# Xanax and memory loss



## stars88 (Apr 25, 2010)

Does anyone know/understand/been through what i'm talking about here?


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## VagueResemblance (Apr 17, 2010)

Overdose?

Once upon a time I had to babysit a heavy Xanax overdose..I have no idea how much he took. Slept for nearly two days straight and the day after had no way to store memories, basically, I would explain to him what happened and he would ask again half an hour later. It was nightmarish but eventually cleared up.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

I took 2mg of Xanax last night and there has got to be something wrong with this batch cause I blacked out and woke up on my bed 11 hours later. Apparently I had conversations while out, even picked up the phone and gave out a password to someone, I have no memory of such things. I checked my phone logs and apparently the phone call happened and I picked up. Memory loss is usually associated with OD of benzos.


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

Sounds like anterograde amnesia, which can be a side effect associated with benzodiazapines, you could try lowering your dose.


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## facehouse (Jun 9, 2010)

*It happens*

This is a pretty common symptom of long term benzodiazapine use. My short term memory was almost completely lost for a while when I was on 3mg klonopin daily.

I have since tapered down to 1.5 mg daily and can function a lot better. I've also got a good amount of emotion back that I lost while on benzos.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

My memory seems fine. Since 2003 I've consumed roughly 18,000 mg of Xanax and I have a whole bag of empty bottles to prove it.


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## euphoria (Jan 21, 2009)

I don't even remember the 2 years I was on Xanax and other benzos.


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## facehouse (Jun 9, 2010)

UltraShy said:


> My memory seems fine. Since 2003 I've consumed roughly 18,000 mg of Xanax and I have a whole bag of empty bottles to prove it.


I collect all my empty bottles too.... Are we mad or just eccentric?
I wonder how many others on this board do that... maybe I'll start a new thread.


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## hensley258 (Apr 24, 2010)

Humm, memory loss from Xanax? That is a little odd. Like you mean long or short term memory? Granted if I take 3Mgs a once at work, I do get a little foggy and I suppose I forget a couple things, but thats because 3Mgs gets me high. (A high I do miss very much BTW)

Once it wears off, which unfortunatly is so fast then my sharpness (well as sharp a depressed person can be) returns with no lasting effect.

Great drug Xanax, just be careful because in some people (like me) whew, you just want more and more. I found it especially nice after about 7 Don Q 151 Pina Colodas. That combo will destroy SA, Gad and depression for about 6 hours, but then like Cinderella, the carriage turns back into a pumpkin.

Oh do I ever miss Xanax. Ashamed to say that if I could still get my hands on 300Mgs a month then I would be all over it dispite the time in detox getting off it.

Now they give me Klonopin. Blah. You can't get a cool buzz from that even if you swallow the whole bottle.


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

This reminds me of when i was prescribed XANAX once, dont remember the doses i took as they were pretty high as i didnt notice anything from the xanax (never worked for me).

I went to a friend of me, where there also was another guy, went back home, and 2 days later i call my friend for the phone number of the other guy when i was at he's place a few hours ago.

He tolled me i wasnt there that day and i really started thinking he was taking the piss, and i kept saying that wasnt true, took him an hour to convince me, and then i released that my memory was completely blacked out!


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## hensley258 (Apr 24, 2010)

crayzyMed said:


> This reminds me of when i was prescribed XANAX once, dont remember the doses i took as they were pretty high as i didnt notice anything from the xanax (never worked for me).
> 
> I went to a friend of me, where there also was another guy, went back home, and 2 days later i call my friend for the phone number of the other guy when i was at he's place a few hours ago.
> 
> He tolled me i wasnt there that day and i really started thinking he was taking the piss, and i kept saying that wasnt true, took him an hour to convince me, and then i released that my memory was completely blacked out!


I'm supprised you don't get a noticable high from Xanax crazymeds. Some people don't get a high from high dosages I guess. 3 to 4 Mgs got me high as a kite. A nice warm fuzzy outgoing high that I loved. Forget Opiates, Xanax high is the best with no dirty Rat tossing chunks or anxiety as with Opiates.

