@Margi @thereisalwayshope Here is some examples of CBT I found online and how to create balanced thoughts.
I am not familiar with your whole story, but from this post it appears that you have put some protections in place for yourself and for your daughter. I imagine that is not easy but I applaud you for doing what seems necessary. I presume that your wife does not take medication?
My wife does not take medications; in fact she has not been diagnosed because she has anasognocia and I canât get her to see a doctor even though it is court mandated for her to do so to have any possibility of having visitation. My wife has not seen our daughter for 2 years as of next month. My wifeâs sister and husband have non-parental custody of our daughter. The legal custody was necessary to protect my sister-in-law from my wife calling the police and saying they took our daughter without authority.
I am so sorry. This is an incredible loss. There are only two things I know of that could bring about change in a personâs gaining insight to take meds or get treatment. Either the illness changes and the person gains insight over time, or (2) using a strategy like LEAP (read the book âI Am Not Sick; I Donât Need Helpâ or the website leapinstitute.org), you (or a doctor, or counselor) gain the personâs trust and eventually find common ground and agree on a desired goal for reasons that the person wants, and not necessarily because they are sick. I absolutely believe it is possible, given patience, and the ability to have some communication with the person.
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I havenât posted for a while. My son has been in the hospital now since January 17, 2019 he will be getting his 3rd invega shot this week. His delusions are going away but he is so depressed he thinks the injection is killing him. He says the only thing he can do now is lay in bed because he is so sick with fatigue he rather be dead then live like this. I brought him home to my house for 4 days. The only thing he did was stay in bed. We went to walmart ut he said he will wait in the car. He also found out that his license was suspended because the doctor reported to the MTO that he is schizophrenic. He said nownwe have taken everything away from him he canât stay in his house without a car. The guilt is just eating me up. Thanks for lisening there is no light at the end of this tunnel.
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It is nice to hear from you, I have been wondering how things were going with the hospitalization. I will share a friendâs story in case it helps:
My friendâs grandson went from complete psychosis and delusions to a life in a group home on the Invega injection (his grandma lost her house to foreclosure and ended up in an over 55 trailer park, so her daughter and grandsons had to find their own way). He even gained some insight that he WAS psychotic before, although now that he is âwellâ he wants to stop taking the shot. However, for now, he is doing OK. He went from psychotic, to complete bed-staying, to interest in online video games, to ability to live in a group home, but it took 4 years. He is right now grateful to his mother and grandmother for forcing him through recovery, but it was a 4 year path, on meds, to this point where he is living independently of family, with government monies, so that if his 84 year old grandmother and 50 year old mother passed out of his life, he would be OK. You are on a long road, and so is your son. But getting stable on meds is a long road too for some.
There are many medical reasons why someone loses their license: my father lost his due to epilepsy when he was in his 20s.
Right now your son is depressed, he may be realizing heâs been psychotic which would depress anyone⌠his life is in flux, and so is yours.
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Thanks oldladyblue for sharing this with me. At first my son said he wants to go back to his house when he comes out of hospital. Now that he saw his house and spent a few days with us. He told me that he now wants to stay here becaus with the needle he is bed ridden with fatigue and canât do any work at his house. He keeps saying that he will take seriquil pills. Because with the needle hecwill dye. He has all the sidefects and canât go on with his life. I will ask the doctor to refer him to someone whare I live. I donât know if this is the right thing or not. The problem is every 6 months he can get a lawyer to get him out of the CTOâŚhe will be getting his shot 100mg when he gets back to the hospital tomorrow.
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The grandson I mentioned in the prior post was hospitalized several times before the injection was given. When on pills, he stopped taking them, or altered the order he was supposed to take them in, even though they were packaged in pill packs in sequential order. He sold one sheet of his pill packs to my husband (of all people) and I found them in my husbandâs underwear drawer and gave them back to the grandmother⌠people do strange things sometimes to NOT take their pills.
My daughter used to throw her pill bottles in the outdoor garbage can, thinking I wouldnât find themâŚ
For those who wonât cooperate, I believe the shot is the best.
