New doctor doesn't think I'm SzA

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I just started partial, so I got a new doctor. He looked at my history and said that he doesn’t think I’m SzA, he thinks bipolar with psychotic features. I told him that was my previous diagnosis, but Lithium made the mania and depression go away which should’ve made the psychosis go away but it didn’t. He quickly then said “well it doesn’t matter anyway, they’re treated the same way”.

But I think it matters in the context of how he is treating me: he just increased my Latuda from 80mg to 120mg to make my delusions and “depression” go away, even though I’m not sad. But ever since I’ve been on Latuda I’ve been so unmotivated, I’ve lost 10lbs in the past 2 weeks because I haven’t been eating. My old hobbies are no longer enjoyable. But Latuda is supposed to be amazing for bipolar depression… (I’ve heard Latuda might take some time to work, it’s been a little over a month, but I swear my motivation feels worse ever since I started it. Like I had more motivation on Zyprexa than Latuda, but I was still anhedonic on Zyprexa)

He doesn’t think it’s negative symptoms because my emotions aren’t blunted and I can speak clearly, but like I said I’m not sad. Also I’ve been reaching out to friends, whereas with both depression and negative symptoms im supposed to be asocial. I don’t even know what I’m dealing with, is it just the antipsychotic? What is going on?

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Don’t worry about the diagnosis @anon55830100.
SZA and bipolar disorder with psychotic features are treated the same.

I have both diagnoses.

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Thanks Wave, I love seeing ur responses. I’ve lurked for a few months and always see ur posts!

But yeah it’s just challenging because I feel like it changes how it’s treated. If I was bipolar w/ psychotic features, couldn’t I then theoretically be fine without an antipsychotic? Like couldn’t mood stabilizers be enough then if the psychosis is only a product of the mood? So far I’ve had such bad experiences with antipsychotics that I wish I could just take mood stabilizers and that’s it, yknow?

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Bipolar disorder with psychotic features usually needs an AP on board.
I am on both an AP and mood stabilizer.

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Gotcha, I wish I could find the right one for me but so far they’ve all been intolerable

Abilify: Spasms, akathisia, horrible concentration
Seroquel: Sleeping all day, muscle pain
Risperdal: Awful anxiety (unusual, I know), high prolactin
Zyprexa: Anhedonia, akathisia, prolactin, cholesterol, oversleeping

And now Latuda gives me avolition and anhedonia. I’m starting to lose hope :frowning:

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All these psych meds decrease my motivation and pleasure. Really I don’t do much anymore. You don’t want to get to that point. I really hope you figure this out. In my opinion it’s better to be thin and be able to think rather than be overweight and not be able to think. I don’t think you have it that bad.

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Thanks Best, I’m sorry ur going through that. It’s such a screwed up situation currently, I really hope that in 15-20 years time psychiatric meds will be a lot better. So many tradeoffs

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I’m hoping the meds will get better as well. I’m just worried about getting off my current meds. I think about that a lot. I don’t think my body would handle it. Your heads in the right spot though. Hope you find something that works.

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hope you find the right combination of meds for you
it’s a tough process.
i’ve been through so many meds too!
but never lose hope
:sunflower:

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Thank you! I really hope I find the right one

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