Thank you Kirin.

Always remember to talk to your prescriber before taking them though Ava. Some natural medications can have a negative effect on your medications. As Kita said, it can have some bad effects.

How's life, Poet?

You are very welcome Kit.

Kita - It's going, doing as it pleases... hoping it takes a nap soon.
Yourself?

I finally got finished, Poet *whew*

Poet:: I just got back from my normal trip to see family, my grandma was really sick, but they told us she probably had 6 months in June so I was planning on going back at Christmas time, to hopefully see her at Christmas. But the Tuesday before last she got bad and they said now, 2 weeks, so I'm without money to fly back so my mom and brother are driving here to get me in a couple days and I'm just praying she hangs on that long. SO I'm under a lot of stress which is setting off my back pain and just compounding everything else. I dislike when things come out of the blue like this, it throws everything off for me. And I'm really close to my grandmother. And I'm angry that my aunt knew the doctors gave her two weeks ON that Tuesday, she was there, but she didn't tell my mom or the rest of our family until just a few days ago on Wednesday. So I'm rushing around trying to get my medical stuff sorted (I have meds I can't fill out of state) and I'm so frustrated because if I had KNOWN, I would already be there, and if my grandma dies before I can be with her, its gonna take so much strength not to punch my aunt in the face as soon as I see her. Or go for a kick to her knee, since that's a weak spot.

That sounds pretty stressful
My grandma asked them to unplug her. Was hard.

Hopefully you make it in time and you can see her. Meds like that can be troublesome, I hope you can get it all worked out.

I hope all works out for you, Kit.

that's a hard one, Poet.

Originally Posted by Ava The Vampire

I think it's just PMS on steroids for me,
If I could find something to help right before my period, that would be great. I see my psychiatrist this week, so hopefully he will have something to add to it.
I don't really like the idea of more medications on top of the ones I already take...

There's not really anything wrong with my period, it's just the week before,
Poet says it's because of a drop in Estrogen before my period starts and I think if I could just keep the Estrogen level for that week or two before my period, that would be great.

I think what salvete suggested could work, but like Poet said, it's hard to remember to take meds every day. Even the ones I take I don't always remember to take.

I had a past psychiatrist put me on Zoloft for PMS as I used to get so out of control that week before my period, but it just made things much, much worse as I don't have depression. I could ask my psychiatrist about what he would recommend.

Maybe you should have some blood levels drawn during the week before your expected period and see if you might need to increase your regular meds during that week or maybe add something during that week.
Lots of women are affected during the week before their periods by depression and mood swings and other mental conditions....you are just as unique as any other woman and have your own individual side affects that need to be addressed accordingly.
I hope you and your doc can figure this out and come to a conclusion that will help you out...
Maybe this has been part of your problem all along and nobody thought about it before.
Wouldn't it be great if a simple adjustment of meds once a month evened things out for you?
I will be interested in knowing what your doc thinks about this theory!
(((((Big Hugs))))) for Ava!

*huggles the thread*

Originally Posted by The Wandering Poet

Always remember to talk to your prescriber before taking them though Ava. Some natural medications can have a negative effect on your medications. As Kita said, it can have some bad effects.

yes this is true

It is very true.

I am seeing my therapist on Wednesday and my psychiatrist on Friday, (I believe?) so I will bring up the new concerns with the both of them.
Although, I think I will get a better response from my psychiatrist than my therapist.

Oh, I didn't think about that, Kitami
I usually have a harder time the week before my period. It definitely feels like PMS on steroids, I get so angry and the voices get much worse. It feels like the world just gets so much scarier during that week. I can't really describe it.
So far I haven't had any interactions with my medications, but then I don't really take any supplements or anything like that. If I want to get certain vitamins or achieve an end goal of, say, more iron, instead of taking an iron pill, I try to find (vegetarian) foods that are high in iron and I just eat a lot of those. I take a sleeping pill, but sometimes that doesn't work so instead of taking melatonin pills I try to find foods that are high in melatonin or I just stay awake until I eventually fall asleep. :s

@Inzane
Because I take two antipsychotic medications I have to have my blood drawn every time I see my psychiatrist (once a month). My bloods usually come back alright. I will ask about having my medication adjusted for each month. It shouldn't be too difficult to manage.

If estrogen is the problem, I googled ways I can naturally increase my estrogen and I might give those a try if my psychiatrist doesn't recommend increasing or changing my meds each month.

Someone else told me that it is pretty rare for females my age to have schizophrenia and she said that because I am "young" that my schizophrenia might be more treatment resistant.

Good luck, Ava *hugs*

Good luck indeed Ava. Keep us updated.

Thanks, friends! :)
I'll definitely let you know what's going on!

we'll keep good thoughts for ya, Ava =3

Ava - Bit of research says this:

Symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions usually start between ages 16 and 30

When was it you were diagnosed?

I was diagnosed at 18, then for a short while my diagnosis changed to Schizoaffective Disorder, then it changed back to Schizophrenia in 2015. I was 20.

Sounds like you were likely within the reasonable age to be diagnosed then. Below the average but within the range.

Yeah, that's what I thought too
I hope that I am not treatment resistant, I do my best to be compliant even though sometimes I forget or when things get bad I just don't want to take my meds.
But I don't want to have to take clozapine. Or worse.... injections!

Well Ava I don't think you are. As your typing and the like has gone back to normal. It seems the meds are functioning as intended again.
Additionally, the paranoia seems to have faded as well, or at the very least is under control.

About compliance, you have shown the ability to actively take your meds. You've also shown the time in which you falter is consistent. So if you can remedy this, then you will have more control over yourself during that time.

taking meds become tedious sometimes...

If taking herbal supplements becomes tedious.