Schizo-affective disorder - newbie here

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-12-2006
Schizo-affective disorder - newbie here
4
Wed, 04-12-2006 - 4:07am

anyone out there with this dx? i have it and it's so hard on my family.....i think
i have bipolar but i think that disorder is a grouping of disorders...i'm still
learning. I have had depression/anxiety related illness since 1988 but until
the last 3 or 4 years I didn't have the ability to communicate...my dh has helped
tremendously in my care to express to docs what's going on with me.....

taking Zyprexa/zoloft vitamin Z's LOL

gained tons of weight in the last month 18lbs so mad about that...i don't have any
motivation but I think because of Spring it's coming back to me, hopefully

have a good day :O)

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-05-2006
Wed, 04-12-2006 - 4:18am

I was on that exact combination of meds. I gained 22lbs in two months but I can't cope with the weight gain so now I have changed to abilify and zoloft.

My main problem is that when I stop the zyprexa I get very very paranoid so my doc has me still on zyprexa while we are waiting for the abilify to work.seemingly it can take 6-8 weeks to work.

Im not familiar to your illness, but I have a diagnosis of bi polar. isn't it amazing that two different disorders are treated with the same medications?

anyway nice to meet you

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-12-2006
Wed, 04-12-2006 - 4:28am
i get the same way when i stop the zyprexa,, very paranoid - so scary (hugs)
so you have insomina as well? nice to meet you too
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Wed, 04-12-2006 - 7:31am

hey there...i was dx'ed with soooo many things...schizo-affective being one of them...but i've come to realize that its just (not saying "just" lightly here) Bipolar. With some of those other things thrown in as a result of having Bipolar...does that make sense? Like sometimes, I will get paranoid...because of an episode of Bipolar. Or sometimes I will get hallucinations, if I'm having a way too manic (or way too depressed) episode. You have to KNOW yourself well...you have to KNOW Bipolar well. And you have to be able to communicate, even if ONLY TO YOURSELF what is going on with you.

Now, as for your meds...have you ever considered taking a mood stabilizer? In addition to the anti-p and anti-d? Its helped me tremendously, though I've finally found they help me in LOW doses, NOT the high ones they like to rx. Its all a game of give and take, try and fail, and its SO frustrating!

I've gained 40 pounds on these dang meds!!! I've been on the meds game for over 4 years now, though, so I guess it could be much worse!!!

Don't let your pdocs confuse you with a whole laundry list of dx'es. They love to do that..but I guess that's their job!!! :) They've told me so many darn things, I don't even give any credence to it anymore...to me, I'm Bipolar...with other stuff that goes along with it to deal with. If you want to talk more about it, just let me know.

Hugs,

Keli

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-12-2006
Wed, 04-12-2006 - 9:23am

...have you ever considered taking a mood stabilizer?
Don't know if I have...could you please give me some drug names?

good luck on your weight loss journey...and this illness we learn to live with *sigh*
((hugs))