Others just fall asleep on Xanax. My wife can take just 1/4Mg and be out like a light. LOL!

Part of me wants to find a way to get more Xanax, but I would have to doctor shop and that takes money. People say, "Oh no, it's addictive and you had a problem with it don't do it!"

To them I say, "Honey I walk around everyday with both feet in a coffin and a gun in my mouth. Do I look like I give a ****?"


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## Under17 (May 4, 2010)

Funny you mention this, I took 1 mg of klonopin just now in hopes that some of the terrifying thoughts I've been having might not make it to my long-term memory or something like that.. heh doubt it'll help in this crazy way. I could try drinking until I blackout or something but I can't even take one sip of alcohol without feeling like my body is on fire and gonna vomit and I don't wanna die from alcohol poisoning lol. Taking benzos every once in awhile like I do doesn't really have any bad side effects whatsoever but I think it helps pretty good with anxiety and panic attacks. At the very least my terrifying thoughts aren't as gut-wrenching. I'd let you know if it helps or not but I'm not exactly hoping to remember that something worked to make me not remember something.

I've even considered ECT just for the memory loss. As long as I don't end up like that guy in Memento. I also used to fantasize about having amnesia back in high school. The main rule I stick by is that the benefits must outweigh the side effects which is why I don't go so far as to do coke or meth or something else crazy. But headaches, muscle aches or soreness nausea, confusion all suck.

If I recall it's a bit more than memory loss with benzos. It's too late for me to try and read any scientific stuff but this link from Wikipedia suggests something http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8884760 but it doesn't seem very different to me than some of the sedating effects I experienced from Mirtazapine. I also remember something about anxiety messing with formation of memories but I probably read it here or something, you guys are way ahead of me lol.


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## meyaj (Sep 5, 2009)

I know a guy who was taking 2mg bars recently (just one at a time), maybe twice a day, and he ended up with total amnesia of the previous two days lol

As for me, Xanax is slightly pleasant, which is more than I can say for most benzos which I don't notice at all, except for some of the hypnotic ones (which are just comfortable and sometimes sedating and put me to sleep), like Temazepam and Midazolam in pill form - midazolam is the only water-soluble benzo and is really only used here in North America in an IV solution to sedate patients for surgery but anybody making the claim that IV midazolam doesnt do anything is full of it. Even 1 or 2 zopiclone can still knock me out after a YEAR of taking it....

That same Xanax that gave the guy amnesia, I took 16mg of it and just felt a bit tingly. Only strong hypnotics seem to affect me. I can not seem to get any anxiolysis,



Under17 said:


> I've even considered ECT just for the memory loss. As long as I don't end up like that guy in Memento. I also used to fantasize about having amnesia back in high school. The main rule I stick by is that the benefits must outweigh the side effects which is why I don't go so far as to do coke or meth or something else crazy. But headaches, muscle aches or soreness nausea, confusion all suck.
> 
> If I recall it's a bit more than memory loss with benzos. It's too late for me to try and read any scientific stuff but this link from Wikipedia suggests something http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8884760 but it doesn't seem very different to me than some of the sedating effects I experienced from Mirtazapine. I also remember something about anxiety messing with formation of memories but I probably read it here or something, you guys are way ahead of me lol.


Actually I know at least a few studies have shown that *beta-blockers*, of all things, are helpful in preventing the formation of traumatic memories if administered within a matter of hours.

