Wondering about hearing and seeing things

I think I'm starting to hear and see things that I know aren't there and I'm wondering what your experiences are with this.

I'm thinking of mentioning this to my pdoc but I'm trying to figure out if this is really a thing I need to be worried about or whether it'll pass.

Basically like the title says I am seeing things I know are not real and hearing voices I know are not present. It happens randomly and lasts just a couple of seconds each time.

It's nothing threatening or scary but when I see something it'll be a person that's just sitting around or standing someplace. When I hear something it's a voice saying random words that don't make any sense most of the time. Sometimes it's clear but there's no context so I don't understand what it is saying. Both are intense enough to grab my attention from what I'm doing at the time.

I thought that since I'm taking an antipsychotic that this shouldn't happen but it seems it is happening.

I have a feeling this is related to my lack of sleep during the past several weeks.

What are your experiences with this and when did you tell your pdoc or treatment team about it?

My experience with psychosis is that it can spiral out of control incredibly quickly. It can also progress to the point that you are not able to discern that what you are hearing and seeing are in fact hallucinations. I have only experienced it once and I had no idea it wasn't real. It was the worst and scariest experience of my life.

That said, there are several members here who report the types of experiences you are having regularly and they have learned to live alongside the hallucinations and function relatively normally. The presence of hallucinations does not necessarily mean you are escalating to an unsafe state.

If it were me and I knew I was hallucinating, I would inform my doctor asap. I agree with you that the lack of sleep is probably a major contributor. You have also implemented several med changes recently and many mental health drugs can actually cause psychosis in some patients. Withdrawal from meds can cause it as well.

Your doctor may not be super concerned, but he or she should be made aware in case this escalates or if another med change is indicated. I also think it would be a good idea to inform your wife so that she can assist in the event this escalates and you lose insight.

Good luck Scooter. I know this can be unsettling.

I am one of those people fern mentioned who experiences psychosis regularly, regardless of me taking an antipsychotic or not. But I agree with fern that you should say something to your pdoc. You don't want it to escalate to the point you lose touch with reality.

If your pdoc thinks it's no big deal, then it's no big deal. No harm done in telling him. But if he is concerned, he can nip the problem in the bud with a med change. So really, there is nothing to lose by telling him IMO.

If you have a number to call, call it now....

Hi Scooter,
I am sorry you are having these experiences.
I would call the pdoc. It may just take a simple adjustment of med(s) at this point. If you wait and things progress, it may take more than an adjustment and/or may take longer to get back to baseline.

I think you realize this may involve a decrease and/or a temporary change in the MIrapex?
I do realize that it helps us both enough that we do not want to give it up.
I have not had the experiences you describe (yet); however, I have found adjustments in Mirapex make rather rapid changes. in my status.
And, it may not involve MIrapex at all.

Thinking of you and wishing you the best!

I am one who deals with it often especially when my sleep is so outta wack. The things I see don’t really bother me anymore.

I also feel like you should call your Pdoc, your sleep has been really off., once that’s addressed I’m pretty certain hallucinations will be resolved

Be proactive instead of reactive

Thanks fern, blue, sometimes, WC, and Christina.

I'll tell my pdoc about this. I'll also mention this to my wife, although she's not going to like hearing about this.

My pdoc says she's not quite convinced the Mirapex alone is to blame for my current problems. She says she can see physically that I'm depressed and that I come across as mixed. She says I'm more likely in a mixed episode that started around the same time I changed the Mirapex dose. This is why, she says, she's trying to treat the sleep first instead of lowering or stopping the Mirapex right away.

So far, I feel ok. I can easily tell that these things I'm seeing and hearing are not real which is why I'm not worried yet. It's really obvious to me that this isn't real.

My pdoc is in tomorrow so I'll see what she says then.

Thanks everyone for your help and advice!

I forgot to say... I have talked with my therapist at length about my psychosis. She always recommends for me to put on music or watch something (e.g., YouTube, TV, etc.) whenever I start to hear voices or see things.

As a tip: Sometimes it's better to listen to things through headphones because some headphones do a good job with sound isolation; and sound isolation is very important because I have found that my voices cannot talk over my music or TV or whatever. But if you find that music, TV, YouTube, etc. starts to talk to you or give you messages, then turn it off right away and tell your pdoc (or therapist if you have one).

I do know that tiredness contributes to my psychosis for sure. The more tired I am, the worse it gets. But I can't say that sleep is to blame for my psychosis, personally, because it is a constant thing for me.

I'm grateful to learn your pdoc remains so open-minded about Mirapex.
I do hope you feel better soon!

It turns out that my pdoc now wants to stop both Wellbutrin and Mirapex. She says they're not helping much and are causing side effects.

I was surprised to hear this! She wants to start me on Remeron.

She said I have good insight into the hallucinations and they're likely a result of my lack of sleep. She said to just keep track of them and update her next week about them. But she also advised I tell my wife about them in case things get out of hand.

Good Morning, Scooter,

I know you have felt Mirapex has been helping.
With symptoms increasing it becomes a matter of weighing pros and cons. Yet, weighing the pros and cons of what, exactly.

As I understand things, Wellbutrin and Mirapex are both dopamine agonists. With both dopamine agonists on board, I might ask if it makes sense to drop Wellbutrin and stay on Mirapex awhile in order to see what happens? Maybe I have no clue,which is also quite possible! Intuitively, it makes sense to me to cut the least helpful dopamine agonist first and go with the Mirapex for awhile, since you have found it helpful, working with it to see what transpires.

This is merely a question/proposal I might pose if I was not quite ready to discontinue Mirapex.

