[Resident Bipolar]

Does anyone else here with bipolar suffer some issues with memory? I seem to remember some things in the more long term really well: I can see images in my head from a certain memory, such as reading through some distressing messages from a certain someone on Facebook, and feel the emotions and even smell the smells from the time.

But when it comes to very short term things, such as appointment times and dates, I'm terrible. I normally have to call the place I have an appointment at least once to ask when it is. Occasionally I've gone in on the completely wrong day.

I also seem to misplace a lot of things. I'll put them somewhere and completely forget where. Or, like yesterday, I'll put down my jacket and forget to pick it up when I leave. I've lost 3 debit cards in the past 4 months.

I lose a lot of paperwork and sometimes I even forget to eat!

Anyone?
RB ♥

[supernova001]

Originally Posted by Resident Bipolar

Does anyone else here with bipolar suffer some issues with memory? I seem to remember some things in the more long term really well: I can see images in my head from a certain memory, such as reading through some distressing messages from a certain someone on Facebook, and feel the emotions and even smell the smells from the time.

But when it comes to very short term things, such as appointment times and dates, I'm terrible. I normally have to call the place I have an appointment at least once to ask when it is. Occasionally I've gone in on the completely wrong day.

I also seem to misplace a lot of things. I'll put them somewhere and completely forget where. Or, like yesterday, I'll put down my jacket and forget to pick it up when I leave. I've lost 3 debit cards in the past 4 months.

I lose a lot of paperwork and sometimes I even forget to eat!

Anyone?
RB ♥

Are you on Topomax by any chance? The times i've had trouble with short term memory loss was while on topomax and that is a known side effect. The other times i've experienced what you describe was during a manic phase...when everything is out of focus and concentration is difficult. Have you talked to your pdoc about this?.... i guess i'm assuming you're on meds.

[venusss]

Stress can cause it. I get horrible scatterbrained when stressed.

And yes, medication too, and I suspect not just Dopamax (runs and hides in crystal bunker).

alternativelly, it sounds sorta ADHD-ish.

[Trippin2.0]

I only had real memory problems (short term, long term & working memory) while medicated. I do get scatteredbrained when I'm on the up and up and have zero concentration span, buuut its way less distressing than the med induced problems I had from lithium. Also lost a few longterm memories permanently. Seriously, pics and blow by blow verbal accounts dont even jog them, its been completely erased....

[charlie0330]

Yes, I can relate.
Not only can I not remember things like the fact that I put my debit card on the table instead of in my wallet. But I cannot remember ANYTHING about Christmas AT ALL, nor can I remember ANYTHING about Thanksgiving AT ALL.
Before I started having ECT I had memory issues like you are talking about. Now I cannot remember anything at all. NOTHING. I live in a dream world moreso than ever. Bipolar was bad enough, now I cannot remember ANYTHING. My identity is empty. I don't have anything to draw from.
I wish there was something I could say to you to make you feel better. I just write everything down. Yesterday I put my debit card in my jeans pocket instead of back in my wallet - then when I got to the pharmacy I couldn't find it! It was the first time I was able to retrace my steps and find the card in my pocket. Otherwise I was in a state of panic.
You are in good company. Apparently memory problems are part of bipolar.

[extremebipolar1]

Originally Posted by Resident Bipolar

Does anyone else here with bipolar suffer some issues with memory? I seem to remember some things in the more long term really well: I can see images in my head from a certain memory, such as reading through some distressing messages from a certain someone on Facebook, and feel the emotions and even smell the smells from the time.

But when it comes to very short term things, such as appointment times and dates, I'm terrible. I normally have to call the place I have an appointment at least once to ask when it is. Occasionally I've gone in on the completely wrong day.

I also seem to misplace a lot of things. I'll put them somewhere and completely forget where. Or, like yesterday, I'll put down my jacket and forget to pick it up when I leave. I've lost 3 debit cards in the past 4 months.

I lose a lot of paperwork and sometimes I even forget to eat!

