Posted by ramsea on December 3, 2003, at 4:09:50
In reply to Clozaril for schizo-affective/bipolar, posted by Dalilah on December 2, 2003, at 11:43:22
Your sister is fortunate to have you as an ally.
I was once diagnosed as schizo-affective (also twice bfore as schizophrenic) but they have now decided for awhile that it is Bipolar 1, and that I was misdiagnosed during manic/hypomanic/Mixed episodes. Sure is confusing.As I came to understand schizo-affective, it is "more" bipolar, because it if were any more "schizo" it would have to be just plainly labelled schizophrenic. It's pretty common for Bipolars to be misdiagnosed schizophrenic when in a manic episode that also includes delusions/hallucinations. But anyway, we'll leave the experts to argue that one out.
The treatments for schizo-affective and bipolar are pretty much the same, although one mistake was made with me. During the time of being mistaken for schizo-affective I was prescribed anti-depressants without mood stabilizers, and in fact no mood stabilzer was tried at all. So your sister is doing well to have lithium.
They did give me an AP, UK name of Sulpiride. (Not available USA, I think.) It helped a lot. The anti-depressants worsened my condition, though. Clozaril is great for some people---it really does work for the ones it works for. But weekly blood tests are a lot to ask. Also, the diabetes side effect is strong, and weight gain. But it seems quite the thing for some--works miracles.
If my situation were absolutely dead end, truly virtually over and out--then I would try Clozaril. Better than the alternative.
But if you sister is not at death's door, then maybe her psyc could play with doses or with a less troublesome med. What dosages does she take? How does she sleep, eat, socialize? What other meds has she tried?
Another thing, Cognitive Behav Therapy for psychotic disorders--this could also help your sister a lot. It has changed my life.
There are ways of dealing with phenonmena like delusions, hallucinations, etc., which a person can be trained to do. It may mean a search but there is help available. If you're interested, amazon.com has a few books that might help. There's one specifically on CBT with psychosis, and the books on borderline personality disorder, especialy using Marsha Linehans Dialectical Behav Therapy, are really excellent for people with bipolar and schizo-affective.
The diagnosis is less important of course than the treatment. I am not borderline and never have been, but I like the therapy because it is practical and respectful. It inspires very distressed and rejected people to regain confidence and more control over their emotion distorted lives. It's possible at some point therapy like this or some other psychotherapy, might help your sister along with the right medicine regime.
poster:ramsea
thread:285896
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031202/msgs/286139.html