According to the psychiatrists my main problem is severe negative symptoms. Negative symptoms seem to come from a low dopamine transmission in parts of the brain. I have hardly any positive symptoms, and i am on antipsychotics.
I have been researching a bit and there are some evidences that stimulants can reduce negative symptoms, and tomorrow I will ask my psychiatrist for modafinil or ADHD medication.
Is there anyone out there who had good results with stimulants when it comes to negative symptoms?
“A dysregulated dopamine (DA) system, including a reduced D1 receptor activation in the prefrontal cortex, DA hypoactivity in the caudate and alterations in D3 receptor activity, seems to contribute to the pathogenesis of NS.”
(Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia and Dopaminergic Transmission: Translational Models and Perspectives)
”Improvement of negative symptoms of schizophrenia after psychostimulant administration is reviewed both in challenge and treatment paradigms with various agents such as methylphenidate, amphetamine, and modafinil or armodafinil. The literature points to evidence that, used adjunctively, DA agonists may improve negative symptoms of schizophrenia without worsening of positive symptoms in selected patients who are stable and treated with effective antipsychotic medications.”
Hey there @bluebutterfly I take 200mg of Modafinil every morning that I work. I have bad brain fog due to my dysautonomia. It used to be hard to get up in the morning and focus right away. My psychiatrist let me try it. She cautioned against using it everyday but approved me to take one 200mg tablet on work days. I work 4 days a week starting at 7am. I take it 30-45 minutes before I start work. This medication has been a life changer but I can fully see how it can be abused. I’ve even found myself hoarding it in case I were to lose insurance or any other reason. I don’t let myself abuse it, I’ve never had a problem with street drugs or abusing my prescriptions. Just be careful is all I’m saying.
Thanks for the warning @LevelJ1@Hanna_Foxx@zoa - it is exactly modafinil i hope to try, but danish psychiatrists are very conservative so i think my chances are small.
But something has to be done, im too tired and passive to benefit from physiotherapy, excercise and talk therapy and my cognitive abilities are very reduced
Have you tried supplements? I saw on Harvard’s site “The nutrition source” that they recommend that most people take a multivitamin and a D vitamin. I used to do a bunch of Googling about vitamins and minerals and if it affects schizophrenia, and lots of vitamins and minerals can help. If I remember correctly, zinc is especially helpful for negative symptoms.
Omega 3’s are also super important, every day I take a spoonful of cod liver oil, a strong multivitamin and a D vitamin mixed with olive oil for max absorption, and it definitely helps.
Probiotics can also help, and I can highly recommend kefir! Not to mention oatmeal and sourdough bread, since it’s really healthy good for the gut.
Thanks for the tip, i am on vitamins, but could boost with a little Vitamin C and some fish oil. I allready take zinc.
Besides that i just ordered modafinil online and hope it get through the custom. I am walking around in a haze, completely exhausted, i really need a lift.
@bluebutterfly if you have a mood disorder like bipolar or SZA then I would strongly suggest that you steer away from any stimulant.
It could definitely lead to mania and psychosis
If you’re getting it online without a prescription and going to a reputable pharmacy I’d be scared to take it. It could be not pure or have weird fillers. Also taking them without a prescription is really risky. When I got prescribed them my psychiatrist was able to monitor me to make sure it didn’t trigger my mania or psychosis. You’re walking a really risky path here.
Thanks for your concern @Hanna_Foxx and @Wave i really appreciate it. I know the risk, and I’m diagnosed with SZ without any further specification, and don’t have a history of psychosis, but according to the doctors my negative symptoms are extremely dominant.
The good thing about modafinil is that if I have a negative response, I can and will stop it immediately and it’s out of the blood within 24 hours.
I know the situation is not ideal, I would prefer to be monitored and have modafinil through the hospital og my psychiatrist, but that is not possible.
I chose to buy it from the most expensive and trusted vendor, but I know that it’s no guarantee.
I have tried all other kinds of antidepressant and antipsychotics for my negative symptoms and I’m running out of options.
Crossed fingers that I at least can reduce my exhaustion and other negative symptoms.
Before Modafinil I used to have to have three cups of coffee in the morning before I could do anything. Now for personal reasons I don’t drink coffee or tea anymore, but Modafinil gives me the ability to wake up and focus where as coffee used to make me feel jittery but not focused.
Thanks for the warning, it was from the most reccomended and expensive site, but i know thats no guarantee. They offer my money back if the package is delayed etc. But buyign from such sources is always a bad thing to do, but i was desperate enough. I can’t reccomend others to do the same