schizoaffective disorder

Im very sorry for some spelling error's I have had 2 hours sleep last night and not much more the last few days

Hi in response to your discussion , I am in a very similar position, I was so fit all my life bubbly life and soul help anybody alwsys positive etc etc excellent acheiver at school and so on, I achisved my black belt n shotokan karate and was alwsys a leader as oppose to a follower, oozing confidence, I also had a blow out messed around with a few drugs etc at around the age of 22, 24 not addiction just socially ,, at age of 25 I was also diagnised with psychosis and mt whole life went to sh*t to put it politley , I was put on antipsychotic med aripirizole , and my whole lufe changed, enormous weight gain sleeping all day smoking cigs to try n stay awake as I was so tiered n a million and one other side effects including wznting to kill myself at many points , which I am positivly sure was an effect of meds, since diagnosis in 2007 its been hell, ok so I have tried on and off to stop aripirizole over years but unfirtunatley symtoms reoccur, so I continued takin meds n living no life, now my cards were forced back in may I became pregnant and blatently rdfused to take meds , ah breath , so were am up to now , I felt just like your son brighter lighter bubbly again talkative positive all the things I am when not medicated , twist to the story I have been on no meds 8 months n coped great on the whole few up n down days as to be expected , but I put that down to losing self co fidence while takin meds, so yes bedn a struggle , but I feel bettee than ever, hiwever like your son past couple of months have been anxious paranoud racing thouggts etc etc, ok so I have one montg till my beautiful baby is born and yes I am in a similar situation , my advice on a personal level would be unless your son is acting abszloutly crazy as in actuvely psychotic etc etc talkin to himself not making sense znd so on, I would certainly not recommend antipsychotics,, any of them what so ever, yes I realise him like myself will/may need medication to stop rzcing thoughts etc , I was thinking more of an antianxiety medication , there are z couple of options ,, benzodiazipines , diazipzam 2mg used as and wben required will help slow thoughtz and ease anxieties, these are only used for z short period of time though,,, or if longer trestmdnt required possibly buspirone anti anxiety again,,, my thinking is mental health is complex all seem to overlap,,, but they seem to stem from anxiety,, when this is controlled to a manzgable level other symtoms are more controllable,, stopping anxueties prevents other symltoms getting out of control,,, yes it pribobly will not cure everythink but life is so much more managable on these meds , plus they may only need to be used for a short while! I am speaking from 8 yezrs of experisnce with the mental health services, meds etc my mother is also a mental health nurse and I have a great family network,,, I have taken the time to respond to you , as I am passionate about this for myself and to help ecucate others zny wzy possible,, I am strongly against antipsychitics as I hzve experience them 8 years myself , and they have had such a detrimental effect on me my health my confidence life everythink,,, day by day am clawing back my life,,, as regards to medication znythink but antipsychotics,, might aswell jump in a coffi if ya goung to take that that is how strongly I feel against them,,, there are other wzyz options ,,, hope to hear from you soon I would likd to keep in touch,, beczuse maybe we can help each other,,,, because if we dont were goung to be a nation of walkin zombies n thats the truth speak soon !

Hi, maybe its a goid thing that your sons getting rest at hospital,, and as for the antipsychotics, yes I also agree they have given me extra symtoms ,, as I experience things now I never experienced when first bevomeing unwell,, k back to abilify ,, it is supposed to be the cleanliest of all antipsychotics,, personally ,, I find they work initially ,, to stop hallucinations delusions etc,, but if taksn over a ling petiod of time cause,, negative effects e, g depression lack of motivation,, speech poverty etc,, so if the tablets are managed for a short period on the liwest dose that is having beneficial effect ,, they work for the better,, but in my experience with mine and your sons illness,, it has to be monitored,, e, g when well on meds ensuring dose in minimum etc,, its goung to be somethink to work on and keep a close eye on,, it is like a working progrexs ensuring not to heavily medicated when stable,,, in my research abilify is a lot better med than olanza,, in regards to much less sedation n not as much weight gain,, so give abilify a try,, but work together on it,, tbh,, your son will no better than the psychuatrust how to manage his meds as regards to if feeling really tiered weighed dwn etc maybe miss a few doses,, I personally found this helped,, its all about keeping well n having the best quality of life possible also ,, finding ways to manage meds and coping mechanusism ourselves,, one positive thing I can honsxtly say is that as times goes on it does get easier,, as we hVe more insight and understanding in whats hapoening,, to us,, and we have our littke ways of gettin by so on so on,,there are so many people with illness these dayz its massive,, but keep ya head up , be strong, and remember, that everyone has there troubles, cross to carry, but there will be lightvat the end of the tunnel if you stick tigether xx

