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Recognizing Schizophrenia
Only a doctor—usually a psychiatrist—can diagnose and treat schizophrenia. However, there are no medical tests to diagnose schizophrenia. Doctors make a diagnosis based on:
- Symptoms of schizophrenia that patients are exhibiting—often both "positive" and "negative" in nature
- A complete history of past symptoms, medical history and lifestyle—obtained from patients and family members
Once a diagnosis is made the physicians will work with their patients to find the right treatment for managing "positive" and "negative" symptoms of schizophrenia. What are these symptoms exactly? You’ll find a list of symptoms of schizophrenia below.
"Positive" Symptoms of Schizophrenia
"Positive" symptoms are psychological disturbances "added" as a result of the disorder, and include:
- Hallucinations—disturbed perceptions of reality, often described by family and friends as a wild imagination. The perceptions are sensory, and can involve sound, sight, touch and smell. Hearing voices is the most common type of hallucination among people with schizophrenia
- Delusions—people with schizophrenia may believe that their opinions and beliefs are real when they are not. Paranoid-type delusions can surface as irrational beliefs of being cheated, harassed, or poisoned, or that people are "out to get them." Delusions of grandeur make them believe that they are famous or important. Some people with schizophrenia report bizarre delusions—that a neighbor is controlling their behavior with magnetic waves or that people on television are aiming special messages at them
- Disorganized thinking—the impaired ability to think straight and connect thoughts into logical sequences. Concentration is difficult and people with schizophrenia are often easily distracted. This lack of logical thought process, called thought disorder, can make a conversation very difficult and result in social isolation
- Agitation—often to an extreme degree
"Negative" Symptoms of Schizophrenia
"Negative" symptoms are psychological capabilities the patient has "lost" as a result of the disorder, and include:
- Lack of drive or initiative—a loss of enthusiasm or interest in things
- Social withdrawal—becoming isolated, often preferring their own company and avoiding contact with others. When forced to interact, people with schizophrenia often have nothing to say
- Apathy—appearing totally indifferent to their surroundings with no interest in taking part in things. Motivation can decrease significantly. In severe cases, they can spend entire days doing nothing at all, even neglecting basic hygiene
- Emotional unresponsiveness or blunting—severely reduced emotional expression. For example, people with schizophrenia may speak in a monotonous voice, show little facial expression and appear not to care about their surroundings
Bear in mind that all of the above are symptoms of schizophrenia and are not character flaws or personal weaknesses.
Early Warning Signs of Schizophrenia
If you experience any of the following symptoms for more than two weeks—or if friends or family perceive your behavior to be extreme or unusual—seek medical help immediately. Early warning signs include:
- Hearing or seeing something that isn't there
- A constant feeling of being watched
- Peculiar or nonsensical way of speaking or writing
- Strange posturing
- Feeling indifferent to very important situations
- Deterioration of academic or work performance
- A change in personality
- Increasing withdrawal from social situations
- Irrational, angry or fearful responses to loved ones
- Inability to sleep or concentrate
- Inappropriate or bizarre behavior
Remember that the appearance of these warning signs does not necessarily mean that you have schizophrenia. Only a qualified health professional can make a diagnosis.
INVEGA® (paliperidone) extended-release tablets are used for the treatment of schizophrenia.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR INVEGA
Elderly Patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with atypical antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death compared to placebo. INVEGA (paliperidone) is not approved for the treatment of patients with dementia-related psychosis.
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) is a rare and potentially fatal side effect reported with INVEGA and similar medicines. Call your doctor immediately if the person being treated develops symptoms such as high fever; stiff muscles; shaking; confusion; sweating; changes in pulse, heart rate, or blood pressure; or muscle pain and weakness. Treatment should be stopped if the person being treated has NMS.
One risk of INVEGA is that it may change your heart rhythm. This effect is potentially serious, and you should talk to your doctor about any current or past heart problems. Some medications interact with INVEGA. Please inform your healthcare professional of any medications or supplements that you are taking.
Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) is a serious, sometimes permanent side effect reported with INVEGA and similar medications. TD includes uncontrollable movements of the face, tongue, and other parts of the body. The risk of developing TD and the chance that it will become permanent is thought to increase with the length of therapy and the overall dose taken by the patient. This condition can develop after a brief period of therapy at low doses, although this is much less common. There is no known treatment for TD, but it may go away partially or completely if therapy is stopped.
High blood sugar and diabetes have been reported with INVEGA and similar medications. If the person being treated has diabetes or risk factors such as being overweight or a family history of diabetes, blood sugar testing should be performed at the beginning and throughout treatment with INVEGA. Complications of diabetes can be serious and even life threatening. If signs of high blood sugar or diabetes develop, such as being thirsty all the time, going to the bathroom a lot, or feeling weak or hungry, contact your doctor.
INVEGA and similar medications can raise the blood levels of a hormone known as prolactin, causing a condition known as hyperprolactinemia. Blood levels of prolactin remain elevated with continued use. Some side effects seen with these medications include the absence of a menstrual period; breasts producing milk; the development of breasts by males; and the inability to achieve an erection. The connection between prolactin levels and side effects is unknown.
People with narrowing or blockage of the gastrointestinal tract (esophagus, stomach or small or large intestine) should talk to their healthcare professional before taking INVEGA.
Some people taking INVEGA may feel faint or lightheaded when they stand up or sit up too quickly. By standing up or sitting up slowly and following your healthcare professional's dosing instructions, this side effect may be reduced or it may go away over time.
INVEGA may affect your driving ability; therefore, do not drive or operate machinery before talking to your healthcare professional. Avoid alcohol while on INVEGA.
INVEGA should be used cautiously in people with a seizure disorder, who have had seizures in the past, or who have conditions that increase their risk for seizures.
Extrapyramidal Symptoms (EPS) are usually persistent movement disorders or muscle disturbances, such as restlessness, tremors, and muscle stiffness. If you observe any of these symptoms, talk to your healthcare professional.
Inform your healthcare professional if you are pregnant or if you are planning to get pregnant while taking INVEGA. Caution should be exercised when INVEGA is administered to a nursing woman.
INVEGA may affect alertness and motor skills; use caution until the effect of INVEGA is known.
INVEGA may make you more sensitive to heat. You may have trouble cooling off, or be more likely to become dehydrated, so take care when exercising or when doing things that make you warm.
INVEGA should be swallowed whole. Tablets should not be chewed, divided, or crushed. Do not be worried if you see something that looks like a tablet in your stool. This is what is left of the tablet after all the medicine has been released.
The most common side effects that occurred with INVEGA were restlessness and extrapyramidal disorder (for example, involuntary movements, tremors and muscle stiffness).
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You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see the Important Product Information for INVEGA.
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This page was last modified on: Jul 27 2007 at 10:44:23 EDT