Cognitive decline caused by antipsychotics

I am a bit worried about this, I experienced it with almost all antipsychotics I took.

Right now my psychiatrist convinced me about trying to take 50mg of amisulpride for 5 days. When I took 150 and 200mg I got akathisia and felt my mind sick and slow.

I have taken seroquel, geodon, zyprexa, risperdal, haldol, ... and my mind was 'blurried' and my memory was horrible with them. My cognition was better during a psychotic break than when I was taking these meds.

Have you experienced cognitive decline because of antipsychotics?

I was never on antipsychotics, but the antidepressants and mood stablizers I was on for bipolar 2 took me from someone with a very sharp mind and great memory to someone who can't express myself well out loud. I can express myself when writing far better than when speaking. From my research, this is very common. I heard one former drug salesperson say how antidepressants have the same effect on a person's memory as having a stroke!!! Her name is Gwen Olsen if anyone wants to check her out--she has lots of videos on youtube. I believe it based on the person I was prior to taking these meds and who I am today.

Yes I had a lot of trouble reading when I started on APs but it went away after a while and with effort/brain training. It helps that I'm only on a low dose of AP.

Yeah.. blurry mind fade away after a while but bad memory last. I am on a low dose. But for me, nothing is too pricey for sanity

I haven't been on any AP's in a year or so now. I still have memory problems. It drives me crazy.

Fade away after a while I mean after my body got adjusted with it, there is no more blurry mind even when I am on it. Sorry things are different with you A

I had a hard time reading on Risperdal, couldn't concentrate enough to finish even a page. It seems to be a lot better with Zyprexa now, as I'm able to concentrate and read. Read a ton in the hospital while I was there, was a good way to pass the time.

Olanzipine hasn't done anything bad to me.
Neither did Geodon. Neither did Risperdal.
But Lithium made me into a zombie.
If one doesn't work try another.
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You will face a problem, yes, these are mind altering drugs, but, your body needs to adapt, bear in mind their is an initial system shock, when taking some new meds. Thats why you use your downtime, e.g unemployment, to get this **** over and done with. So you need to try and take something consistent at a dose your comfortable with, seesawing is just going to be hard on you.

I prefer to don't take anything because I am not comfortable at any dose. My body or mind never 'adapted' to meds to the point side effect go away, I was told it would happend but It never does, actually more time I am taking them more side effects I get.

It took a year for me at least to adapt....how long did you give it?

Whats the longest you've been on a med, taking it at a fixed consistent dose?

a year and half.

The other ones I had to stop them because of the side effects being too much for waiting that long -You can't live a year slepping 16-18h a day or with severe extrapiramidal reactions-.

I agree completely!!

I think Pdocs have people convinced that you just have to learn to put up with the side-effects never considering how miserable they make your life. And as I found out, some side-effects are forever! They never go away even after you go off the meds.

Now I am off the antypsychotic and on lamictal.