As far as ECT "just for the memory loss", not sure what you mean but what's typical is amnesia of roughly the 2 weeks prior to the treatment, which in almost all cases DOES come back, so it wouldn't be that useful. Even if it lasted forever, it takes a long time to set up a treatment like that electively, would require further psychiatric AND physical evaluation, etc, so the chances of something you want to forget happening and then starting ECT within 2 weeks of it is actually quite low.



crayzyMed said:


> This reminds me of when i was prescribed XANAX once, dont remember the doses i took as they were pretty high as i didnt notice anything from the xanax (never worked for me).
> 
> I went to a friend of me, where there also was another guy, went back home, and 2 days later i call my friend for the phone number of the other guy when i was at he's place a few hours ago.
> 
> He tolled me i wasnt there that day and i really started thinking he was taking the piss, and i kept saying that wasnt true, took him an hour to convince me, and then i released that my memory was completely blacked out!


This is a bit of a bizarre statement  If you blacked out then they sure were doing something, though maybe not what you were looking for (anxiolysis? euphoria?)

And the effects might have been very good, you just wouldn't remember them :lol


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

No i'm sure they didnt do ****, i still remember some parts, they are completely useless, dont feel anything differend from benzo's. Yeah they did help me black out but nothing for anxiety of anything, i was getting pretty pissed as i had acces to a ****load of benzo's and none of them did anything (except xanax making me black out).


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## Social_butterfly00 (Jan 28, 2008)

Yes I've had memory loss from both klonopin and xanax. I've heard of this happening to many people so I don't think it's out of the usual, but I've also had times where I remember mostly everything.


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## stars88 (Apr 25, 2010)

hensley258 said:


> To them I say, "Honey I walk around everyday with both feet in a coffin and a gun in my mouth. Do I look like I give a ****?"


LOL.
Yeah i think that too sometimes, i rather live for a few years enjoying my life & feeling free.. than live longer just suffering this way , but that doesn't mean we must damage ourselves with stupid meds that have horrible side effects. I feel or rather hope that there is a way we can get over this without taking things that damage or system..dunno though. 
So what happened is I went out for a evening and took the recommended dose and i cannot remember anything from that evening except a few bits and pieces. It's creepy to me. I liked xanax a lot at first. Now i don't know. Anyway thanks for replying people..


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## Himi Jendrix (Mar 24, 2010)

Xanax causes memory loss. Its not as bad as klonopin it seems. 

I was on 4mg klonopin and several years of my life are a complete haze. Xanax wears off quickly and i think thats why the memory loss isnt as bad.


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

stars88 said:


> So what happened is I went out for a evening and took the recommended dose and i cannot remember anything from that evening except a few bits and pieces. It's creepy to me. I liked xanax a lot at first. Now i don't know. Anyway thanks for replying people..


Did you drink when you went out? Just checking because alcohol can potentiate the memory loss and other side effects of xanax even moreso.


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## Lexpex352 (Dec 3, 2016)

I just realized how old this post was damn.
But I wanted to share that I went through a super harsh xanax overdose and had lost a lotttt of my memory for over a year It was a really harsh thing to go through. People would say certain words and I would often find myself asking them what they meant and they would look at me funny saying how could you not know what that means? Friends would tell me memories saying "remember that!?" And I couldn't for the life of me remember.. even with movies, I would say oh yeah ive seen that but really couldnt remeber the plots. There's nothing worse than not having a memory, there's nothing I can relate to that has made me feel more distant to anyone than that experience. Anxiety right to the bone, I felt like I could never relate to anyone again anyways, just thought I'd share that here.


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## SFC01 (Feb 10, 2016)

I used to get similar issues with memory from lyrica when I first started, I would be in meetings at work and struggle finding simple words to complete my sentence. Have also had a few blackouts on benzos but that has been my fault for taking too much. Obviously blackouts have the potential to cause serious harm so one of the reasons why I dont take them anymore.

Isn't long term benzo use a risk factor for dementia?


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

SFC01 said:


> Isn't long term benzo use a risk factor for dementia?


Questionable at best.

What's the other option? Be nervous for 80 years such that your memory & mind can be fully intact as you're filling your Depends with a load of crap?

