Have any of you experience trouble with spelling and writing? I used to be an excellent speller/writer, but in the last year or so, it has progressively gotten worse. My spelling has actually reverted back to a more "phonic" state.

I used to have very nice manuscript and spelling abilities, but then I started taking bipolar meds and it all went down from there. :(

Coffeegirl

Yeap my handwriting use to be so neat and bubbly really pretty. now it is chicken scratch....Emerald

So strange. I was thinking about this issue just a few hours ago. I'm glad to hear other people experience this and it's not just me.

My job requires a lot of typing and computer work. I can type 65 words per minute. Lately my spelling and typing skills really suck. I've always been a terrific speller and now I'm constantly looking on dictionary.com. I swear I must have spent 5 minutes trying to figure out how to spell "loneliness" yesterday.
Also, my reading comprehension skills are diminished. I sat for at least 20 minutes last night trying to read and comprehend a short paragraph. My mind is very cloudy and I've only just begun my meds.(Lamictal) Hopefully this is a side effect that will improve once my body gets used to the meds. ??? ....this is wishful thinking on my part. ;) because I'm well aware of what meds can do to a person....unfortunately.

I can also relate... my cognitive skills were so impaired that I had to lower my dosage (lithium) to 600 mg/day... still, I mostly have trouble when it comes to reading, like having to read the same paragraph three times just to get it, and my typing sucks now. I literally feel like I lose IQ points every time I swallow a pill... hopefully it will go away eventually, been 2 1/2 months so far...

Best wishes for all of you...

I have been so mad/confused that my spelling abilities are gone. I had no idea that it could be related to my meds until i read this!! For example, my parents used to ask me how to spell anything when I was like 8 or 9, won multiple spelling bees. . . and now I cant spell simple things. Does i come before e, does potato have an e on the end--SIMPLE STUFF. AARRGH!!! Well, at least now I have an excuse/explanation, right?:eek:

~jen

Wow, can I ever relate to THIS thread!!!
Jen, you described me also... I read books since I was tiny. When I was 9 I was reading books out of my parent's bookshelf. I knew how to spell even BIG words because I read them and retained them. I won little blue ribbons in spelling bees too!

NOWadays tho.... it is embarrassing. (Had to look that up or else I'd spell it "embarressing")
There are words that I have to look up EVERYtime like "commitment" (or else I may spell it "committment"). This is especially frustrating because I used to post on the Relationship board regularly and well, that word comes up alot!!

But I can spell anthropomorphism with no trouble.
Like I need THAT one alot, huh??!!!
Thanks for a great thread that made me feel like I'm in good company!!
Ruth
:angel: