[Tkb1966]

Dr diagnosed me with psychotic features. I hear voices but can't understand what they say. Other times I hear a radio clearly. I hear the songs clearly and their lyrics even though I've never heard the song before. I saw a piece of yarn on the floor and "knew" it was a tarantula leg of a huge tarantula and was convinced it had shed his leg and was somewhere in my house. Then I saw a couple others and thought their were several in the house. Felt bugs everywhere on my skin. I looked on my sheets and saw clearly tiny bugs. Saw them moving and their legs moving. Then I saw them on me and tore my PJ's off. Then saw them on my skin and under my skin tried to dig them out. I could clearly smell marijuana in my house though no one in my family smokes it. I heard a man verbally abusing a woman while i was in my car at a stop light, looked around but there was no one who was doing that. Even checked my back seat to see if they were in my car. Which scared me and i started crying. All these things occured at different times of course. I know it sounds probably stupid to ask is this psychosis but i keep questioning it.

[Wander]

Coming from someone who has experienced your experiences do sound psychotic, mostly hallucinations. Has your pdoc prescribed you anything for it? Do you have a T to get coping strategies from? It sounds very distressing. I hope it stops soon.

[sonjaward809]

I also have psychotic features. I was diagnosed about 7 years ago and I still have symptoms from time to time. Right now I'm having more than normal so I need to tell my doctor. I'm pretty good at catching them and differentiating them from the "real world". I see shadows of people, hear whispering but I can't make out what they're saying, and keep seeing faces in the dark. So I sleep with my TV on now. I also believe that people in posters can see me in real life, or when I'm talking on the phone the person can see me too plus I have to be wary of what I say because I'm scared the government is tapping my phone and will eventually come after me. Weird things to experience and think about. My doctor will hopefully increase or change my medications so that these will go away, I see him in next week.

[Tkb1966]

Hi sonjaward. I have GAD and social anxiety as well. I haven't had these hallucinations recently but I see a new pdoc tomorrow and was just trying to get my thoughts straight first. I spent the last two nights going through old journals. It's amazing how you don't see that you're having an episode as clearly when it's happening until you look back and see what you wrote. Wow!

[Tkb1966]

Wander. I took saphris for many years and it helped but my insurance wouldn't pay for it when I could no longer get samples. It happens when I'm really stressed. The problem is i pretty much stay stressed. But yes I have a therapist and he gives me things to do. I see new pdoc tomorrow so we'll see what happens there.

[*Laurie*]

Hi, What you've described does sound like psychosis. I'm so sorry, because what you've been experiencing sounds frightening and upsetting. Did your pdoc prescribe medication?

[Tkb1966]

Hi Laurie. I see new pdoc tomorrow so we'll see. I have to admit that I'm reluctant to say anything because I hate meds. I'm only on 300mg lamictal now.

[franz kafka]

Better to treat psychosis before it gets out of hand. I have schizoaffective which is very similar to BP with psychotic features. Psychosis is what lands me in hospital time and again. That's why I'm willing to take so many medications, to avoid that. It sounds already like you're having scary experiences.

[*Laurie*]

Originally Posted by franz kafka

Better to treat psychosis before it gets out of hand. I have schizoaffective which is very similar to BP with psychotic features. Psychosis is what lands me in hospital time and again. That's why I'm willing to take so many medications, to avoid that. It sounds already like you're having scary experiences.

I agree ^^^

None of us likes being on meds, but being on meds is better than the alternatives to meds - like being forced into IP.

[JMS4]

When I was on Lamictal alone I kept having psychosis, mostly hallucinations. My Pdoc added seroquel and things have been much better. Hope things get better for you.

[Wander]

Originally Posted by Tkb1966

Wander. I took saphris for many years and it helped but my insurance wouldn't pay for it when I could no longer get samples. It happens when I'm really stressed. The problem is i pretty much stay stressed. But yes I have a therapist and he gives me things to do. I see new pdoc tomorrow so we'll see what happens there.

Glad you have a supportive T and pdoc. The healthcare system is letting you down by not allowing you to stay on a med that helps. I take Saphris and it really helps. Only been on it two weeks but in the midst of a bad mixed episode I haven't had to deal with psychosis which is a gift.

I really hope you and your treatment team can find a solution so you don't have to suffer so much.

[Tkb1966]

Thanks JMS4. I wrote down past meds to give to new pdoc tomorrow. There were 19 of them. I couldn't remember or find in my journals why I stopped them but reading my journals, it looked like they didn't work. Seroquel was one of them I took. I wish I had been better at writing details about the meds I took.