Trying to figure out my diagnosis and Hi!!!

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I suffer from some form of Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective Just wondering what the major differences between the two are? Nice to be on the forum and look forward to chatting with everyone :blush::slightly_smiling_face:

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Hello! Welcome to thre forum!

The main difference between schizophrenia and schizoaffective is that schizoaffective is psychosis that includes a mood disorder. Generally, someone with schizoaffective will bounce between that diagnosis and bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is psychosis that occurs only during mood swings, and schizoaffective disorder is psychosis occurring independently from a comorbid mood disorder. Schizophrenia is just the psychosis, with no mood disorder. Of the three, bipolar and schizoaffective tend to have better prognoses than schizophrenia, but it all depends heavily on the individual.

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Thanks for the prompt response and glad to be here!! The reason I ask is because my original diagnosis was schizoaffective then it was changed, now my psychiatrist is thinking of changing it back??? Also I take 2 different antidepressants? Thanks

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hi dominic, welcome to the forum, my diagnosis was changed recently too, its a bit crazy lol

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Schizoaffective is basically schizophrenia with either bipolar or depression.
I’m just simplifying it.

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Thanks for the clarification! And thank you both…!!!:thinking::slightly_smiling_face:

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Actually the pdoc is trying to figure it out for sure mine is unspecified!

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Thanks for the welcome :pray:I greatly appreciate it!

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Hi thanks for the clarification I have had some real ups and downs recently. Also I was able to check my records online and it says schizoaffective. I understand it still schizophrenia just a subcategory of it. I just wonder if I might need a mood stabilizer. I will talk to my doctor and also I was recently prescribed gabapentin for anxiety. It is helping but it has been a real adjustment!! Thanks again for the welcome…support is great…

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Hi, hope they get it figured out.

Mine was pd. sz. from the beginning, never changed.

but I also started having panic attacks.

My mood is flat. if you feel that, maybe not schizoaffective.

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Thanks I am ultimately leaving it up to my doctor. I am not sure if it is flat or depressed, and yes I have panic attacks too! How do you deal with them?

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2 propranolol a day

2 buspirone a day

so, 4 pills

I’m usually wrong about something when they happen
once I thought someone stole my cart with my purse it in Target
I really went crazy and made a complete fool out of myself
but looking back, there was a precusor in the car, terrible heart pain and stress
over the weather

once I lost my disabled son in the mall, went crazy then again
found him sitting alone in the food court, got down on knees and hugged
him like no tomorrow

If Phil and I fight or he gets on my case about something over nothing
once he came after me with a pillow and kept hitting me over the head with it and
driving home, I didn’t think I was going to make it, and almost pulled into the ER
off the highway, the heart pain was unreal

If I drink too much caffeine I might have one or if I’m in claustophobic places
or high people areas

other times, if I’ve been working too much, it hits me out of the blue,
a job I had working Thurs. thru Sun. I got one on Sun. mid shift
and I had to leave and went to the ER

all tests come out fine on my heart

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WOW :open_mouth:! Thanks for the info! I have so many of those same symptoms! Scared to death of propranolol though. I took it once and thought my heart was going to stop!! I guess everyone reacts differently. I take 1.25mg of clonazepam a day as well. Awesome to know I am not alone!

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