[tnlibrarian]

Can you be bipolar AND have schizoaffective disorder?

yes.

Schizoaffective Bipolar type, or Depressive type. I'm not sure of the actually terms. Schizoaffective is a "mix" of schizophrenia and a mood disorder, or so it's thought. So yes this does include bipolar.

Edit:
If you have Schizoaffective, it's one disorder, with two disorders combined. So I think you would say you have schizoaffective, not schizoaffective AND bipolar. Sorry I think I missed what you were really asking the first time.

[Secretum]

I think Anika is right. You can't have both schizoaffective and bipolar the same way you can't have both major depressive disorder and bipolar. One is assumed to be part of the other.

Are you worried that you really are schizoaffective? I worry about that all the time too.

[tnlibrarian]

Here's why I'm wondering. My symptoms have gotten worst and DH has noticed stuff that doesn't seem to quite fit with bipolar but does fit with schizoaffective. When we recieved the records for my great great grandmother and great great aunt their diagnosis differed. My great great grandmother was diagnosed as a straight up schizophrenic. My great great aunt was diagnosed as bipolar then schizophrenic then bipolar with schizo characteristics. She would do stuff like spend days basically canatonic and then turn psychotic. She had constant hallucinations and was often paranoid that people were after her, controlling her thoughts, etc.

What's worrying us is, in addition to the hallucinations and usual bipolar symptoms, I've become paranoid and have started always thinking people hate me, are out to hurt me in some way, are lying to me, etc. I'll be talking and can't find the right words, choose the wrong words, make no sense because I'm jumping from topic to topic or because, well, I'm not making sense. I keep hearing voices--usually vague and mumbling--and it's like I have this voice inside my head talking to me. It's not like a usual hallucination--it's like an inner voice, so to speak. I was chalking it up to lack of sleep but they're thing when I've had plenty of sleep, too.

It's scaring me because of the family history on my mom's side. Do you think I'm just dealing with out of control bipolar or possibly schizoaffective disorder?

[faerie_moon_x]

Originally Posted by tnlibrarian

Here's why I'm wondering. My symptoms have gotten worst and DH has noticed stuff that doesn't seem to quite fit with bipolar but does fit with schizoaffective. When we recieved the records for my great great grandmother and great great aunt their diagnosis differed. My great great grandmother was diagnosed as a straight up schizophrenic. My great great aunt was diagnosed as bipolar then schizophrenic then bipolar with schizo characteristics. She would do stuff like spend days basically canatonic and then turn psychotic. She had constant hallucinations and was often paranoid that people were after her, controlling her thoughts, etc.

What's worrying us is, in addition to the hallucinations and usual bipolar symptoms, I've become paranoid and have started always thinking people hate me, are out to hurt me in some way, are lying to me, etc. I'll be talking and can't find the right words, choose the wrong words, make no sense because I'm jumping from topic to topic or because, well, I'm not making sense. I keep hearing voices--usually vague and mumbling--and it's like I have this voice inside my head talking to me. It's not like a usual hallucination--it's like an inner voice, so to speak. I was chalking it up to lack of sleep but they're thing when I've had plenty of sleep, too.

It's scaring me because of the family history on my mom's side. Do you think I'm just dealing with out of control bipolar or possibly schizoaffective disorder?

A lot of what you're saying sounds like me, (I'm having trouble right now, so I bolded it). I have a cousin on my dad's side who has schizophrenia, otherwise there is no family connection I know of to bipolar.

Other concerns for me
Disorganized thinking: I can't think! Can't explain right now

Everything's a mess! hard to clean, hard to keep myself clean. hard to get dressed and ready. Can't organized! Always I used to wear make-up and do my hair, now I am happy I am clean.

Like right now, can't type barely. type the wrong letters, dial wrong number. Like 3 is 9, but it isn't. But I confuse them.

Can't remember time of day. 'good morning' or 'good afternoon' I confuse them. And sometimes writing things funny, when I write by hand.

I want to talk and type but the words aren't there.

Another thing, I can't remember right now. But it was something I feel might be important. I was just thinking about it. LOL...