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How is your daughter doing on the injection. Has she gained any insight yet. I f only my son would try even a little but he has to fight the injection all the way We just took him back to tthe hospital afte being with him for awhile Iâm so drained. The doctor doesnât think the dose of 100mg is to high.
She has had 4 monthly shots now of 100mg Haldol. She is doing outstandingly well. No, she has not gained any insight. None at all. But she is continuing the drug because it doesnât hurt her.
I wonder if I should ask the doctor to change the medication to haldol. What kind of sidefects does your daughter have. My son just received his third injection of invaga yesterday. Today he is so angry says he hates us all for doing this to him. I think he should come and stay with us for a while.
Iâm so glad for you and your daughter that sheâs doing so well. I to should have retirement last year but donât know if thatâs ever going to happen. Thank you for all your support. The only peaple who can understand are on this forum.
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I wonder if I should mention to the dr. about changing from invega to haldol. Because my son says he canât stand the feeling. You are a blessing to this forum.
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My daughter didnât like her Invega Sustenna shot at all and Anosognosia didnât start retreating until month 2 and pretty much gone by month 6 or so. After that during late night time or shortly after falling asleep when she would wake up within an hour of falling asleep (half asleep IMO) she could be pretty uncooperative but that was gone by the year markâŚjust as being excessively sleepy has disappeared. We are now 2.5+ years in and pretty normal across the board.
Of course they are going to dislike you or hate you if they are being made to take medication itâs part of the Anosognosia. Medication is necessary for them to function, to take care of themselves and to limit the toll they take on themselves, family, friends and society at large. Being un-medicated does impact others and can take a toll that lasts for years for all involved.
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Yes, I am very thankful for this forum. The kindness shown helped me to never give up on my daughter.
@margi Thank you for the compliment. If you feel you should mention Haldol to the doctor, I feel you should. I donât know how doctors select medicines for their patients. I do know that when I need to I always tell them whatâs on my mind. (not what they should do, that wouldnât be right and wouldnât be received well. But, I mentioned what worked and what didnât seem to work. From that, she was placed on Haldol.
You know your son the best, and really only you can tell the medical team what seems good or bad or different or unchanged about his behavior and delusions/hallucinations compared to when unmedicated.
@NeverTooLate I definitely agree that medicine was needed for my daughter to function and to not negatively impact everyone dealing with her. The years in psychosis took their toll, she isnât as fit or active as she once was: she used to be super athletic. Thank you for laying out how the recovery went for your daughter. I too saw any resentment my daughter felt towards me for her earlier hospitalizations disappear once the medicine started working. I am very happy for that. However, she still has anosognosia.
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oldladyblue -
She hasnât been on her current medication that long right? Over time you may see more improvement and more insight. I am so glad that you are seeing improvement in any form. Itâs always a relief to see even a little of the chaos disappear.
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You are correct, @NeverTooLate . Itâs just the start of her 4th month on the injectible. Yes, the relief is immense, as the chaos has disappeared. Each time she talks to me in coherent, sequential sentences that make sense, I give thanks as the months and years of no communication at all, or warped communication, are still fresh in my mind.
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Thank you nevertoolate that gives me some hope what is the dose that your daughter is taking my son is on 100mg monthly. He says heâs going to be fighting the injection till the end. Thatâs whatâs making this hard. Have you thought about the injection that is given every 3 months Iâm going to look into this.
Our issue is that it will be difficult to refill my daughterâs haldol⌠the pharmacy is finding it difficult to get it from the supplier⌠she takes 5mg and all they have is 20mg⌠The pharmacy said there has been a shortage since September. They havenât been able to get new pills. She has some for a while yet. but we will need a refill soon⌠and there is a difference between night and day when she uses the haldol. She is eager to take it every night because she does not want to have a relapse. We will have to call the doctor about what we can do.
@Windyhill63 Is this a pill? Can the doctor adjust the order and prescribe the 20mg version and you would need a pill cutter (inexpensive and available in all pharmacies) Doctors are often unaware of such issues until we inform them .
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