[Secretum]

I posted this in the schizoaffective forum, but I would like y'all's opinion on it as well. Does this sound like more than bipolar to you, or am I overreacting in my fear? Do most of you have mild psychotic symptoms outside of episodes, or am I weird (and likely schizoaffective)?

Hi, everyone. I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, but lately I've been concerned that I might really be schizoaffective. Here is why:

-I've definitely hallucinated outside of a mood episode. However, all of my hallucinations are pretty mild. (seeing something out of the corner of my eye, hearing bits of music, hearing voices that say "hey" or my name, etc.)

-I can think of at least one time when I was likely delusional and not experiencing serious mood symptoms. I thought that I had cancer and was dying.

-I have a lot of cognitive symptoms. It's hard for me to understand what people say sometimes. I have a terrible memory (though it used to be pretty good). Despite these symptoms, I'm still able to function fairly well.

-I'm very withdrawn. When I was younger, I avoided being around my family because I felt like they were judging me. I also implicitly felt like they could read my thoughts. I have very few friends, though I am a very friendly person.

-I've scored high on most of the schizophrenia screening tests that I've taken. Yes, I know that this does not mean much.

So, can any of you relate to any of this? I know that if I have schizoaffective d/o, the psychosis is fairly mild. How much more severe are your symptoms?

Should I bring up the issue of a possible schizoaffective disorder with my psychiatrist? Sometimes I wonder if it even matters; I'm already on an antipsychotic for the bipolar. However, I suppose that having the correct label would be helpful.

Thanks!

[faerie_moon_x]

-I've definitely hallucinated outside of a mood episode. However, all of my hallucinations are pretty mild. (seeing something out of the corner of my eye, hearing bits of music, hearing voices that say "hey" or my name, etc.)

- This one I'm not sure of. Although it's been agreed upon that I had that long episode of psychosis (5 years) I was not treated at that time and it was not observed, so they can't diagnose me and had multiple cycles during that time but can't say it was linked to any because I wasn't observered and can't remember.

-I have a lot of cognitive symptoms. It's hard for me to understand what people say sometimes. I have a terrible memory (though it used to be pretty good). Despite these symptoms, I'm still able to function fairly well.

-I have a lot of cognitive problems and my self care has noticably declinged. I have thought blocking, memory issues, and sever organizational problems, plus my reading ability is in decline and comes and goes. Not sure if this has anything to do with schizoaffective.

-I'm very withdrawn. When I was younger, I avoided being around my family because I felt like they were judging me. I also implicitly felt like they could read my thoughts. I have very few friends, though I am a very friendly person.

- I've been diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder. I have very few friends, hard to make friends, I want a few friends but not tons of friends. I mostly like to be at home with my family. But, I'm not isolating and not "shy" exactly but introverted. As a child I had pretty much no friends.

-I've scored high on most of the schizophrenia screening tests that I've taken. Yes, I know that this does not mean much.

-when I take the "schizophrenia screening" on this site (quizz,) I always get mild or early symptoms result.

My Dx is bipolar NOS with ultra-rapid cycling.

[Trippin2.0]

I have mild hallucinations without a present mood episode. I hear music, once an entire whitney album, children singing, grammophone music (eerie) and see weird things too. Sometimes an object is altered, eg, pc screen is flashing, words lift off paper and rearrange themselves, and sometimes there's nothing at all, but I see a giant spider, or whatever. They don't really freak me out and usually only occur when I'm stressed.

[Moose72]

Originally Posted by Trippin2.0

I have mild hallucinations without a present mood episode. I hear music, once an entire whitney album, children singing, grammophone music (eerie) and see weird things too. Sometimes an object is altered, eg, pc screen is flashing, words lift off paper and rearrange themselves, and sometimes there's nothing at all, but I see a giant spider, or whatever. They don't really freak me out and usually only occur when I'm stressed.

Sounds like me, Trippin. But not since last fall when I was put on Zyprexa.

I've had many severe psychotic episodes. Where I thought little people were in my house and following me, hiding in my closets and I could see them. They would even follow me in public. I've been so delusional I thought if I put monkies all over my house ( not real ones) that they would protect me. I could go on and on.

My psychiatrists have questioned schizoaffective and instead landed on a dx of Bipolar 1 with Psychosis NOS because I've had so much psychosis and because it was not always present with a mood episode. I didn't push the issue because the med treatment is the same. Meds for mood and meds for psychosis. I didn't want to have to adjust to a new label.

I've read lots about gluten and schizophrenia and more recent research into gluten and bipolar and older research into gluten and autism. They do know for certain that gluten can cause psychiatric symptoms. I think it's interesting when you look at papers that suggest that add, autism, bipolar and schizophrenia are a spectrum. In my mind there is a spectrum there. I'm not saying anti- gluten is a cure all, but it think there is something to it. For me anyways I know that to be looking more true.

I think there is just so much we don't know, it's not going to be just one thing like gluten, but I see too many connections there to completely ignore it either. Same with the spectrum thing, if they are a spectrum, where you fall on that might be very muddy.

[faerie_moon_x]

I don't know if different labels even matter between bipolar and since the treatment is the same, but maybe something outside of treatment is the reason for a label. I don't know.

I know there is no bipolar in my family. But there is schizophrenia. But I'm with Anika I think it's all spectrum.

[Nixi]

i've had all of those symptoms but have been diagnosed bipolar affective psychosis. My psychotic experiences can also occur out of an episode. I think the treatment is pretty much the same, but if I were you I'd talk to your psychiatrist about it.

[Secretum]

Thanks, everyone! I've been thinking about it, and I don't think that I am schizoaffective. At least, not yet...I'll give it a few years and see if my psychotic symptoms get worse before I sound the alarm bells. So many of you have had similar experiences to mine; it must be a bipolar thing at this point.

[hamster-bamster]

My neuropsychological assessment lists Schizoaffective and another p-doc dx'd with that too, but all p-docs since then (since 2009) dx'd with bp1, the last one with "bp1 with psychotic features". As has been mentioned, the drug treatment does not differ. I think you are doing exactly the right thing by giving it some time.