Hello everybody

[Droopy]

I haven't been in here too much lately because as big Dick Cheney would say, "I had other priorities." The difference between me and big Dick, though, is that I was actually doing something important. At the beginning of the year I lost a full day's pay off of my pay check every week. Since February, when I realized that I was going to go broke if I didn't do something, I've been looking for another job and trying to get extra work at my current employer. It's not all been work, though. I also discovered a few people who have the same illness that I do. I have been conversing with them via e-mail and we have become friends. The only problem is that they live on the other side of the country from me. But I may get to visit one of them in the near future as she is coming to my area to look at an archeological display.

When we started this group we had a thread where people would list their diagnosis and treatment. People have come and gone since then so I thought it would be good to have another thread like that. If you would, list your diagnosis and treatment (be it meds, talk therapy or alternative methods) below. Also explain your illness a little for those of us who may not be aware of the symptoms.

I have schizoaffective disorder. It is an illness where the afflicted have symptoms of both manic-depression and schizophrenia. When I am suffering from my symptoms I can be either psychotic, manic or depressed and most of the time either psychotic and manic or psychotic and depressed. I take Geodon (anti-psychotic) Lithium (mood stabilizer) and Wellbutrin (anti-depressant) for my treatment. I have to go to see the psychiatrist 4 times a year for my prescriptions and check-ups and I have to get my blood tested 2-3 times a year to check to see if I have the appropriate levels of lithium in my blood. My psychiatrist would also like to see me going to a psychologist, but my insurance only covers half the cost of a visit and I can't afford it right now. But I'm really doing ok with just the drug therapy. I've been well for almost 2 years now despite a scare that I might have epilepsy.

Your turn :)

[EFerrari]

1. Hey, Droopy, I'll step up!

First, thank you so much for this forum. There really is nothing like talking to people who've spent some time in your shoes.

First, the way my life is live-able is for me to take my situation and my husband's and think of them together.

I have PTSD. My mom went through terrible alcoholism when I was a kid, and I was the house adult from 11-17. Also, I believe that there are bi-polar tendencies in my family. I've never wallpapered the ceiling at 4 in the morning, but I wouldn't rule it out either :)

So, that's me.

When I was in my late 30s, I married one of my oldest friends. He had undiagnosed Borderline Personality Disorder, is somewhere on the autism spectrum, diabetic and has hypertension. Whew! I knew none of that when we got married.

Funny, because he'd been going to a doctor for "depression" and he went out of his way to let me know everything about himself before we committed. Well, he told me everything he knew.

It's been real.

Doug is currently on Geodon (thank you, Universe!), an antidepressant, a mood stabilizer, a minor tranq in addition to diabetic meds and meds for his blood pressure. We have to tinker with his meds about every month. But before he was on Geodon, he life hung in the balance due to outbursts of fear and then, violence.

Since his meds have been better, no decompensation in more than three years.

I'm on an antidepressant (prozac) and a bit of Klonopin to calm down the buzzyness of the antidep. Unlike Doug, every month or so, I worry about money and believe I should try to cut back my meds. Nope.

That's us. I feel we're really lucky as initially, everyone told both of us we were hopeless, together or apart. They were probably right, just not for us. But then, we're REALLY stubborn sumuvabitches :)

We took the whole situation on and decided we could do better. Today is one of those better days.

Here's to knowing what you know, sticking up for you and yours and spreading the word: It can not only get better, it can get good.

:toast:

[sans qualia]

2. Full disclosure

Good morning all. Um, since I didn't post in the first thread, and since I cerainly wouldn't want anyone to think I was hiding anything, here is me.

My diagnosis is still a matter of contention. Pretty much every psychologist/therapist/psychiatrist/whatever I've ever seen has diagnosed me with depression, so that much seems clear. Many of them, especially recently, have also diagnosed me with borderline personality disorder. Two of my parents disagree, though. They insist that I have Asperger's syndrome. Which is kinda strange, since it's not as though the two have that many overlapping characteristics. For the record, I disagree with the latter diagnosis.

And then there's the whole gender thing... uh, to put it briefly, prior to last September, I was a boy. Kinda. I'm of the opinion that this unfortunate circumstance led to the social isolation that, in turn, led to the Asperger's misdiagnosis.

As for treatment, I'm not getting any right now. As, um, some of you may be aware, I've had some unpleasant experiences with doctors and whatnot recently, so I've decided to give it a rest for the moment. With the exception of last week's bloody encounter with a broken disposable razor, I seem to be doing ok so far... but who knows, maybe tomorrow I'll be suicidal again. I guess that means my life is exciting...