves as such.

    • HH195
      HH195 NickOliver

      Posted

      I'm bi polar too... Was finally diagnosed and medicated for this in 2007 to date... 

      Instead of just being treated for depression...

      I was finally stablished for my massive highs using quetiapine from about 2009, but experienced a breakdown of a relationship approx 2 years ago... So Mirtazapine was added to my script list....

      Looking back I think this was an over reaction from my medical team and me being on this medicine has had a massive negative affect on a complicated life as it already stood :-(

    • NickOliver
      NickOliver HH195

      Posted

      You have veered off the subject of memory. Whilst you talk about quetiapine it made me a total zombie in the morning. I was going to choir practices in the morning and I couldn't focus on the music score.

      My language experience is unlike you is that until last year I hadn't spoken French or studied for many years - I have travelled in Spain and learnt some Spanish by so doing.

      When I was about 30 I attended a German language school for 3 weeks in the summer. When I went there I found that my GCE language skills had disappeared in that language. When I got back I went to Goldsmiths College for a year doing an Institute of Linguists German course. Clearly the intensity of that course at a tender age is such that I have that resource sort of hard-wired.

      I have studied French once since school over 20 years ago in a work course. It was academic reading of texts etc.

      Last year without any prepreparation I attended an Intermediate French course at the CityLit in London. I am 60 and the other students were mainly 25-40. I hadn't spoken or thought inFrench for that many years and I was recovering from a major MH episode 6-7 years previously.

      I don't think that one's memory is wiped clean but without constant exposure to stimuli the mind atrophies. Indeed when we are in hospital and subsequently we are or we protect ourselves from distressing stimuli.

      I myself do mix with people outside the MH system in activities such as the choir and an orchestra.

      But until you enrol in a course one is not exposed to and challenged by other people who have not gone through this challenging experience. And. of course, people do not make allowances.

      So with the age and the MH experience that is a double whammy you might say.

  • NickOliver
    NickOliver

    Posted

    I am going to my conversation group again tomorrow morning. This time I will not take mirt. NOe not stopping taking it completely - jus tonight.
  • NickOliver
    NickOliver

    Posted

    As I said I didn't take my generally usual 15 mg of mirt last night. I didn't sleep very well. I woke up early and went and lay on my couch because I felt very tired. As a result I was about half an hour late. But when I got there I was very animated. I could think of things to say and I could also think of how to say them in French. Quad Erat Demonstandum - proven that mirt does affect short-term reactions - if I had been given a written test I would be fine with mirt because instant memory is not required.
  • butchp
    butchp NickOliver

    Posted

    Can remeron cause you to lose an entire day of memory? I lost all of yesterday to find myself in a holding cell in jail.
    • butchp
      butchp

      Posted

      Not to mention I was hospitalized with a fractured hand, multiple contusions and other injuries.
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