Wednesday, August 20, 2008 xylar asks

Q: whats this mean ?

Now I have been diagnosed with Schizophrenia and major depression ,

term called Schizoaffective disorder. Anyone else know much about this ? Im still very new to the whole talking about things albeit online .

Had a look at a few sites and they seemed to differ a bit , of course my Doctor is helping me but it looks like a long road seeing as its been years for me to get this far.Should have asked some more questions ( while with Doctor) but it's always hard when im face to face , dont get how 2 disorders become another disorder feels like a broken arm and leg being called a broken Legarm.Anyway thanks if anyone is familiar with this or the seperate disorders on thier own .

ps - am on Zyprexa 20mg (Dr has mentioned we're in the sorting out stage ie which meds work which doses etc )

Answers (3)

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Christina Bruni

8/20/08 9:04am

Hello xylar,

Welcome.

This is the place to start a dialogue about your schizoaffective.

I suggest you create a Profile here, and write SharePosts that other people could comment on.

Schizoaffective is a combination of psychotic features with a mood disorder. So you have the schizophrenia component, and either depressive or manic features of bipolar.

Really, I wouldn't get so hung up about the actual diagnosis at this point in time.

As long as you're working with your pdoc to find the drug routine or drugs that combat your symptoms the best, that's what matters.

To achieve a better outcome, I suggest you stay on the medication and be honest with your doctor about any symptoms and side effects you have, so he or she could adjust the meds or try adjunct meds.

In the last two years, all five people I know who stopped taking their meds, relapsed and had to be hospitalized.

A diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective or even bipolar is not a dead end or life sentence. I urge you to read the SharePosts written here, the ones by the community members as well as the experts.

You will see that people are leading full, productive lives even though they were diagnosed with a mental illness.

I wish you the best in your recovery.

Cheers,

Chris

8/21/08 7:32am

Hello Xylar,

Yes I would agree with Christina. Don't worry that you are being 'misdiagnosed' although 'arm/leg' does sound scary! Like can't they tell?!!

But remember,

There is not necessarily neat rigid pigeonholing here in brain neurochemistry,as often in medicine, just as we are all different.

Much more important to recognise overlap of features is very common .and working together with good pdoc to getting right meds over time. Often a combination of meds, including those for mood, are what works well.

Good luck,

Chris, retired doc Uk (non psych)

untreated family member with sz

MyAnimus

8/24/08 4:45am

Zyprexa is good but I put on weight so watch that .....its hard to get used to the side effects of the drugs when you are first taking them- everything is just so new and unfamiliar .... anyway all the best

Q: whats this mean ?

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