OMG! I certainly don't want any mental fog then, do you? When I'm crapping my Depends I want to be sharp as a pin to fully "enjoy" the experience.:roll


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## SFC01 (Feb 10, 2016)

I couldn't care less either way to be honest


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## watertouch (Nov 4, 2013)

UltraShy said:


> Questionable at best.


+1

Beside the whole you are going to die some 10-15 years earlier from Anxiety, you also have alot of Alcohol and Nicotine use/abuse amongs anxiety patients...Benzo doesn't seems to be the real problem here. Feel free to advocate against that standpoint!

Who are the studies done on, well OLD people that have lost their life partner or such living at a home, and or for some reason using a BENZO, as a sleepaid, anxiety, aggitation, restlessness... And after such (not calculating the people that they died with "heartache" some 2 years or so from their spouse)

What else do we got... Well the *Anticholinergics*...
They are giving to older people to help them againts wetting themself and such... What does that show...?

Well Stay away from meds that has anticholinergic side-effects.

LANCET
http://thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(15)00101-5/fulltext

JAMA
http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2091745

Other links...

http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/...l-linked-increased-dementia-risk-201501287667

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=2668

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/news/20160420/dementia-anticholinergic-medication#1

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4358759/


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## Gillman fan (Sep 24, 2016)

Good links watertouch. The JAMA study is very thorough. Reading this made me wince because I am really enjoying Noritryptiline. 
I haven't been able to find receptor affinity data and I don't have the time to do a search right now, but IIRC Desipramine has the least anticholinergic effect, it isn't clinically significant: 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6794075

Desipramine is basically the cleanest of the tricyclics, and I believe Noritryptiline is closest to its properties generally. 
Then again I have some try mouth at 50 mg 

I think there is another option - I am on an MAO inhibitor, why not a cholinesterase inhibitor?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rivastigmine
I have not researched this topic much... if cholinergic antagonism makes old people stupid, can this make you smarter?


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

watertouch said:


> +1
> 
> Beside the whole you are going to die some 10-15 years earlier from Anxiety, *you also have alot of Alcohol and Nicotine use/abuse amongs anxiety patients...*Benzo doesn't seems to be the real problem here. Feel free to advocate against that standpoint!


Yes, a large percentage of the mentally ill are smokers (I'm not) and that would obviously be a major negative factor on health & life expectancy. If you're looking to shorten your life, smoking is certainly one of the leading ways to die early (or have horrific health in old age).

Alcohol abuse is also quite common, as self-medication for mental illness. It strikes me as absolutely ridiculous for MDs to fear benzos due to a theoretical possibility that they may potentially result in some health problems if used at high doses for decades on end. Consider the other option: drink a bottle of whiskey every day to calm yourself, an unquestionably horrific choice from a health standpoint, making benzo use look infinitely superior.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

It's doubtful that anyone on SAS has used more benzos than I have, yet of all the things I worry about, memory loss doesn't even come close to making the list.


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## ladysmurf (Jan 3, 2012)

I never had that problem with Xanax.....maybe switching to another benzo?


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## Recipe For Disaster (Jun 8, 2010)

I've had terrible short term memory ever since coming off xanax.



> Alcohol abuse is also quite common, as self-medication for mental illness. It strikes me as absolutely ridiculous for MDs to fear benzos due to a theoretical possibility that they may potentially result in some health problems if used at high doses for decades on end. Consider the other option: drink a bottle of whiskey every day to calm yourself, an unquestionably horrific choice from a health standpoint, making benzo use look infinitely superior.


Your posts are so stupid man. As I have told you many times prior, benzos are bad drugs (except for short term or occasional use). Lots of people can't withdraw off them after long term use. That is a major problem which you are in total denial about. There are entire forums on the internet dedicated to benzo withdrawal. You don't see forums dedicated to alcohol withdrawal or marijuana withdrawal or even heroin withdrawal. Why? Because those drugs don't cause a withdrawal syndrome that lasts for years.

There are alternatives to benzos for anxiety besides alcohol, such as GHB, kava, phenibut, valerian, mulungu bark, skullcap, and other stuff.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

SFC01 said:


> Isn't long term benzo use a risk factor for dementia?


