Paranoid delusions

[Bhj]

Hi. I’ve posted a few times about my psychosis. I’ve been on my fourth anti psychotic, amisulpride 400g for about a month now, no improvement in thoughts. Can anyone tell me an anti psychotic that worked for them where others have failed. Thanks.

My mental health team believe lack of sleep is what triggered my psychosis. When ds was a baby he woke every hour of the night till he was a year old and he would only go back to sleep if I rocked him or bf him. I then made the decision to co-sleep with him and he slept through the night from that moment on. In hindsight I would have co-slept with him much sooner but by the time I’d come to that decision it was too late for my mental health.

Lack of sleep was one of my triggers too... From variable shift patterns and lone working... That's why I'm worried about the newborn stage of a baby. However, I'm much more confident now as I have lots of support in place even before the baby arrives.

That’s good you have lots of support around you when baby’s born. It makes all the difference. I’ve had an ok week so far but getting anxious as it’s half term next week so the dc’s will be off school and I’ll have to stay at home with them as they’re not going to want to get up early and head out every day, they’ll want a couple of relaxing days at home.

My mum was simular, didn't like staying at home, we went to lots of museums and parks but yes, not every day of half term. They're lucky to get out so much when you hear of so many children spending most of their free time at home behind screens.

How is everyone doing? I’ve nearly Made it half way through half term week by keeping busy. Tomorrow’s the first day I will be home after dp goes to work at 8 in morning. I stayed at my sisters last night so I wouldn’t have to be home this morning but I can’t stay out every night. Planning on taking
Kids to zoo tomorrow so will leave about 9.30 but just that hour and half I’ll be home without dp is already making me anxious.

I'm ok ta but felt very paranoid at work yesterday.

Sorry to hear that Tierra. How are you feeling today? I have half an hour before we leave for zoo, anxiety level is very high. Just hope I get through it without any incidents.

Hi hope you got on ok at the zoo.

I was at a friends yesterday so was fine until her husband came home then was worried about what he thought about me which is stupid of me as he's a nice bloke really.

We had a good day at the zoo thanks. Just tomorrow to get through now then I’ll have survived the half term. That’s a shame you were having thoughts what he thought of you, I’ve been
there, I used to think every toddler group I
Took ds to that everyone there were
Talking about me and it even put me off taking him some days. I’ve just got home
Just in time, the thunderstorm has arrived.

Hello, I've not been online much over half term, seen family lots and generally been feeling really good and felt a bit surreal and the lack of routine and changing plans has stressed me a bit. My medication has helped me sleep well and feel really healthy which not many women in late pregnancy could say. I am glad my pregnancy is nearly over, but at the same time have so much left to do and organise. Next nct course is Sunday. They are really good but an extra stress, worrying what everyone thinks of me/us. They all seem nice but I'm not very good at group discussions, trying not to obsess over the classes... Esspesally as I signed up for the social aspect and have the pressure of these people becoming 'lifelong friends'.

Well done on going to the group. I could never bring myself to go when I was pregnant but wish I had because it’s so good to have people around you that understand what you’re going through and can relate to you.

Thanks bhj, as I've allready had mental health issues before I was pregnant I have been quite pushed to do things like classes... If I didn't show that I was working on myself then I'd get extra support from social services which my dh which could but a strain on my relationship and make me more paranoid... I'm too much of a control freak. When I said I'd signed up for classes my midwife relaxed a bit. I'm most paranoid about my dog being stolen or taken away by the authorities/what neighbours are saying about him... Everyone who meets him says how good he is but it's still at the back of my mind due to him being a large crossbreed and there's a new law come out that it's illigal for a dog to even look intemidating and aggressive, even on private property. It's mostly to protect postmen, my dog has no interest in postmen but they often panic when seeing him...i do need to get a warning sign on the gate... a nice friendly one... It's Merseyside police who handle dogs badly, I'm not in that area and my dog is not dangerous so I know I'm being irrational.

I've signed up to do a mental health course in the local Recovery Education Centre called 'Understanding Unusual Experiences' it's designed to help people like us who get delusional or paranoid or have strange thoughts.

Patients like me can do the course & so can healthcare professionals.

It's in June 21st, my clinical leader gave me the day off so I could attend.

Embrace I understand how you feel about your dog - with my old cat I used to feel paranoid when I let her out.

My new cat seems happy to be an indoor cat although I'm worried as she now has a cough so I'm taking her to the vet today.

