[karenftx]

Ok. I see several separate posts, but not all together.

My son is currently residing in a hospital for a suicide attempt. He also had been cutting. The doctor at the hospital he was orignally at said he was borderline schizophrenic.

Anyway, he told me and his docs at the new place that he suffers from paranoia, seeing things, hearing things, low esteem, etc. Just a whole phalax of things.
Knocked me for a loop.

I knew he was on meds but he came home over the weekend for a 24 hour pass (he's on a 90 day committment) and has the following:

Far as I know, he takes them all when he awakes and before bed.

Risperdal- 2 mg- one in am, one pm
Zoloft- 100mg- two in am, two in pm
Trazadone-20mg- one in am, one pm
Lithobid- 300mg- two in am, two in pm

I copied this direct from the bottles they sent home with him. I was reading that some say that you shouldn't take it with others and some have devestating side effects.

He says he's always sleepy, is the only thing I can tell.

What's with all the meds and why so many?

[Azalysa]

I can't speak for the prescriptions specifically for your son, but I can say that prescribing several meds is not unusual - usually one med is for one type of symptom and another for a different symptom. And, as you said, your son has apparently been diagnosed with several illnesses/issues.

Personally, I live with depression/recently re-diagnosed to bipolar and took Zoloft plus Depakote for years with only minor periods (like a couple of days) of depression. The Zoloft is an SSRI anti-depressant and the Depakote was to keep the depression for recyling.

Unfortunately, I am currently having a bad episode (last major one was in 1993) and am on Zoloft, Depakote, Wellbutrin and Lamictal plus Ativan as needed. My doctor is trying to find which med will lift my mood and keep it stabilized.

Hope this helps a little. I am sorry your son is having such a hard time right now.

[DaveyJones]

OK, all the meds...

Lithobid is a time release formulation of lithium carbonate, a naturally occurring salt that is still the best mood stabilizing compound available. It has has been used since the 70's to treat bipolar disorder, particularly the manic phases. It can have side effects that bother some folks, but it is stiil the "gold standard" for mood stabilizers.

Trazodone is an antidepressant that is largely used to aid sleep. 20 mg twice a day is a very small dose, and was probably prescribed as a sedative.

Zololt is one of the older SSRI antidepressants.

Risperdal is an antipsychotic med that is normally used to treat schizophrenia. It, like many of the other antipschotic compounds is often effective in conjunction with lithium in controlling manic states.

So, what the doctor is doing is trying to level your son's mood with lithium and risperdal, help keep him him calm with a bit of Trazodone, and the Zoloft is either to prevent depression, or I think more likely your son presented with a "mixed" state, that is depressed and manic simultaneously.

I have taken (or do take) all these meds (except Risperdal) myself over the past few years...sounds to me like your son has a pretty smart doc!

Good luck!
DJ

[jennie]

doc prescribed all those drugs hoping it will manage all his symptoms.

when someone is hallucinating and suicidal . . . that's a very scary place to be . . . for everyone involved. i'd guess that is why your son is prescribed the Risperdal & Lithobid to protect your son from hurting himself.

why so many meds? that's a good question! psychiatry is far from perfect. most go in with an attitude, "let's try this and see if it works."

maybe for the time being, it's better your son is sleepy than trying to kill himself? hopefully, that is his only side-effect from the drugs so far.

the bottom line is . . . you want your son back . . . you want him safe and happy. healing is a process. keep asking questions. get second, third, fourth opinions in the management of his meds. seek good therapy (non-drug) for him, too (art therapy, anger management, occupational therapy, group therapy, hypnotherapy, stress management, etc.)

(((((((((((huggs to you and your son)))))))))