My son has made the last step of his medication

costello · Feb 04, 2015, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sometimes psychotic

Thanks for the update...glad he's still off, I like the PRN option...

I do too. It gives him a chance to try different things and see if they help. You don't have that option as much when you're on the AP all the time.

newtus · Feb 04, 2015, 04:50 PM

thanks for the update Costello. that gives me hope for something that i can do for my future. i hope the best for your son.

insilence · Feb 04, 2015, 04:52 PM

i almost had a heart attack from olanzapine. im on 2.5mg..(honestly 2mg.). from 3mg because i believe it caused my blood pressure to lower. Im also diabetic type2. i would go off of it, but i believe its keeping the crazy voices at bay. i hear voices still, but olanzapine actually had an effect, ive been on haldol, risperdal, zyprexa. none of those worked. but to get the other voices gone i use external blocking methods.

classzback2005 · Feb 06, 2015, 09:58 AM

That is FANTASTIC, my only question is how do you get then to seek the help they so much need?

costello · Feb 19, 2015, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by classzback2005

That is FANTASTIC, my only question is how do you get then to seek the help they so much need?

It's a process. For my son, he just doesn't want his life to fall apart again. He doesn't want to end up in the hospital.

insilence · Feb 19, 2015, 10:30 AM

the hearing cortex is in the middle of the brain below the right/left hemispheres.
MENTALLY FEEL the top of the audio cortex, and pull away from the left/right hemispheres on each side, and back of hearing cortex.
you will notice a click and the sounds should recede.

also do this with the pineal gland, FEEL the LOWER pineal and pull down using your mind as a muscle flexing would.

then pull away the back of the brains audio cortex.

post if it works for you, others need hope.

costello · Feb 19, 2015, 10:36 AM

Another update. I hope it's not too soon after the last one. It's been just over 10 weeks now.

My son seems to be continuing to do well. The melatonin is helping with sleep, so he can avoid the olanzapine PRN. He's getting five hours a night of good quality sleep - 8 pm to 1 am. He's going to experiment with taking a second melatonin pill when he has an early morning waking. If that doesn't work, he'll go to extended release melatonin.

He seldom calls me anymore. In the past I would have assumed that meant he wasn't doing well. This time, though, when he does call, he sounds good. Also, they're giving him more responsibility at work. He has several individual clients now, and he leads one of the groups by himself (formerly he was partnered with someone else to lead groups). Also, he's been asked to head up a session of the group supervision where all the peer support specialists get together and discuss their performance. I think the fact that he's continuing to advance in his job is a good sign about his mental health.

neil w · Feb 19, 2015, 11:01 AM

Thats great to hear Costello! I hope he goes from strength to strength!

likewater · Feb 20, 2015, 04:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newtus

costello... im currently getting services from the county clinic. their intended life for me is to be on disability for the rest of my life (yes they said i will have to be). also to be on heavy medications with high doses. the therapist they have me assigned to doesnt see much in me. she just spouts very generic CBT techniques and not much more. ive fought hard to get more than 30 minutes a month with her and i cant and my dad has to be in every single session with both her and my pdoc. both the pdoc and therapist make me lose a lot of hopes and make me want to trash goals in my life but i continue to see my pdoc because i NEED my antianxiety and my sleep meds. yea i need more than that but i currently take APs as prn. as far as my therapist i still see her at that clinic because 30 minutes a month is barely touching any good amount of therapy. and its all i can afford. i pay for all appointments on my own. like your son - im not getting ANY say in my treatment. im actually not getting any at all. like i stated above with the therapist & pdoc.

You can ask for a different therapist. Sometimes you just aren't the right fit to work together and you need a different one. I''ve asked for a different one before; it's ok. It happens all the time. I had a few duds myself.

you shouldn't feel WORSE after therapy.

seriouslydisturbed · Mar 12, 2015, 09:29 AM

Hi Costello just a question. Was your son's medication taper straight forward or did he show signs of symptoms at points during the taper and have to do temporary increases? So yeah any symptom's while tapering?

costello · Mar 12, 2015, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seriouslydisturbed

Hi Costello just a question. Was your son's medication taper straight forward or did he show signs of symptoms at points during the taper and have to do temporary increases? So yeah any symptom's while tapering?

There were symptoms of withdrawal during the taper and one time when he had to increase the medication.

He started at 35 mg and the pdoc dropped the dosage by 5 mg per month. Each time it dropped he had to adjust to the lower dose. Mostly his visual perceptions were strange. As I recall he said that everything looked sharper or stood out more.

When he dropped from 15 mg to 10 mg, he started having rages. After the second one, I insisted he go to the hospital and put the dose back up.

After that we slowed the decreases. He stayed at one dose for a longer period. 2.5 mg, I think. The smallest pill they make.