That sounds like a good course tierra. My dog is an on lead dog, I feel guilty that he doesn't have the freedom that other dogs have, and I let other people's opinions get to me but like your cat my dog is happy at home. I tried to sit down and do some depression cbt this but couldn't focus. I've been given some leaflets/workbooks on anxiety, depression and sleep. I've done some on anxiety allready, the sleep was really interesting understanding about the different stages, be useful for my baby too as sleep problems were highlighted as an issue recently, mostly caused by setraline and anxiety over antidepressants and antispchotics. Quetiapine is an effective sedative for me, that was why I took it, allthough It does more than that. A newborn baby may make sleep routines more difficult but we've thought a lot about it and made plans, my family and health professionals understand that I don't cope well with sleep deprivation. I'm thinking that not being pregnant I might be able to nap again like I could before I was pregnant.

I like the sound of that course tierra, I might ask my cpn if there’s anything like that here I can attend. We’ve received lots of information on courses my dp can attend as someone living with a person with psychosis but none actually for me. Embrace, its good that you recognize the importance of sleep now and when the baby arrives. I used to feel really anxious about our pets we
Used to have, especially the hamsters! Now we don’t have any more pets it one less thing for me to worry about.

I allowed my dp to get a new hamster as his died a few months ago! It's the tadpoles now stressing me out as he we got them from my parents pond and he wants them as pets rather than releasing them as frogs! Allthough he's agreed now to release them. It is our bearded dragon I have the most issues with as she scratches at the glass when I'm home alone and she's pooed and I don't want to deal with it and want her rehomed....This hapend when I was pregnant as we know she has carried selmonella in the past (but a strain that does not make humans ill). My husband just says as long as you wash your hands and don't lick or kiss the dragon its fine....I know thats true.... I wanted her more than my DP though so feel more responsible than the hamster. My husband says he'll do all the cleaning but still thinks I should just clean her out as soon as I notice it...It is funny you should mention the hamster as he kept me awake the night before last. The pets are a big reason I don't like being home alone, I should feel glad to have the company but sometimes they are a burden...except the dog, he's lovely. When I'm well I love having the pets around.

Wow it sounds like you have lots of animals to look after. All
Good practice at being responsible for when baby arrives. We
Don’t have any pets at the moment, maybe if we lived in a house with a garden we’d consider getting a dog but being in a flat it’s not an option at the moment.

We always wanted a dog, got other animals instead, before we moved to a house and got a dog. I'd hate to become an animal hoarder and not properly look after the animals, it's manageable but my dh likes staying at home more than me. It's when I'm off sick or on maternity leave I get fraustrated as I know I should be doing the maintenance and care but would rather be relaxing or doing things out and around.

How's everyone doing today, I forget to take some medicine before my evening nct class yesterday but only realised the time at 930 and wasn't feeling as anxious as I normally do in the evenings. I realised as they were discussing mental health and I was just staring at the postnatal psychosis which they just touched on as it's rare. I knew it all so zoned out, then realised it was passed medicine time. Then we had a relaxation session, which I always find awkward but was nicer this time than last time. The dads to be were discussing mental health while we discussed physical health so I didn't have much time to get worked up about it and my dh said it was good. I didn't take my meds until nearly midnight in the end as I was just relaxing on the sofa. Slept like a log but it messed up my routine and I didn't take my morning iron until midday when my legs were feeling crampy. Haven't done much today, but had nothing planned, been quite relaxing.

I find if I take my meds later than 9pm in the evening I am sooo tired the next morning. I struggle to get up 7.30 in the morning as it is. It’s great you’re going to these classes, I regret not going when I was pregnant. I haven’t been up to much today, just been round my sisters helping her with some gardening.

After trying different timings for my medication I find 9pm best for me too. I wasn't too bothered last night as I knew I had nothing planned today. But I did feel groggy into the early afternoon and disappointed that I'd wasted a lovely cool and sunny morning.

I'm quite strict on when I take my meds it's 6am & 6pm, otherwise I'm too tired in the morning.

But then I'm on epilepsy meds too which are quite sedating.

I used to be really strict when I was on meds before but I've struggled with these so still working out the best routine. Also my daily routine is a bit non exisitant at the moment, need to plan a bit more structure in my life, mental health team says it's important

I often push myself too much and try to have too many different projects running at the same time... I've just heard a number of senior colleagues have resigned so I could apply for the posts... I'd be in a higher position if it wasn't for my mental health issues... But I'm about to have a baby so really don't need to but... When I'm in a good place mentally there aren't vacancies and I get bored... I'm also concidering getting a more flexible job, possibly agency work...allthough I have a stable, well paid job I am good at waiting for me after mat leave. Promotion would be more stress, learning and pressure to pick up extra Shifts...not really what I should be thinking about 5 weeks before birth, allthough for me focusing just on the baby is not good for my mental health as I worry. I could instead think about hobbies rather than work though.