What group of patients have used benzos the longest? The elderly. Isn't being elderly a major risk factor for dementia?

What treatment do you suggest for anxiety if not benzos? We can't have barbs as they are literal suicide pills. There are SSRIs, but they're about as effective as a Tic Tac.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Recipe For Disaster said:


> There are alternatives to benzos for anxiety besides alcohol, such as *GHB*, kava, phenibut, valerian, mulungu bark, skullcap, and other stuff.


I'd like some GHB, but try getting a script for this $72,000 per year drug.


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## SFC01 (Feb 10, 2016)

UltraShy said:


> What group of patients have used benzos the longest? The elderly. Isn't being elderly a major risk factor for dementia?
> 
> What treatment do you suggest for anxiety if not benzos? We can't have barbs as they are literal suicide pills. There are SSRIs, but they're about as effective as a Tic Tac.


You have already replied to this and I replied back that if there is a link then I couldn't give a **** either way.

I was just mentioning something that I read about dementia and benzo's on a thread about benzo's and memory loss.

For treatment of anxiety? I suggest a benzo.


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## UKguy (Sep 30, 2013)

UltraShy said:


> What group of patients have used benzos the longest? The elderly. Isn't being elderly a major risk factor for dementia?
> 
> What treatment do you suggest for anxiety if not benzos? We can't have barbs as they are literal suicide pills. There are SSRIs, but they're about as effective as a Tic Tac.


I wish it was possible to still get barbituates... I could have solved my problems a long time ago.


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## Korin (Oct 26, 2013)

i use ativan, and I admit there is some memory lapses but no complete loss.


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## Banshee1999 (Jan 10, 2017)

One time I took 2 2mg bars and woke up literally in my trash can with no idea how or why I ended up there lmao. not funny i know but consider your experience a pleasant one.


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## Xenacat (Oct 20, 2015)

I haven't had amnesia at all. Does it make anyone hallucinate? I did have what I think was a hallucination. I think I was hallucinating because what happened didn't make sense. I have to perform at work so can't be forgetful.


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## watertouch (Nov 4, 2013)

Xenacat said:


> I haven't had amnesia at all. Does it make anyone hallucinate? I did have what I think was a hallucination. I think I was hallucinating because what happened didn't make sense. I have to perform at work so can't be forgetful.


Thats called a Paradoxical reaction, either try lowering the dose or switch benzo, or if it was a horrible experience, stay away from Benzo.

For some people this happens specially towards night when using a BZ for insomnia...


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## watertouch (Nov 4, 2013)

Recipe For Disaster said:


> Your posts are so stupid man. As I have told you many times prior, benzos are bad drugs (except for short term or occasional use). Lots of people can't withdraw off them after long term use.
> 
> There are alternatives to benzos for anxiety besides alcohol, such as GHB, kava, phenibut, valerian, mulungu bark, skullcap, and other stuff.


You have gotta be kidding, i haven't had the energy to reply in this thread but i read your post and felt i have to...

Just google, for the heck of it on how phenibut, Valerian root, and such work, and where they work...

Yes, im probably not gonna get a reply from you. but yeah you probably read up on it and stop writing insulting posts.


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## SFC01 (Feb 10, 2016)

watertouch said:


> Yes, im probably not gonna get a reply from you. but yeah you probably read up on it and stop writing insulting posts.


Fight, Fight !!

I`ll give you 10 to 1 on watertouch putting recipe down in the 5th


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## watertouch (Nov 4, 2013)

Jerry, Jerry, Jerry.

But what fight. I pull out the Hammer of TOR, Mjölner and then beat the facts into his skull.


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## SFC01 (Feb 10, 2016)

Thats big talk watertouch !!

Recipe, are you going to let him get away with that ??


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## watertouch (Nov 4, 2013)

hehehe Adam Baldwin "OCD"


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