Lamictal 150 mgs: ADHD vs. The Lamictal Stupids, and More Problems with Word Finding

I've been on 150 mgs of lamictal for three weeks now, but for some reason it wasn't until the past few days that I've had a recurrence of The Lamictal Stupids.  For instance, it took me several tries to write the word "recurrence" just now.  I kept trying to write "reoccurence", which of course is not a word, and I know that.

I've had all kinds of word-finding problems since the middle of last week.  Trouble finding simple words like "collaborative".  There are several other instances, only I can't remember the specific words I was having trouble with (ha!).  Times when I reach for an everyday word and it's simply not there.  I'm not talking about those times when the word is on the tip of my tongue and it takes a few seconds to find it; at best, it takes up to a minute for me to find the word, if it's there at all.

There's a difference between the Lamictal Stupids and my ordinary ADD stupid.  ADD stupid, at least in my case, is usually as a result of rushing through something and making a careless, stupid mistake as a result.  With the Lamictal Stupids, the mistakes I make are carefully considered stupidity.

For instance.  Yesterday my partner needed to mail something, and, since I was standing right next to them at the time, asked me for an envelope, a stamp, and a return address label.  By way of being helpful, I decided to affix them to the envelope myself.  Then I stared at the envelope for several minutes because I couldn't remember which side of the envelope the stamp went on.  Stamps go on  ... the left side of the envelope, yes?

I put the stamp on the left.  I put the address label on the right.  I stared at it for several more minutes.  Did that look right?  Yeah.  Yeah, that was right.

Of course, I've known since I was seven that the stamp goes on the upper right corner, and the return address goes on the upper left.  Fortunately my partner was able to peel off the stamp and the address label and switch them.  So much for saving him the effort.

If this had been an ADHD mistake, I would have done it in a hurry, and then I would have looked at the envelope and immediately realized I'd screwed up.  Not so with the Lamictal Stupids.

The other shining instance of the Lamictal Stupids was when I went to the ATM to deposit a check.  I put in my ATM card ... and simply couldn't remember the PIN.  I knew what the digits were.  But what order do they go in?  This is a pretty common thing with dyscalculia.  I hadn't used that account for awhile.  Maybe that's why I'd my number.  No deposit for me.

Half an hour later I realized that I actually withdraw money from that account all the time.  Every other week, in fact.  I need my PIN to do this, so I have to know the number.  Ten minutes later, after visualizing myself at the ATM I usually go to, I even remembered the number.

Oddly, I don't feel like lamictal is making my ADHD any worse.  I can still concentrate.  I'm still motivated to do things.  I can still plan and prioritize to some degree (as well as I usually can, anyway).  It's just that there are certain times when I go to say something and I draw a blank.  Or I go to do something and I draw a blank.  This is usually with simple tasks.  Writing this blog entry, for instance, doesn't pose a problem.  I'm not even having word-finding problems.  I wonder if there are different pathways to verbal memory, depending on whether speech or writing is the medium?