I always thought you had to have bipolar to have schizoaffective, like it was just a different level of bipolar. not sure, though.

[Victoria'smom]

This sounds like me when I'm in a mixed state. My family has both a history of bipolar and schizophrenic. Your best bet is to ask your dr. your dx. and tell him your concerns. If you do have schizo-affective disorder it doesn't change anything it's just a better label for all your symptoms. Remember that without 'proper' treatment bipolar gets worse.

[thedayturnedaround]

I am diagnosed Bipolar with psychotic features. My manic episodes have only occurred when I stopped taking medication, and I believed like someone else mentioned someone else was interfering with my thoughts and people were conspiring as part of secret government plots.

[tnlibrarian]

I'm taking my meds. I was supposed to increase the Seroquel to 75 mg. and I didn't because the kids started getting stomach bugs one after another. I was afraid I wouldn't hear them if they woke up sick or would be really out of it and trying to take care of a sick and scared child at three in the morning. The last day of school is Wednesday and my husband is off work Wednesday, Thursday and Friday so Wednesday night might be a good time to up the dosage.

I guess this sudden (or what seems to be a sudden) worsening of symptoms is scaring me. I don't trust anyone fully because I'm convinced everybody is out to get me. I hear voices and keep seeing cats (weird, I know, but what isn't weird about hallucinations). I have this voice in my head that talks to me. I find myself having panic attacks because I get convinced some undefined bad thing is going to happen. I have off the wall thoughts about stuff--like thinking someone knows what I'm thinking about something or saying something crazy to someone I don't even know. Then I have a total "WTH is wrong with me?!" moment.

Sigh. Bipolar sucks so bad.

[Moose72]

What you typed sounds like me and I'm bp1. I get paranoid and hallucinate. It gets pretty real. Vlol

[tnlibrarian]

I'm also bipolar 1 and get rapid cycling (from what I understand ultra rapid cycling) and mixed states. After reading what you guys have to say I'm thinking I'm having major issues with the bipolar and perhaps not getting enough sleep is causing the problems. I guess I'll see what she says next Friday. School lets out Wednesday, which I'm sure will help since I'll get more sleep.

The difference between bipolar psychosis and schizoaffective it that with schizoaffective the psychosis will be present in the absence of a mood. With bipolar psychosis will be during a mood episode. Some dr's think bipolar, scizoaffective an schizophrenia is a spectrum, which actually kind of makes sense. Sorry just trying to help a bit.

I'm dx with bipolar 1 psychosis Nos. My pdocs have questioned schizoaffective because I sometimes have psychosis in the absence of mania or depression. I'm happy enough to leave my dx alone. But if that's what your are experiencing I would definitely talk to your pdoc about that possibility.

[BlueInanna]

Both of my teens said that seroquel gave them hallucinations, so now they take just lithium with minimal side effects - might be good to ask the doctor about the seroquel(?) My daughter is still hearing voices and the doc said dx changing to bipolar schizoaffective. I'm still learning about it all and have a hard enough time with my dx bp2, so i'm very worried about her having the schizoaffective component. I hope we're treating it early and can help her and prevent it getting worse.

[tnlibrarian]

I was put on Seroquel because I started having hallucinations. I have times where I feel just fine mood wise--and, according to my husband, seem find mood wise--and will start hearing laughter, voices, someone vomiting--which always freaks me out because I think I'm hearing one of my girls, bells, seeing people and seeing animals. I'm supposed to increase the Seroquel to see if that will make the hallucinations totally stop. I tried lithium before and I may as well have eaten candy and called it medicine. I had absolutely no response to it. My psych said that was unusual but I've read it's not as uncommon as she let on.

Lithium doesn't help for psychosis that I am aware of. It might help with mania which helps with psychosis. But if you are experiencing them separately I can't see it helping. I've taken lithium for 7 years almost and it hasn't helped the psychosis at all. Barely helps with my mania either.

I hope the Seroquel helps. I wish I had something more useful to say, besides keep trying and hanging in there. Have you tried zyprexa ? It worked better for psychosis for me than Seroquel.