Hey everyone,

I have been noticing more and more that I am having problems remembering things that you might consider mid-term memory if that even makes sense.

I am almost 29 and have been diagnosed and taking medication since age 7. I am also an attorney, so the memory loss is very troubling for me. So much so that I even had an MRI of my brain done to make sure that everything was ok physically. Now I never claimed to have had the best memory, but really since sometime after college has my memory gotten worse.

Some common examples are: forgetting people's names, some being even family members like cousins; forgetting peoples names in general; forgetting cases, legal terms, clients' names, etc. etc.; forgetting words, knowing a word and even being able to visualize it but not remember the word; etc. etc. Anyway, I hope some of you could shed some light.

One thing I wanted to know is has anyone ever heard of long-term exposure to ADD medications like Adderall having an adverse effect on memory? :confused: Have any studies ever been done?? One reason I ask is because I got my records from my ADD Physician, and while I have evidently been taking some form of Adderall since 1997, for a long time there at least 2001-2004 I took a mixture of Concerta (time released ritalin) and normal Adderall. It wasn't until after 2004 that I took straight Adderall and Adderall XR instead of the Concerta. It seems strange that only in the past few years has my memory gotten much worse. :eyebrow:

Anyway, please let me know your thoughts, and please please let me know if anyone has any suggestions on how to help with the memory retention. I will say that I bought a multi-vitamin that has a ginko biloba supplement added to it and I swear for about 1-2 weeks there it really seemed as though my memory improved. Not looking for a cure, just want to at least get back to how it was......a level that was tolerable and manageable.

Thanks everyone for your help!!

SCH

I believe I read something in the book "Healing ADD" by Dr. Amen.
It was about how ADD meds work on neurotransmitters.
The thing I recall reading was that many of the symptoms of ADD are due to a lack of one type of neurotransmitter in one of 3 areas of the brain. (I think it was 3 areas).

Anyway, the thing with ADD meds is that they tend to steal neurotransmitters from one area to increase them in another. (This is simplified and probably not exactly what he said--but it's how I interpreted it.)

The point being that ADD meds can effectively deplete neurotransmitters after long term use. Depending on the type of ADD you have you can increase or refresh these neurotransmitters with certain supplements.

I suggest checking this book out of the library and researching it.
You may also be able to find some useful info on www.brainplace.com

I had anomia (forgetting names of words and such) when i went off stimulants.

This sounds like more than ADHD. ADHD usually has a working memory or short term memory component. But you are talking about not remembering the names of long term knowledge, like the names of family members, legal terms you'd have known for more than a few days, etc.


Do any brain problems run in your family? (some of the stuff you mentions sounds like more than 'just' ADHD.)
Do you take any other meds?
Do you have any past or present medical conditions? (e.g. cancer, diabetes, MS, thyroid, etc)
Any sleep disorders in yourself or your family? (this can fry memory/learning)
Any head injuries in your lifetime?
Any anoxia/unconciousness episodes?
Any infections? (they can cause memory and fatigue problems)
What is different now (life, meds, health, environment, family) than when you were a Student and learning Law? e.g. had a good memory

Attorney + memory problems = stress!

Just a guess. . . . .?