Is it linked?

I was told I have DD last year and have been on meds for it. I always believe I have early schizophrenia but waiting for a proper diagnosis.

Lately I've developed irrational fears of stupid things! I stopped using my hairdryer because the sound of it made me think it would blow up in my hand and take my hand with it. Someone bought me a new one in the hope it would help but I still struggle to use it. I have to have it on the lowest setting so it's not as loud and have headphones in to try and block the noise out.

Other one is the microwave. Everytime I put something in it I get so worried there's going to be sparks and that it will blow up and give me some kind of radiation poisoning or kill me. I have to stop things in there about every 10 seconds to check all is ok, or I will leave the room and sit huddled in the corner waiting for the *ping* noise. I needed to warm some milk up recently, searched for a "microwave safe" mug, put it in but I just couldn't bring myself to start the microwave. I got the mug out several times to check the underneath and that it said it was safe, but still I couldn't switch it on.

I don't know what's happening to me butit's really having a massive impact on my life now! Could it be linked or is it likely to be another psychotic trait?

Thanks.

Hi Missy,
I'm sorry you are having symptoms. Have you told your psychiatrist about these things? Maybe they can help by either adjusting your medication or talking about these fears with you. Sounds like it is impacting your way of life. Hope that helps.
Sunny

Thanks for replying.

I'm seeing my psych next week. I've told him before about these fears but he wasn't interested in talking about it. They're really starting to affect my life now.

I'm worried it might be my Quetiapine. I got started on it when I was in a psych hosp in Sept last year and that was the time these fears started. I'm just scared of being weaned off the med to start a new one, then not knowing if the new one will help. Plus, the Quetiapine has given me relief from the voices for the first time in 10 years! I really don't want them to come back. I SH'ed all the time quite badly as well while having the voices, not to mention the countless OD's and I don't want to be like that again.

I don't know how to stop the fear and anxiety. I know I'm being stupid but I can't shut it off. Annoying!

*Missy* wrote:I was told I have DD last year and have been on meds for it. I always believe I have early schizophrenia but waiting for a proper diagnosis.

Lately I've developed irrational fears of stupid things! I stopped using my hairdryer because the sound of it made me think it would blow up in my hand and take my hand with it. Someone bought me a new one in the hope it would help but I still struggle to use it. I have to have it on the lowest setting so it's not as loud and have headphones in to try and block the noise out.

Other one is the microwave. Everytime I put something in it I get so worried there's going to be sparks and that it will blow up and give me some kind of radiation poisoning or kill me. I have to stop things in there about every 10 seconds to check all is ok, or I will leave the room and sit huddled in the corner waiting for the *ping* noise. I needed to warm some milk up recently, searched for a "microwave safe" mug, put it in but I just couldn't bring myself to start the microwave. I got the mug out several times to check the underneath and that it said it was safe, but still I couldn't switch it on.

I don't know what's happening to me butit's really having a massive impact on my life now! Could it be linked or is it likely to be another psychotic trait?

Thanks.

Your psychiatrist, you mean? Or psychologist?

Generally, a psychiatrist won't increase a person's dose or change their medications unless you're having annoying breakthrough symptoms over several appointments. They generally want to push you to use your self help skills first. And that's good.

If you're keeping a symptom diary, you may actually find a pattern, such as before a hospitalization, you had certain symptoms. These are called 'relapse signs' and once you know what they are, you can push your doc to prescribe to prevent a relapse. Since most people actually have few relapses, that's often hard to track. But the same effort can work well, for catching milder increases of symptoms too.

It could be anxiety, or psychotic symptoms, or both, mixed.

I don't think it's due to quetiapine. It's actually rather good for treating anxiety and psychotic symptoms.

My guess is you just need a little dose adjustment, and aren't taking quite enough.

If you are diagnosed with delusional disorder and actually have or are developing schizophrenia, the treatment is basically the same, same medications, and dose is always tailored to the individual anyway.

When you're taking medication and your symptoms are getting cooled down by it, you're lessening the term long impact of schizophrenia or delusional disorder, on your brain, and creating for yourself, a life in which you manage your illness, instead of it managing you. antipsychotic medication does protect brain cells long term. Letting the symptoms roll, does not.

Just make sure you talk to your doctor about getting the right amount of medication - it needs to be enough that your symptoms aren't disrupting your life, which they are, at this point.

