Does anyone else have problems with concentration? I love to read, but in the past couple years since I've been on so many meds I find it hard to focus long enough to get through a book. I start them, but I loose interest, or I read a bunch and realize I don't remember what I just read. I've made through less than 10 books in the past 2 years, and used to read a lot. I miss it, and I wonder if I'll ever get my concentration back. The weird thing is that I can focus on reading journal articles and patient histories for work, it's reading for fun that I'm having the problem with. I don't know why that is.

I also feel like I've lost some of my mental sharpness, I just don't think as quickly or remember things as well as I used to. I don't know if that's meds, bipolar, age, or something else. I saw a lecture about the progression of bipolar 2, and the speaker was saying that there is often cognitive decline. He described a case example of a woman who was very bright and successful in her 20s, but had some severe episodes, and became progressively more disabled with cognitive symptoms through her 30s and 40s. The case example was unable to work by part way through her 40s. I'm 37, and I'm afraid that is describing me. I was pretty sharp in my 20s and early 30s, and now I do pretty well, but it's harder. I had a severe mixed episode at 34, and cognitively I never fully recovered. I need to be sharp and on top of my game for work, so it scares me to think there could be more decline. I talked to my pdoc about it, and she said the decline is only if the bipolar goes untreated, so she thinks I'll be OK. I'm still worried