Anyone?
RB ♥

Dear Resident Bipolar, I would lose my head if it weren't attached...literally. I have found that if I carry a datebook and I write down my appts when I make them...heck with the line behind you, they can wait. Otherwise, I am constantly calling and asking when my apt is and it gets frustrating when you start missing them and they are important. I also carry a supply of my anxiety meds with me because I panic a lot too. Try carrying a backpack with your necessities in it...planner,pen,meds,water(must),wallet.....that's how I started in high school...I wasn't a girlie girl at all and refused to carry a purse, so it was my way of getting organized and yet didn't have to carry a purse. To this day I have lost my i.d. at least 12 times and im only 30. really?! I feel your pain.

[Victoria'smom]

RB,
I have to put appointments in my phone w. times to remind me or I'd completely forget. Whenever others are w. me I have them carry my wallet so I don't loose it. I try to do cash only because I know I'll lose my card. So I think it may be normal.

Oh God, yes, can relate! This and much much more. I do have dx of ADD too though. Frankly I think the BP and ADD team up for this mischief(!) Or as I call them, "major contributors to the Space Cadet Academy". Showing up on the wrong day? Oh yeah. One of those times, I walked in to see someone already sitting there waiting, and even so didn't realize the error for awhile(!) (It's a one person office with no receptionist, so multiple people waiting is not the usual.)

I cannot set anything down while I'm out or it will be forgotten. I hate stores where they make you leave a bag at the counter. I usually won't even go in, because I have never remembered to pick it back up on the way out. Three blocks away I might wonder why I feel different, only to realize why and have to go back. My wallet is attached with a cord to my bag. BF insisted upon this after a major incident. It feels stupid, but it really has helped. You know how they do the cash back at checkouts? I'm always wondering why they're handing me money(!) No joke. Oh right! I just now asked for it! Notorious for leaving the purchase at the counter and walking away. When they call out, I always joke, "Oh, I just wanted to hand you some money today!"

Though I keep notes and a calendar, I still have to set my phone alarms to remember things because I will either forget to look at the notes/calendar or look at them and not realize what day it is. I am never w/o paper and pen. If I don't write it down (or do it) immediately, it will be forgotten. It's quite bad. It's never good, but some days are worse than others. Not entirely sure why, but stress levels may well play into that variation. I even brought it up with a regular doctor recently, because between that and a physical thing, it makes functioning very challenging. Next visit, cognitive testing. I asked if there was a cheat sheet. Lol.

My big weirdness is that I totally remember and can parrot tons of dialogue from shows I watch, but couldn't tell you if I ate lunch or what it was. Did some thing happen that day? Yesterday? Last week? Who knows. What on earth did I do today?! Makes filling out my mood chart a bit of a challenge sometimes(!) So yes, can definitely relate. You might find it helpful to try using some of the compensatory strategies used by people with ADD (such as everything having a place and putting a thing in that place always and immediately...) Even doing all these things, it can be a struggle, but it does help (and minimize the occurrence of me flipping my **** because I can't find something and am (of course) running late).

[Odee]

I have a terrible memory.

Can't remember a lot of things I have done and well not remember movies after several weeks. I absolutely hate the worst that I don't remember details about people, so I may ask them things multiple times and I just feel like people like you more if you remember things about them. I also forget subject material from classes after the semester is over with.

Frustrating. And my BF seems to pick on me about it sometimes.

I don't think its meds, I think it's my mind, and I am also convinced that MI has a negative effect on memory.

[aquaman]

Write everything down! Even if you think it's trivial, write it down anyway. Just the act of writing something down will help etch it into your memory better.

I carry a small notebook with me, plus I have one of those daily planner things.

[tryingmybest]

Originally Posted by Resident Bipolar

Does anyone else here with bipolar suffer some issues with memory? I seem to remember some things in the more long term really well: I can see images in my head from a certain memory, such as reading through some distressing messages from a certain someone on Facebook, and feel the emotions and even smell the smells from the time.

But when it comes to very short term things, such as appointment times and dates, I'm terrible. I normally have to call the place I have an appointment at least once to ask when it is. Occasionally I've gone in on the completely wrong day.