Hiya again yes I totally understand him with this auntie business, its nothing personal to you at all, hes probobly paranoid n his thoughts are all over the place! Ive been there to, very hurtful towards family members, but they understand I wzs just not well n I didnt mean it, real family stay together, at the mo am not takin meds, I have one month till due date I am paranoid when out and about and really anxious and also yes I have some delusions, but all in all, am coping, after due date , I will start low dose of meds, but will be monitoring them carefully myself, as in not getting to low etc etc,, like I said the likes if this illness is proboblg life long booo,, but as promise you this the more time goes on , the easier it is to cope with personally and from my familys point of view, it is a real nuisance at times and is most certainly a challenge,, maybe god thinks were the strong ones thats why we get the hardest tests,, but I promise it will get better,, like I had it for 7 years now , initially I wzs terrified psychotic actin crazy the lot, but as time goes on, iv learnt to understand my symtoms and what triggers them,, so I can distinguish now when am paranoid n when I have these stupid crazy thoughts,, its still hard like,, but it makes such a difference ,, just havin an understanding, of symptoms etc,, one more thing aswell ,, gettin to no what triggers episodes,, or a decline in health is really important,, for example me personally lack of sleep is one ,, so finding michaels triggers are important cuz it reallt makes the difference of maintaining health and preventing decline etc,, this advice is priceless I am living through it and I do no what am talking about in relation to mental health,, do not put all your faith in consultants psychuatrist etc, half the time they need medicating haha,, you will see that for yaself,, but I no I did say bad about aripiprizole , its just I wssnt monitired properly when initially taking it, n maybe I didnt expkain properly initallty,, the meducation will work for michael it worked for me,, just make sure its taken for benefit for him , as in not havin too many side effects n like hes not on it too long, he will learn to see what the best therapeutic dose is for him, nit took me ages lowerin it slighlty uping it slighty,, by the sounds of things when hes back on track he nos whats what, just like me,, n he will sort himself out am positivly sure about that hes lucky havin such a fantastic mum , right now he needs you to be strong so he can get well,, n he will,, because hes a fighter just like me! N we dont go down withoutba fight

Hey josey,, sorry late reply,, hows michael doing ?? I was thinkin even if he needs meds,, doesnt have to be long term,, like could he get symptoms at bay then reduce them,, am thinkin myself the problem seems to happen when were on the meds too long,, like they kinda do there job but then we keep takin em ,, bwhen we could do without,, soz what am sayin is just take till he well again then look at reducin ,, just so the meds don cause too many side effects ,, n cause to many probs,, the likes of our illness is life long,, bitter pill to swallow ha pardon the pun but life can be a bitch,, now we just gotta make it the best way we can , soooo what am sayin is take meds to control symptoms,, but remember they dont stop all symptoms ,, they just make em easier to cope, get on with ,,, and personally in my experience its best to get by with a few less bothersome symptoms ,, and feel somethink as opposed to trying to wipe them all out becsuse then ,, thats when ya end up like a zombie ,, ay its better to feel somethink than nothink at all,, no ones perfect n who wants to be a hundredboercent normal,, when theres still scope to live life n rock a style call it quirky call it wat you want,,,we ride the waves because were fighters !

Hi josey,, how long has he replased,, and what are his symptoms,, is it 15mg of aripiprizole he is taking now? And hiw l8ng has he been back on meds? Sorry all questions, am just trying to get a clearer picture of whats going on !

Is that a newer type antipsychotic?? And you say hes been off meds but has had psychotic symtoms past 2 weeks ?? Is that right ? N the depression could be due to a number of factors 1 the new neds 2 tbe hospital surroundings 3 the fact tbe illness has come back or a combination of all ! Am interested in tbe new meds he started on , I thought you ssid aripiprixole was first choice xx

Hey josey, yeah aripirizole ok initially stops the mind racing, hallucinations as in hearing things normally subside in about 2 to 4 weeks and any delusions normally take a little l8nger say about 6 to 8 weeks thats what I found personally but my advice would be when hes kind of stable dont keep uping the meds to try n stop all symtoms as this when the medication bevomes heavy with side effects wiping you out,, so its better to control the severe symtoms n hang on in there with a few lil challenges as I personally feel this is a better wsy of life as in still being able to function , feel emotions an things , the illness is a flaming nuisance but, the purpise of meds are to help have a better quality of life n keep certain symptoms at bay, the rest is better to work around own coping ways , still being able to have fun etc as opposed to just bein over sedated and having a crap quality of life, its hard to explain me tal health but, I am giving you the best advice I feel right as I have hand on exoerience with this,, although so difficult when the chips are down , do try to stay positive and remember things will get better ! Lots of love

Hi Josey -- I'd just like to enquire as to where your son is at now. As this was 4 months ago. I've read your disscussion and wandered what happended with regards to Olazapine and Aripiprazole?

I personally have negitive views about Aripiprazole as I have been on this med for more then 2 years and it has done nothing for me. I may well switch to Olazapine as I have found this med to be helpful in my case.

Peter.