[costello]

My son had his first appointment with his new pdoc yesterday. He met with my son alone first, then asked me to come in to help fill in background.

I really liked him, but then I knew I would. He wants to use alternatives in addition to or instead of medications. He doesn't like Zyprexa and thinks the dosage is way too high. He wants to begin lowering the dose gradually. My son seems opposed to that which surprised me. But my son also says he can't tell the difference between how he is on Zyprexa and off. Believe me it's night and day. I don't understand why he doesn't want to lower the dosage, if he doesn't see that it's doing any good for him.

He asked my son to read a book by a researcher named Ilardi. http://www.amazon.com/Depression-Cur...5&sr=8-1-spell The book is about depression not psychosis, but the new pdoc thinks it will be useful for my son. It's about natural ways to manage mental health.

He told my son to start taking fish oil, exercise, and begin looking for a job or volunteer work - something to keep him from just sitting around with his own thoughts and living in his head.

He gave him a dx of bipolar.

My son told the pdoc he just wants to be able to sort out what's real from what's not. The doctor was so sympathetic and kind. I do hope this will work out.

After the appointment my son said he wanted to stop all mental health services except the meds. This strikes fear into my heart, because I know he'll quit the meds cold turkey eventually. I'd much rather work with a doc to gradually reduce the dose and try alternatives. I just don't want him to crash again.

[Carole07]

Hi Costello,

I find it very interesting that the doctor diagnosed your son with bipolar. Since you live with your son every day, what do you believe about his diagnosis? Do you believe this to be an acurate depiction of what he has. I'm glad that your son does not want to stop the meds, but I think that he has to see a doctor in order to continue taking them, don't you think? I sure do hope that he does not crash again while the dose of Zyprexa is being lowered. This can happen sometimes. I wish you and your son well.

Sincerely,
Carole

[costello]

Originally Posted by Carole07

I find it very interesting that the doctor diagnosed your son with bipolar. Since you live with your son every day, what do you believe about his diagnosis? Do you believe this to be an acurate depiction of what he has.

If you'd have asked me the same question five years ago, I would have said it's definitely bipolar. There was a tremendous mood aspect to what he was experiencing. As time went by it seemed like the mood part disappeared.

I also have a couple of cousins dx'd with bipolar, and tons of relatives with depression, alcoholism, and even a few suicides. I realize those can be associated with sz too, but there does seem to be mood issues in both my parents' families.

The doctor said that the diagnoses are just labels for convenience. My son has been labeled - at various times - bp II, paranoid sz, and psychosis, nos. I'm thinking the doctor has to give him a label and bipolar is the least stigmatizing.

I'm glad that your son does not want to stop the meds, but I think that he has to see a doctor in order to continue taking them, don't you think?

Yes, I always point that out to him when he gets in these moods.

I sure do hope that he does not crash again while the dose of Zyprexa is being lowered. This can happen sometimes.

Yep, that's always a risk.

[KUREHA]

Glad it went okay

[costello]

He had his second appointment yesterday. He asked me to come into the meeting.

I really, really like this doctor. He's working on the meds, but he's not all about the meds. For example, when my son started talking about this gf who hurt him so much and said that he thought of her as his wife and now she's his ex-wife, the doc didn't say, "Oh, you're delusional, you need more meds, let's up the dose." He just talked to my son about how painful it is when a relationship ends and how it's better to face the pain and work through it than to make up a fantasy. (I've noticed my son's tendency to do this. When someone does something hurtful to him, he doesn't think, "Wow! That hurts!" Instead he tries to think of a less-hurtful reason that the person did that. The longer he thinks about it and speculates about it, the further he drifts from what really happened. Finally he's created an entire fantasy that is only tangentially related to reality. Then he believes that version of reality and acts like it's real. Then when he talks about it with other people - saying things like he has a wife, of example - people act like he's crazy. But he's just fallen into a mental trap while trying to keep himself safe from pain.)

He's all about getting my son busy - with a job or school - so he doesn't spend so much time alone with his thoughts. He talked about the days when people were sent to the state hospital and lived there for years. So many never got out. But they noticed a few people were getting better and getting out. So they looked at those patients to see what they were doing differently. Turns out they were staying up and helping the janitorial staff. This gave them social contact with tolerant and accepting people and work to do that they could feel good about and take pride in.

He said my son really needs to get out and socialize. He said he knows sometimes it's painful, especially when he acts odd sometimes and people aren't accepting of odd behavior, but he needs to push past that reluctance and get out there and hang out with people.

He also needs people to call when he finds himself ruminating. The doc says he should have a list of people who he can call and chat with when he starts getting lost in his thoughts. When he calls the people, he should not talk about the ruminations but about something else.

I'm just very happy with this doctor. He really has a balanced view of meds. He doesn't demonize them, but he considers them one tool amongst many.

[KUREHA]

It's good that he has a doctor like that.

My doctor doesn't give out meds like it's candy either - only if it's needed.
My last doctor wouldn't let me leave without a prescription - but I told him stuff I shouldn't - he was ok, but a lot more pro meds.