I also seem to misplace a lot of things. I'll put them somewhere and completely forget where. Or, like yesterday, I'll put down my jacket and forget to pick it up when I leave. I've lost 3 debit cards in the past 4 months.

I lose a lot of paperwork and sometimes I even forget to eat!

Anyone?
RB ♥

Hi, I am new here but I had to respond. I am not formally diagnosed bipolar yet but my loved ones and therapist believe I am. I have a diagnoses of ADHD though and I forget everything, to the point I can walk out of a room and forget why. I blamed the adhd but now I dont know if its that or I was misdiagnosed or its both........ anyway I feel your pain. I remember things that happpen to me that are negative almost from birth, but an appt, NO WAY! My smart phone has saved my life in that regard. Its the greatest invention ever.

[Bipolar mom]

I have an awful memory! If I don't write it down ill never remember, I just have to hope I don't miss place what I wrote on!

[Permanent Pajamas]

My memory took a steep dive after my last crisis and I've not recovered it. I don't expect I will either.

It's embarrassing.

[Travelinglady]

Me, too. It's even become a joke here at PC. I am going to get tested to see if there's something that's happening, like Alzheimer's, the first week of March, as I recall. I had to stop teaching years ago and the problems have gotten even worse since.....

[BipolaRNurse]

Originally Posted by charlie0330

Yes, I can relate.
You are in good company. Apparently memory problems are part of bipolar.

You can say THAT again. Between the bipolar, the meds, and the simple fact of being in late middle age, I have a terrible memory. I am the Sticky Note Queen. If those things hadn't been invented, I'd probably be walking around in circles, confused as hell, while peeing down my own leg. Color-coding also helps---red for gotta-do-right-NOW, yellow for urgent but not critical things, green for tasks of average importance, and blue for whenever-the-hell-I-get-to-it.

[manicminer]

I have troubles ranging from not being able to easily memorize terms or equiations, to forgetting what areas of my body I already washed while in the shower or checking the time and forgetting it within 10 seconds.

[sugahorse1]

Yes, and it is getting worse. My bf used t et very upset with me and didn't believe me, but I think he's starting to realize I'm not making things up, but really have memory issues

i posted in another thread about this, but yes, big time.

it's like my memory does not exist- and it's really embarrasing sometimes

it's hardly worth me watching or listening to anything, because i hardly remember anything that went on

same with things people tell me

i used to be awsome (before my bp diagnoses), i could remember numbers, and addresses, and all sorts, but now you'd be lucky if i remember what i did 10 minits ago

[Trippin2.0]

Oh yeah, just an FYI to all the folk who beilieve this is purely bp's fault:

I forgot to mention that my memory problems dissapeared completely after I quit my meds.

[Permanent Pajamas]

Originally Posted by Trippin2.0

Oh yeah, just an FYI to all the folk who beilieve this is purely bp's fault:

I forgot to mention that my memory problems dissapeared completely after I quit my meds.

I don't even want to think about what would happen if I stopped taking risperidone.

[Trippin2.0]

Originally Posted by Permanent Pajamas

I don't even want to think about what would happen if I stopped taking risperidone.

I'm not urging anybody to quit their meds. Just sharing my experience...

[Resident Bipolar]

Wow, seems there is quite a correlation between Bipolar and memory loss and indeed medications and memory loss.

I'd quit the Seroquel straight away if I could. Without it I do seem to be a lot more able to get out of bed and do things. But if I don't take it, I don't sleep. For at least 2 nights. That's while still talking the melatonin, too.

[Permanent Pajamas]

Originally Posted by Trippin2.0

I'm not urging anybody to quit their meds. Just sharing my experience...

I know. No worries.

[BipolaRNurse]

I wonder too if sleep--or lack of it--has anything to do with the memory loss so many of us experience. I used to sleep like a log, eight or nine full hours almost every night, and now I'm lucky if I get more than six. It could be aging (I'm pushing 55), but I used to be able to sleep without taking any meds at all, and now I'm taking Ativan plus Geodon plus melatonin, and I STILL have trouble getting to sleep and staying that way. Go figure.

[Cocosurviving]

My memory problems began after I started taking meds. I have to write everything down and do things right when I think abt it