Schizophrenia or Depression

My husband has been diagnosed as being Schizo-Affective.  We did not see a manic episode until he was well into his 30's and had been ill since his teens.  During the last two years he has been on countless anti-depressants including almost if not all SSRI's and other types as well.  He has been on perphenazine, Zyprexa, Risperdol, and Seroquel etc. etc. His psychiatrist doesn't really like to use a term to treat his illness, but prefers to treat the presenting symptoms. We both like this approach because we understand that psychiatry is not an absolute science.

The problem we are faced with is this:  His present symptoms could be caused either from depression or from the negative effects of schizophrenia.  At this point we are becoming desperate as things have been going wrong for over 2 years.  
The doctor is thinking that perhaps ECT might be a good option as none of the anti depressants or anti-psychotics have been sucessful in treating anything and he feels it might be safer that the clozaril only because of its potentially serious side effects.  I have done a lot of reading on the side effects of both, but I am looking for another professional opinion.

[HFHS MD - RG]

ECT may be a good option to treat severe depression. ECT is quite limited to treat schizophrencis but are used effectively in small percentage particularly those with catatonic type characterized as purposeless motoric activity, extreme negativism - motiveless resistance to all instructions or mustism, echolalia - repeating another's person's speech.

Clozaril is another antipsychotic with good efficacy. Its potential side effect of agranulocytosis seldom-rare happens. If  it does, withdrawal of Clozaril results in improvement of the blood indices.

In addition, both treatments are deemed safe with proper monitoring

It would be difficult for me to give you a recommendation on which treatment modality would be best suited for your husband without a thorough evaluation. A second opinion may be beneficial  to determine if his symptoms are caused by depression or pychosis to decide as to which treatment is better.

[Terri]

My question is is schizophrenia disorder ever passed down from one generation to the next and if so are there tests to find out before you have children.Like my son is engaged to a girl who's father has this disorder and without medicine has out brakes of temper fits, it was told to us that as a child he drank a pint of turepentine and almost died it was reported that after that time he went through a personality change could this have contribited to this disorder????? and could this girl have this problem????????  we are real concern...... Thank-you