How does psychiatric medication interfere with reading?

I am certain there is some effect and will vary from person to person. Some cause drowsiness, blurred vision, and others may enhance reading as it will help focus.
The two you mentioned are used in Bipolar, etc, treatment as well as an anti-seizure med.
Again, it will vary based on what you are treating, dosage, etc. There are so many side effects and ADR’s that it is hard to say in sweeping general terms.
The CNS is an amazing thing and it is common for changesusually (about 3–4) in meds for the same person to get to one that works right.

For me it was Topamax. My psychiatrist calls it “Dope-amax” And man is that true. I couldn’t understand what I was reading and I felt like a stupid slug. Never going on that again.

depends on the meds

Depends on the meds, depends on the person – but I wouldn’t be surprised for either that you mentioned if they created a feeling of zombieness or impaired certain cognitive abilities.

I briefly took Clonazepam for panic attacks, and only as needed. It helped calm my anxiety, but then just made me sleepy.

Like others have said, different drugs have different effects on different people. Depending on what you’re taking the drugs for, your doctor can probably try a different combination that won’t have this effect. Talk to your doc and explain how it makes you feel – it often takes a few tries to find the proper combination and dosage.

It’s been three years since I read a novel. However, over the last week I got ¾ths of the way through one. Wish me luck!

Lamectal, Lithium, Welbutrin.

@wundayatta Good luck. I know how difficult and frustrating this can be.