[CrazyLo]

Well, it is confirmed and I'm now officially diagnosed with Schizoaffective per both my OP treatment team and inpatient psychiatrist.

I just got out of the hospital for the 4th time since June. My delusions were so bizarre and scary and I firmly and fully believed in them this last time. I was not manic or depressed when it came about. The scariest part was believing that everyone I knew, even the people on the TV, were possessed by demons and trying to convince me that I was delusional when really they were delusional and that they wanted me worse than dead...they wanted to damn me to Hell so that I couldn't ever be reincarnated again.

Anyway, this morning I had my first session with my therapist in 3 weeks (she was on vacation for 2 weeks and the third week I was in the hospital). We had an in-depth discussion of what this diagnosis means and everything that needs to be done. I was planning on going back to school this semester but had to drop all of my classes because my life is just so unpredictable right now. The delusions come on very quickly and there is only about a two hour period in the beginning where I am still half-way in touch with reality. We are still trying to find the right anti-psychotic and shock treatment has been discussed even though it scares the crap out of me.

My goal is to go back to school next semester (in the Spring). My therapist and discussed how I can access disability accommodations so that I can stay in school: assignment deadline extensions, breaks during class, more time on tests and tests taken in a separate room to minimize distractions (these are also to accommodate my currently un-medicated ADHD as I won't be allowed to go back on Adderall for quite awhile.

This has been a crazy two months and I am at least happy to have a diagnosis that finally describes all of my symptoms.

To those of you diagnosed: How long have you been diagnosed and how often/how quickly do you relapse...does it ever fully go away with the right medications? Ways you have minimized symptoms? Any more helpful sources that better explain this illness? The DSM is so not helpful.

Thanks!

i've carried this diagnosis for 12 years, i'm only 27.
doesn't ever fully go away, even with the right medications.
(for me anyway, everyone is different)
i also haven't been on medication in 7 years. disregard everything i say, i'm "psychotic"; LAWL.
hm. no one's "symptoms" are the same therefore no one's "coping skills" for said symptoms are the same. so; it's all a learning process. the key to success is figuring yourself out, what makes you react to things the way you do. logic is key.

fin.

[Blue_Bird]

I was diagnosed with it around my 20th birthday. I am 21 now, so it's been a little over a year. It took a long time but I eventually found the right meds and have been stable about 99% of the time, I've only had one slip up which was my own fault for not taking my meds

[CrazyLo]

Originally Posted by Blue_Bird

I was diagnosed with it around my 20th birthday. I am 21 now, so it's been a little over a year. It took a long time but I eventually found the right meds and have been stable about 99% of the time, I've only had one slip up which was my own fault for not taking my meds

Well, I'm taking my meds but I don't think they are working. I've seriously tried every anti-psychotic in existence....some of them many years ago so I'm wondering if I should give some of them another shot....or maybe I should just fry my brain with shock treatment. I really like my memory though.

Originally Posted by CrazyLo

Well, I'm taking my meds but I don't think they are working. I've seriously tried every anti-psychotic in existence....some of them many years ago so I'm wondering if I should give some of them another shot....or maybe I should just fry my brain with shock treatment. I really like my memory though.

electroshock should be your ABSOLUTE last resort.
give the meds a chance. you will find the right combination.
remember it takes time for the meds to fully get into your system.
i always gave up when i found the right kind for various reasons; eg. side effects, feeling like my feelings were fraudulent, being on such a high dose that i couldn't even function as a human even though everything "stopped"... who wants to live like that?
anyway, like i said in an earlier post, it's all a learning process. don't give up or surrender to shock treatment before you have to.

for me, i looked at my "symptoms" in a different way. really, they're just annoying now. i get paranoid sometimes, but i am at a point in my journey through mental health where i can talk myself out of it. also i have some peers who i can run some of my thoughts by to check if they're realistic or not. it is important that you can find someone you trust and value their opinion for this kind of thing to work. also, who you truely believe has your best interest and wellness in mind. i find it hard to trust people, so i appreciate these people in my life.

[raspberrytorte]

I was just recently diagnosed too.

I'm happy I started geodon when I did because the two delusions I had were just becoming more elaborate and complicated, and the bad delusion was starting to get ruthless. They're both gone now though, along with the paranoia and hallucinations I was experiencing.

Anyway, so hopefully I stay in touch with reality for awhile.

You too.

[CrazyLo]

I haven't had any hallucinations...hope I don't, cuz the delusions and paranoia are bad enough.

[Sesiley]

My delusions went away with Lithium.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G750A using Tapatalk

[Lynizle]

I was diagnosed with this at around age 15(21 now)
My anti psychotic medication Invega was the only thing that controlled this.
I will have really bizarre visual/sound hallucinations every now and then but for the most part it is controlled. I still have minor delusions though. Sometimes the hallucinations will stay away for a good year or two then they will come back for a bit.

Goodluck. =)

[CrazyLo]

Originally Posted by Lynizle

I was diagnosed with this at around age 15(21 now)
My anti psychotic medication Invega was the only thing that controlled this.
I will have really bizarre visual/sound hallucinations every now and then but for the most part it is controlled. I still have minor delusions though. Sometimes the hallucinations will stay away for a good year or two then they will come back for a bit.

Goodluck. =)

I've been thinking about trying invega. It is actually probably the only anti-psychotic I haven't tried yet.

[Lynizle]

Invega was a life saver! I unfortunately asked me be taken off of it at todays doctors appointment because it is causing me really high prolactin levels..I havent gotten my period in a year...and that just bothers me for some reason lol. But if you dont mind maybe not getting your period then I really do recommend it! I felt very normal while taking it.

[junkDNA]

Originally Posted by Lynizle

Invega was a life saver! I unfortunately asked me be taken off of it at todays doctors appointment because it is causing me really high prolactin levels..I havent gotten my period in a year...and that just bothers me for some reason lol. But if you dont mind maybe not getting your period then I really do recommend it! I felt very normal while taking it.

hey, i am on invega. it has saved my life as well. wanted to tell u that the increased prolactin levels can be reversed... you can take abilify or metformin. i had high prolactin levels and lost my period too, but i take metformin now and everything is back to normal...and i can keep taking the invega

[Blue_Bird]

Originally Posted by CrazyLo

I've been thinking about trying invega. It is actually probably the only anti-psychotic I haven't tried yet.

It's probably worth a try, that's what I take and it works great

[CrazyLo]

I take Haldol but it primarily helps my anxiety...I know that's not it's normal purpose but that's why I originally started taking it. So as far as an anti-psychotic goes...the haldol doesn't really help with that. I asked about invega and the pdoc at my iop said she was worried about prolactin levels. Even though I'm on a pretty substantial dose of haldol and they tested my prolactin levels and they were normal. I usually don't have periods but I don't think it's related to meds, but who knows. So anyway, she prescribed Abilify. I've taken it in the past...but it was wayyy in the past. So I figured I'd give it another go.