I think we both have found Mirapex somewhat helpful, which has helped us to be a bit more hopeful that it can be a very helpful med.
I guess then the question becomes: Is it helpful enough? With a history of "treatment resistant" depression, which now does respond to a med, even with a partial response, it could be tough to give up that med? I'd find it very tough to give it up; yet, I don't want to project my own feelings onto you or onto your experience with Mirapex.

If you find you'd prefer to stay with the Mirapex longer, I'd propose this to my pdoc for discussion.
I know my pdoc and I barter with one another fairly often, even concerning Mirapex dosages.

If you are ready to move on and try something different, this is cool, too.

I just felt I should respond to your post, as I think Mirapex has been a med which has given you a bit of relief and possibly some hope?

Either way, I absolutely hope the treatment course you take will be most helpful for you!
As always, my very best to you and to yours!

That's a good point WC! I'm not thinking clearly so thank you very much for pointing that out.

I would definitely like to keep the Mirapex since it did seem to help a little.

I'll mention this to my pdoc and see what she says.

Hi Scooter,

Had a few minutes and thought I would check in to see if there are any updates, as well as to see how you are doing.
I often think "no news is good news," so I hope this is the case!

I hope your wife has been supportive ""if" you have been able to tell you've been having more symptoms. I know it can be challenging for our spouses, at times; yet, I am sure they all mean well and probably understand more with increasing time?

No need to respond, Just thinking of you and hoping for the best!

Hiya !

How are you feeling ? Has your sleep improved at all?

I think WC brought up some good reasons about maybe staying on Mirapex... juggling meds is such a mess so often.

What do you think is the next step for you ??

Hey,

My pdoc agreed to let me keep taking Mirapex and stop Wellbutrin, which is good news.

I told my wife about the hallucinations and she's understandibly concerned. She doesn't know how much I've been dealing with but is starting to realize how I have been going it alone for years now.

I went to work a couple of days this week and I shouldn't have gone. My sleep is all over the place.

I'm getting about 4 hours at night but I go to bed after I finish working from home and sleep for a couple of hours.

I'm still seeing and hearing things but it's ok so far, I know they're not real.

Thanks so much for your concern it is very much appreciated.

The hallucinations were intense today but I know they're not real. I don't know how, but I just know.

I practically stopped Wellbutrin cold turkey several days ago. It wasn't doing much for me anyway and I want to get my sleep back sooner than later. So far no withdrawal effects but I suspect that will come in the next few days.

I'm sleeping a total of 6 hours now but it's broken up into several shifts lasting between 1 and 3 hours. I get up for a couple of hours in between and then sleep some more.

I'll update my pdoc tomorrow regarding the more intense hallucinations.

The only really strange thing is when I see something right next to me. It's proximity freaks me out and it seems much more real even though i tell myself that what I'm seeing isn't real. It takes a few moments to disappear and I'm distracted by it until it does.

What is "it”? Are you talking about a shadow figure or shadow object, or does it have color?

I am not a dr, but typically shadow figures/objects are indicative of anxiety acting up rather than psychosis, while colorful stuff is indicative of "stronger" hallucinations. Similarly, if you see things in the corners of your eyes rather than right in front of you, it *could* be anxiety.

I say this because if Wellbutrin was somehow helping you with anxiety, then you may see a large influx of anxiety as a withdrawal symptom and thus lots of shadow figures/objects/movements.

No it's full on a person. No shadow or hints of a person. I'm taking about seeing someone as if they were really there. But somehow I know it's not real.

I do sometimes see shadows and movements just outside my vision.

It could be anxiety too that's true.

I hear voices too but they are not intrusive, they don't make any sense and come in waves mostly when I'm really tired.

My pdoc doesn't seem to be too concerned about this yet. I guess she's seeing how the sleep goes. But I need to update her each week so she can monitor the situation.

Thanks blue band sorry for the late reply I haven't checked this thread in a few days.

Hi Scooter,
I hope things settle down for you soon..
I also hope your sleep improves.
It's odd, mine has gotten better in the past few days. Much better. Trouble is, I get up after longer hours of sleeping and I do not feel very well. I feel better with less sleep.

I am grateful to read your wife may be learning more about your challenges and I hope she will be a big support to you!

I am sorry I have not responded to a couple of your posts. I have not been here at PC as much. Life has gotten very busy.

My very best to you and to your family!

Sounds like things are going pretty well. I will just suggest that consistent sleep is immensely important. Also, like fern (I think) said - psychosis can amp up incredibly fast. So take good care of yourself and you know we're here if you need experiences/support.

Thanks, WC

I'm glad you're at least getting some sleep, and I know you too have your own things to deal with. I appreciate that you took the time to write!

I'm thinking of reducing the Mirapex a little more, just so that I can get some sleep. I'm already down a little and am thinking of going down a little more, just for now.

Thank you, BethRags

Hi Scooter!

It took me a long time to settle on a steady dose. I take 50% more in the morning than at night.

I hope you get plenty of sleep!

The hallucinations are on going but they're manageable because it's obvious to me that they're not real. I don't know how that works but it just does.

I've been off Wellbutrin for about 15 days now.

I'm keeping my pdoc up to date. I'm hoping that things settle down soon.

Yes--I also believe this is a key. I still have mostly auditory hallucinations, even on two APs. But I know they are not real, because, over the years, I have finally become convinced that this stuff is just my ill brain playing tricks on me. That awareness is comforting and helpful in getting through these tough times. Sounds like it is for you as well, and that is just awesome. I think knowing what to do when this stuff shows up is at least half the battle.