I find it very hard to focus. I sit down and start reading my attention immediatly goes to my legs and all their weird sensations. Maybe this is just psychological because i can actually read, no problems in the activity itself, the problems are on focusing. I find it easier to read while in the bath. For some reason the sensation of the water surrounding my legs makes my pain more tolerable. This is one of the reasons i hate PN. I used to be an active reader…. I was planning to get a master’s before all this came- Now i think it is almost imposible for me to do it. BUt again i think this may be no more than a psycological barrier i have put myself. I wonder how i could break it and sit comfortable on my favorite armchair and read for hours as I used to do it before all ths pn.

--it seems fairly evident that having a condition that casues pain and disability can put a damper on one's creativity, and it can certainly impact one's ability to focus and concentrate.

I suspect, though, that reports of flattened affect and motivational difficulties are more likely to be the result of many of the meds we take, especially of the anti-seizure variety. Their tendency to make us dizzy, fatigued, and made more lethargic in our interests (and crave carbohydrates, as if we're going into hibernation) are well-documented.

One of the good side-effects of taking B-complex, and especially B12, is that (at least for me and some others I've spoken with) they help to balance and counteract this tendency.

I now rarely take pain meds [guess I've gotten 'used' to it?] and have not been on seizure-type meds for almost a year. I find little or no difference in the overall pain levels nor in the attention-span/reading issues..... Simply cannot be done!
Ironically this SHOULD have been happening at the severe sudden onset on my neuropathy and it was not. It started after I was on seizure meds and such and now that I am off of them I was hoping that the short-attention-span issue would end as well? Well, it's NOT.
I do believe I have much more empathy for stroke victims now, and I do KNOW that that aspect has really and truly been checked OFF the lists!
The disconnect is there, and it IS real. It's not med related as the other meds I am on I have been on for several years. Two of the three decades prior to neuropathy and the third since. I am also on B-vite supplements and others as well-to little avail with this issue.
It could be a symptom of something relating to neuropathies tho, that should be documented and included in the diagnostic listings tho.
It is truly frustrating to pick up any magazine in a doctors office and try and READ it tho. I seem to be trying on too many occasions! Hugs to all! - j

Having same problem as many above,been on 3600 mg. of Neurontin for far
to many years..I'm thinking of talking to Neuro about weaking myself off with
great care..I just don't feel right on it anymore..

Been in the hospital for the last 5 weeks,well off and on,hope you are are doing well,bless you all. Tonight on th news Nerurotin is in a large lawsuit
for saying it was for more then just seizures,The way I understood it seizures is what it is for. Many hugs to all,,, Sue

Yes, Sue - it was originally, primarily developed for epileptics -
and is in the anti-seizure category.

I was able to read very well and with concentration the first 5 years of my PN, it is only the last 2 where i have lost that concentration. Nothing has changed medicinally for me to account for this. The area and degree of numbness has increased greatly but the level of pain has actually decreased. It makes no sense at all.

In recent years, reading difficulties has become a very weird and almost frightening situation for me as well. It contributes to sadness, since reading is a "balm" of sorts for me and I'm lost when this coping mechanism is tampered with.

I have bouts of very bad blurry vision. There are times that I wear my reading classes on top of my contacts.

I have problems with headaches, and when things are particularly bad with them, reading is limited. I have some very strange aches and pains in my arms and legs and I'm going to pay attention to any possible correlation.

BTW, I too have noticed this weird situation where I can read much better on the computer than the written page. It is curious.

Depression certainly can play a role and if the topic is of great interest to me, of course I can read with better comprehension. One of the reasons I like non-fiction so much is that I can skip chapters that bore me. Probably not the most "mature" thing in the world to do, but it does make reading more enjoyable, esp. when trying to deal with all sorts of dilemmas.

Like most of us - my reading has suffered greatly (and typing - it really didnt used to be this bad).. I used to devour books and could lie motionless and read something I liked cover to cover (was a nice change after a hectic day or week of regular life) as others have said too - since I got sick all the other feelings of discomfort disturb my concentration, I cant lay still, just super uncomfortable - I read in very small spurts unless I'm having a "good" day - and reading on the screen for me even harder - dont know why.... maybe too since I dont have the challeneges that were personally satisfying with work etc. any more my mind is more at unrest too.....

In any case - I agree - chronic illness does affect concentration!

(also, investing more then 2 dollars in drug store reading glasses and getting my eyes checked for real one of these days might help!) I'm not a spring chicken any more!

again most of the symptoms the posters are describing are symptoms of depression. Please look it up on the American Psychological ***. site, pretty good descriptions of depression. There are different kinds of depression but the ads on TV are describing clinical depression, the most severe form.
That said many medications can also cause the "brain fog", lack of motivation etc. so it becomes very difficult to differentiate between underlying depression and/or side effects of meds. Also depression is a common result of coping with a chronic illness.
The best answer would be to try some therapy and see if you feel/funtion better. Nothing to lose.
The recent "bailout" bill also contained a bill to make mental health insurance benefits the same as physical health, same co-pays, no restriction on number of session ,same deductible. soon mental health treatment will be available for everyone with insurance.

That is good news about the change in mental health benefits. I know I sure do need it. I am clearly depressed (and affected by the meds). Prior to getting this illness and being medicated I was extremely hipper, in fact probably a bit annoying to my friends and family. Now I don't seem to have a comment/opinion on anything and just want to stay in bed. Getting through a full day at work is almost more than I can do each day...I used to be one of the "go to" gals in the office. Now I can barely go...