My Special Experience

Hi, this is my first post on psych forums. 11-12 years ago I am almost 90 percent certain I had a nervous breakdown. I remember waking up one morning, feeling very sick to my stomach, and not being able to keep food down for no apparent reason. I would want to eat, but every time I went to I would either get sick or throw up the food when I was eating it. This happened day after day until I got so tired that I could not walk, spent most of my time on the couch, and eventually had to be taken out of school. The strange thing seemed to be that my body would allow me to eat only enough just to stay alive.

I went to a psychiatrist as a last resort since the doctors could not find anything physically wrong with me. It turns out I did have some symptoms of depression and anxiety and also some problems with my memory, so the psychiatrist prescribed some medication. I came back in two weeks and told the doctor that I still could not eat, and he added a different medication and upped the dose of the medication he had previously prescribed for me. I came back in two weeks and the cycle repeated. Finally I ended up on at least 5 or 6 medications and could finally eat like a normal person.

When I went back to school, I was so drugged up that my mind didn't work right. I still had problems with my memory and my cognitive function was so slowed down that I had to be put into a class for special ed children. I thought after the medication was situated right that my memory would come back, but it didn't.

Over the last 11-12 years I have had my medication regulated to the point where things are almost normal. The only drug I wasn't unable to come off of was Klonopin. The Klonopin calms my mind and nerves down to the point where I can function daily. The problem is that my memory has never came back, and my doctors have said it is not the Klonopin.

Since I can't remember things well enough to get a good job, and my memory has still not come back, my new doctor prescribed Arecpt (A Medication for Alztiemers) for my memory, which I agreed to.

Anyway, after 8 days of taking the medication and having dreams everynight, I got to a point where I had trouble focussing my eyes. My thoughts were not working right and I kept repeating the same thing over and over. I started yelling and crying and repeating to my dad that I was scared. I kept repeating the same thoughts and repeating my words 4 or 5 times. I finally lost consciousness. When I woke up my mom told me that they gave me two doses of klonopin to get me to stop crying and repeating the same words over and over. They called my doctor and my doctor told me to stop taking the Arecept.

In the events leading up to my out of body experience or trip or whatever happened to me, it's as if I was seeing the whole world differently and my thoughts were speeding up. I was beginning to believe that the Aerocept was improving my mood and at least I was having dreams everynight for a change.

My questions are these-
Could the aerocept of triggered the same feelings and mind set that I had leading up to the night I had a nervous breakdown 11 or 12 years ago? I'm begining to think that I may have had the nervous breakdown the night before I woke up and could not eat.... ? and what does anyone think of this?

Are you sure that thier was'nt anything physical going on. Do you know what triggered the first nervous breakdown? You need to look up anything prescribed to you on the internet before you take it. What have you been diagnosed with? I'm a nursing student and I have studied alot of drugs (been on alot to). antiseziure medications known in the psychiatric world as "mood stabalizers", all of them have the side effect of memory loss. I think you need to look your drugs up on the internet and maybe even get a second opinion of what is going on with you. I wish you the best of luck.
Enola

Sorry, one more thing; are you activly seeing a therapist? it might be a good idea.
Enola

Well, Wikipedia says the following about Klonopin:

Clonazepam (marketed by Roche under the trade-name Klonopin® in the United States and Rivotril® in Europe, South America and Canada) is a drug which is a benzodiazepine derivative. It is a highly potent anticonvulsant, amnestic and anxiolytic.

I know Wikipedia isn't always the best source, but it says "highly potent .... amnestic". Amnestic sounds like amnesia, which is when you can't remember. So Wikipedia seems to indicate that Klonopin would affect memory.

See more here.

If you do more research it states that anticonvulsants and benzo's effect your memory; and long term usage causes physical and emotional addiction. I got this information from the drug book I use for school. I'm not trying to influence anybody against using this drug because I use it on a as needed basis. I am just trying to point out that we do not need to be guinea pigs. We need to be aware of what medications we are using; what they are for; and the side effects and reactions with other drugs. Educate yourself because your doctor will not tell you these things. Don't trust your mind to anybody without information.
Enola

Hi velvetrevolver.

(I TOTALLY agree with the anti convulsant use it can do strange things to people)I was also thinking something else.

The symptoms you describe sound to me like beri-beri.
First of all,the way it started.The eating problems,the memory,it all fits in with the symptoms.Please look it up.Beri-beri is treated with thiamine(B1).Some people have recovered allmost overnight on the thiamine.


I hope you have some luck.