Also work on your skills, and communicate your fears to those around you who can help to reassure you. When you're on the right amount of medication, you can't expect to never have a single symptom - what medication does is make it so you can receive comfort, support and use your own skills, and the symptoms quiet down. Without medication these self care steps just don't work well enough.

You're always going to need your own self help skills (like head phones for using the hairdryer, which is brilliant, but maybe you could towel dry some), but when they just can't do the job and you're suffering, I have to ask myself, is this person simply on too low a dose of medication. It's worth talking to your doc about it.

Some self help steps -

-Seeking reassurance, comfort and kindness from others
-Reality testing (will the mug blow up in the microwave? ask someone)
-Try to stick to a routine and remind yourself of any changes coming up - put events on a calendar and plan ahead.
-Reducing sensory flooding - when there are a million things going on, reduce how much sensory information you're getting - turn down the tv, talk to one person at a time, take a break by yourself in a quiet room, etc.

Thanks for the reply.

Yeah, I see a psychiatrist. Next appt is next week.

These irrational fears started after I started Quetiapine. I've written down every time I've had these fears and what it was about and the only pattern is they happen every time I use the object in question.

I try and rationalise it in my head but the irrational side of me wins usually resulting me being in a panicked state. Sometimes even just thinking about using a microwave can bring on anxiety.

My dose has been increased several times since my admission and I have found it incredibly helpful with the voices, paranoia and delusions but I agree that it could probably be increased some more. Luckily I'm not on the highest dose yet.

I'm determined to make him listen to me this time as the last appt was about the voices etc and my eating but now this is the main thing that's bothering me and causing me distress.

I'll just have to see how I get on next week, but I can't carry on with these stupid fears. Everything else MH wise has massively improved which I'm so thankful for.

Thanks again.

Do you keep a symptom diary? It can be a very good tool for improving medication management and communicating with your psychiatrist.

I did used to write down every time it happened, how I felt, what the object I was in contact was etc but there was no pattern apart from the fact that I felt the panic when I used the object.

*Missy* wrote:I did used to write down every time it happened, how I felt, what the object I was in contact was etc but there was no pattern apart from the fact that I felt the panic when I used the object.

I think that was a really good idea - to write symptoms down. Maybe you could start doing that again.

Generally, you'll find you get more symptoms when you're getting sensory flooding, when your routine is changed, etc. That's when the brain gets hyper-alert.

You know this May really be off-base and out of left field, but I remember reading somewhere that antipsychotics can, in some cases, trigger OCD symptoms. Go figure, because they're sometimes also used to treat OCD.

I'm just bringing it up because your symptoms sound more like OCD-ish anxiety to me than paranoia or delusions, and it might be worth mentioning to your psychiatrist.

angelina4 wrote:You know this May really be off-base and out of left field, but I remember reading somewhere that antipsychotics can, in some cases, trigger OCD symptoms. Go figure, because they're sometimes also used to treat OCD.

I'm just bringing it up because your symptoms sound more like OCD-ish anxiety to me than paranoia or delusions, and it might be worth mentioning to your psychiatrist.

Respectfully, I disagree.

It's not possible for an antipsychotic to CAUSE psychotic symptoms or symptoms of OCD. Antipsychotics reduce both those types of symptoms.

HOWEVER....one medication could be less effective than another, for that individual person.

I could actually go on medication B and get more or stronger symptoms, than I got on medication A. That doesn't mean medication B is CAUSING the symptoms - making them occur.

It's a bit like having a tension head ache, vs a migraine or cluster head ache, which is vascular/inflammatory.

I could, in fact, take Tylenol for a migraine head ache, and have it do absolutely nothing for my head ache. It isn't causing the head ache, or even, worsening it, but it definitely isn't what I need for this head ache.

It's about finding what you need.

Every antipsychotic works slightly differently. The key is finding the one that works for you.

Seroquel, for example, is designed to not create side effects by 'hopping' from one neuroreceptor to another, that works well for many people. Abilify has a slightly different action - it only blocks receptors of nerve cells that are getting really pounded on. The rest it 'weakly allows' to do their thing. This works well for many people.

The key is finding which one works best for the individual. If a person is on a medication that isn't as effective for him or her, it's time to make a change to a different med.