New Diagnosis On Hold?

My therapist and I were talking about my diagnosis today. I just saw my psychiatrist last week, too, and she didn't mention my diagnosis. It previously had been schizoaffective bipolar type since November last year. (This was given to me by my old psychiatrist/nurse practitioner.) Now, my chart says "Unspecified psychosis, rule out bipolar". Huh. That's even MORE of a head-scratcher! Its been there a while, apparently, but it seems like a transient diagnosis. When exactly will she rule it out? And if she does, will I have to change the name of my blog? Ha! Its just sitting there for now, making it seem like I have a psychosis NOS diagnosis. Bipolar 1 and schizoaffective aren't all that different, so it just is interesting to see my diagnosis change.

Whatever they I am reminded by a good friend that I am still me. That makes me happy.

In November 2013 I wrote another post on this topic with more details.

Here is an older post I put up about being schizoaffective: New Diagnosis, November 2013

New Diagnosis? Schizoaffective Bipolar type

I saw my pdoc today. I didn't think I had much to say, since the zyprexa seems to be doing its job. I'm improved over last time I saw her two weeks ago. I'm still having hallucinations of cats, though. One moment they are there and the next they are gone. So when I checked out, I got the printout that reminds me of when my next appointment is. Printed in amongst my info was "Diagnoses associated with this visit: Schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type. Anxiety disorder". Never has she mentioned this before! And the anxiety? Yes I've had a lot lately but I don't remember telling her about it? So odd... So now I'm BP1 with schizoaffective? Or is this just for this one visit? I'm confused. Schizoaffective is when you hallucinate outside of a mood episode, I think. I wish they'd be something more entertaining than cats. Zyprexa is doing its job, that's for sure. Puh. Still miss my hallucinations. EDIT: Here on May 18, 2014, my diagnosis is still Schizoaffective, bipolar type. (There is also depressive type.)

Schizoaffective Disorder

From the link: Schizoaffective disorder (abbreviated as SZA or SAD ) is a mental disorder characterized by abnormal thought processes and deregulated emotions.[1][2] The diagnosis is made when the patient has features of both schizophrenia and a mood disorder—either bipolar or depression—but does not strictly meet diagnostic criteria for either alone.[1][2] The bipolar type is distinguished by symptoms ofmania, hypomania, or mixed episodes; the type by symptoms of depression is exclusive.[1][2] Common signs of the disorder include hallucinations, paranoid delusions, and disorganized speech and thinking.[3] The onset of symptoms usually begins in young adulthood, currently with an uncertain lifetime prevalence because the disorder was redefined, but DSM-IV prevalence estimates were less than 1 percent of the population, in the range of 0.5 to 0.8 percent.[4] Diagnosis is based on observed behavior and the patient's reported experiences.

Schizoaffective disorder is defined by mood disorder-free psychosis in the context of a long-term psychotic and mood disorder.[2] Psychosis must meet criterion A for schizophrenia which may include delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, thinking or behavior and negative symptoms.[2] Both delusions and hallucinations are classic symptoms of psychosis.[9] Delusions are false beliefs which are strongly held despite evidence to the contrary.[9] Beliefs should not be considered delusional if they are in keeping with cultural beliefs. Delusional beliefs may or may not reflect mood symptoms (for example, someone experiencing depression may or may not experience delusions of guilt). Hallucinations are disturbances in perception involving any of the five senses, although auditory hallucinations (or "hearing voices") are the most common.[9] A lack of responsiveness or negative symptoms include alogia (lack of spontaneous speech), blunted affect (reduced intensity of outward emotional expression), avolition (loss of motivation), and anhedonia (inability to experience pleasure).[9] Negative symptoms can be more lasting and more debilitating than positive symptoms of psychosis.

Mood symptoms are of mania, hypomania, mixed episode, or depression, and tend to be episodic rather than continuous. A mixed episode represents a combination of symptoms of mania and depression at the same time. Symptoms of mania include elevated or irritable mood, grandiosity (inflated self-esteem), agitation, risk-taking behavior, decreased need for sleep, poor concentration, rapid speech, and racing thoughts.[9] Symptoms of depression include low mood, apathy, changes in appetite or weight, disturbances in sleep, changes in motor activity, fatigue, guilt or worthlessness, and suicidal thinking.

You can see how this is very similar to bipolar 1, but at the same time, it is different, especially when it comes to hallucinations. I still believe this is my true diagnosis, even though my new psychiatrist just has me down for a psychotic disorder not otherwise specified.