Then when he was ready to proceed again, we dropped it by 1/8 of a pill per month until he was down to 1/4 of a pill - .625 mg.

He stayed there 8 months or so. Then he went to every other day, then nothing with a prescription for a PRN of his medication.

The main problem he's having now is sleep. He's also more paranoid. He doesn't show any signs of psychosis.

junkDNA · Mar 12, 2015, 12:14 PM

sounds like he's made a lot of progress on getting off his meds!!!

costello · Mar 31, 2015, 07:40 PM

My son has decided to go back on his medication. It's just too hard. He also says he wants to move back into my house. Tonight's his second night sleeping here. His cats are still at his place, though, so I imagine he'll be going home soon.

costello · Mar 31, 2015, 07:43 PM

Oh, and he's smoking again.

newtus · Mar 31, 2015, 07:53 PM

oh wow. oh no. he was doing so well with not smoking. let him know hes in my thoughts. maybe the meds will help him?

Sometimes psychotic · Mar 31, 2015, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by costello

My son has decided to go back on his medication. It's just too hard. He also says he wants to move back into my house. Tonight's his second night sleeping here. His cats are still at his place, though, so I imagine he'll be going home soon.

It is harder without meds....hopefully you don't perceive this as failure....I'm sure he learned a lot doing this.....I know my time off meds was beneficial despite the fact that I'm back on now.....

costello · Mar 31, 2015, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sometimes psychotic

It is harder without meds....hopefully you don't perceive this as failure....I'm sure he learned a lot doing this.....I know my time off meds was beneficial despite the fact that I'm back on now.....

I don't perceive it as a failure. I hope he doesn't.

I think he was surprised at how much the meds cleared his thoughts. He seemed panicky last night, at a couple of points saying he had to go to the hospital. He took a 10 mg tablet of olanzapine - no help. He took another one - no help. Finally I checked the label. They'd expired in January 2013! Luckily he had another bottle that was fresher. He took 10 mg of that and was snoring in 15 minutes. This morning he was far more rational and calmer.

Sometimes psychotic · Mar 31, 2015, 08:03 PM

Also somewhat related to you there is a book called my mysterious son...it's from a dads perspective on his son with sz and all they go through....it really reminded me of you for some reason....

costello · Mar 31, 2015, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newtus

oh wow. oh no. he was doing so well with not smoking. let him know hes in my thoughts. maybe the meds will help him?

Yeah. I'm a little disappointed about the smoking thing.

Oh, well. Maybe he needed it to self-medicate when he wasn't taking the meds, and he'll stop again soon.

I'm not going to say anything to him about it. Last time he stopped on his own initiative. If he wants to again, he'll do it again.

costello · Mar 31, 2015, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sometimes psychotic

Also somewhat related to you there is a book called my mysterious son...it's from a dads perspective on his son with sz and all they go through....it really reminded me of you for some reason....

I'll look it up. Thanks.

costello · Mar 31, 2015, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sometimes psychotic

Also somewhat related to you there is a book called my mysterious son...it's from a dads perspective on his son with sz and all they go through....it really reminded me of you for some reason....

Read the description on Amazon to my son. He thought it sounded interesting too.

Sometimes psychotic · Mar 31, 2015, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by costello

Read the description on Amazon to my son. He thought it sounded interesting too.

Great

. I'm only halfway through but it's really well written so far since the dad is actually a writer...

junkDNA · Apr 01, 2015, 09:29 AM

hey costello...how do u feel about him moving back into your house??? im glad he recognized the signs and decided to get back on his meds. i think that shows responsibility.

costello · Apr 01, 2015, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by junkDNA

hey costello...how do u feel about him moving back into your house??? im glad he recognized the signs and decided to get back on his meds. i think that shows responsibility.

Yes, I think it's great that he agreed to go back on his meds. He told me he was having problems. He told his supervisor he was having problems. Then when I suggested the meds, he was enthusiastic about taking them. It's almost like he knew he needed to, but he didn't want to be the one to say it.

I don't mind him moving back in, mostly because I doubt it will be permanent. I'm going to have him pay his April rent (he'd have to anyway, because he'd have to give 30 days notice to vacate). I imagine by the end of April he'll be feeling much stronger and will want to go home. If he doesn't, that's ok, too. I think he just needs a safe place for a while. He did bring his cats over today, so it looks like it's going to be for more than a few days anyway.

He tried to quit his job on Monday, but his supervisor talked him out of it and told him just to take a couple of days off. Hopefully he'll go back tomorrow.

He sees his pdoc this evening for his regular monthly appointment.

Apr 01, 2015, 11:41 AM

Sending good luck his way!!

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My son has made the last step of his medication

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