Working memory (short term memory) and medication

[Anonymous]

Hi guys,

I’d like to know from the people for which medication has worked for their ADHD, has the medication improved your working memory (short term memory) or eliminated the symptoms that make it difficult to access it sometimes? I have a real problem with my working memory, often struggle to find the right words or remember something I just saw or heard a few minutes before, hopefully this is something which can be aided by the taking of medication. How does it help (how do you feel different in taking it?)

Looking forward to your responses

John

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[Anonymous]

Hey, I can identify with this because I have a similar situation. My memory is literally terrible but my psychiatrist has indentifed my condition as ADHD with a memory deficiency as a ‘co-morbid’ condition. Her feeling is that we will treat the ADHD and see if the memory improves becuase the memory condition might be directly linked to the ADHD. If after treating the ADHD the memory issue continues to exhibit itself, we will deal with the memory issue separately. Currently, I am 36 mg of Concerta and seeing a ADHD coach who is working with me in assisting me with organization, prioritization and synergizing my work. Along with all that, she is also working with me and giving me exercises as home work to aid me in building or rebuilding my memory abilities.

All in all, memory issues are a pain in the assets (arse) but not so much as to not being able to over come it and progress.

I know that the knowledge is there and the assistance is available for you to overcome it!

I am sure that you’ll overcome it.

All the best,

Distracted66

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[Ivriniel]

Well, when I went in for testing, they administered the Wechsler Adult Intellegence Scale (WAIS) on me, and my Working memory was in something like the 36 percentile. My Psychologist said that it was difficult to tease out if that was the result of my ADHD or my Learning Disability. (Besides the low working memory, I have a 30 point difference between my Verbal and Performance Scores. A 10 point difference is considered indicative of an LD.) .

I think the Concerta is helping a bit. I would be curious to retake the WAIS while on it, to see if it made an impact on my scores, but I’m not paying for another test.

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[Anonymous]

Ivriniel,

I consider myself to be very, very fortunate because I went through about 6-12 hours of testing with learning, memory, and other aspects through a psychologist and then the results of the self-assessments from my wife, mother and myself were all passed to the psychiatrist who then after about a couple of weeks of reviewing the results made the diagnoses of ADHD with the co-morbid condition or poor-memory.

I would definitely say if you can some how locate a coach or someone who specializes in organization and what not (if that is something that is plaguing you at work for example) hire them for a bit and get some feedback and suggestions regarding how to find ways that work for you or at least discover some.

Personally there are two books that I have which I use in conjunction with the coach that I have.

The Disorganized Mind – Nancy Ratey (a coach who is ADHD herself and her husband is a psychologist).

Living with ADD – M. Susan Roberts & Garad J. Jansen (a work book with exercises that will aid you in areas of challenge)

You can get them at Chapters or on Amazon for a very reasonable rate.

If you would like me to share what the coach has suggested for me and some things that she has given to me, I’d be glad to share whatever she has for me. I am very blessed in that my psychologist, psychiatrist and coach are part of my benefits package were I work.

I would love to be able to aid others with this although I know I have zero qualification or credentials.

Distracted66

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[Anonymous]

I find that medication does help with short term memory I am on Adderal XR and managed to make stright “A’s” last semester. Another thing I find that helps is keeping keeping mentally active such as participating in the Totally ADD.Com forum.

K

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[Anonymous]

I too struggle with working memory issues, and I was actually amazed at myself that I could differentiate it from long term memory, which is working fine. Adderall helps to a point, but as most of us know, medications only help in part. The rest we gotta lift that million pound rock, as I call it, and thats the ongoing challenge….again, ‘they’ just dont get it!!!!! ha ha

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[Anonymous]

newadd,

Who does’t get what? You are right medication is not a “cure all” I still have my “senior moments” when I just blank out. I think it is also knowing when to engage your mind more or when to slow down for a moment and just “think” about what is going on if you go off “half cocked” like we tend to do memory can get short circuted.

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[trashman]

hi ,I don’t know if my short term memory as always been this bad or if I am just more aware of it on my meds. so if it is the concerta or the antydeprecents or the high blood pressure pills or the lyrica or the6 t3s a day I take or yhe ortrotec 75 mg times two and thats not all of them. the funny thing is when I was a teen they all said I had better stop smoking pot and stop tating speed and no more l s t I don’t know if I am any better of and more socailly acceptable, the truth is i am still doing drugs ,it still takes all my money the only thing is i don’t get as stoned from these. so is that a good thing or a bad thing?

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[Anonymous]

Trashman,

I believe it is a good thing, street drugs can work against your medications and can cause more problems in your life than it is worth; whats more it makes it harder for you to get you GED.

K

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[trashman]

Kazuo, I was just tinking iwould like to get off some of these drugs .Iam not looking for a reason to go back to where I was twenty five years ago. the best thing for me is to hope for abetter future. thinking on the negitive side seems to be so easy for an adhd person I will contiue to try and better myself . just like all this typing is good for me. thanks again.

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[Anonymous]

trashman,

You are welcome, to better yourself seek out a quallified addictions councelor if you need help getting off street drugs; without doubt you are a wiser man for your experience. Now is the time to get “cleaned up” and back on track so that you can create a brighter future for yourself.

K

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[trashman]

kazuo, we have a misunderstanding i have not taken any street drugs for twenty five years. all i was saying was when the strugle does not seem to stop it is temptingn at times , to go back to the old days and just get high and forget. i know that it would not help me at all ,nor did it help me back then. all it did was waste a lot of my youth and money. all i am saying is when aperson is allways looking for work it would be nice to put the world on hold for a bit. o well its nice to dream but life goes on i know it is in my best intrest to say present and to keep pluging along . really what i was wondering if the doctors are over medacating me becauce maybe i complane to much. then the doc should tell me that right.the problem with me is i dont no what is normal with regards to my pain or my thinking or my veiws. i think iam a strange nut.

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[Anonymous]

Trashman.

I’m glad you cleared that up, I didnot mean to sound so judgemental I appologize. I was wrong for jumping to such a conclusion

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[trashman]

it’s ok , it is good just knowing that there are still some people out in the world that still care. so a BIG thank-you.

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[Anonymous]

No thank you… my friend keep trying… you are an inspiration

K

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[Author]

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