Cognitive side effects

I know we become more forgetful as we get older. But I'm a little nervous because I've noticed an increase in cognitive side effects since I started taking medication for bipolar disorder.

My short term memory is getting worse. If I'm entering information into a data base I'll frequently have to go back and check what I need to enter because I forget it as I switch between programs. This happens more than once some times and the data isn't complicated at all:/

I also forget what I'm doing if I move around the house sometimes. But the worst is when I forget if I've taken one of my meds while I'm taking others. I hope I don't double dose or miss doses.

I'm having word retrieval problems.

My spelling and grammar have deteriorated when I write. I have to go back and check what I've written all the time and I find the worst mistakes that I never would have made before.

I started taking medication at the end of June 2011. Has anyone else noticed similar cognitive side effects with their meds? (mine are in my signature) Do the side effects stabilize or do they get worse?

I know that cognitive functioning in general declines with age. So I'm quite concerned about what I'll be like 10 years from now since this is a chronic illness and I'll always be on medication