30 years- wow! that really is good to hear.
The blood draws slow to every four weeks but yes it is a big commitment that probably would fail if I wasn’t making sure it happened.
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Your brother has been taking the Clozapine for 30 years! I wonder if he tried other meds prior to it. We’ve had our son 30 years on other different meds with periods of going unmedicated and for the last 5 years or so it seems it’s getting harder to stabilize him. I inquired about Clozapine to the doctor and he seems to believe that my son is not a candidate for it due to the blood draws every couple of weeks.
[quote="nowwhat, post:141, topic:12429
Hospital last year started my Son on Clozapine for about 5 weeks and he continue taking it for couple of weeks after he was discharged from Hospital but he started refusing blood draw and his doctor switch him to injectible and oral medicine…he still talk to himself with these meds…
Rosa, my brother tried other meds like Haldol and respiradol and did not work well with him.
the Hospital last year started with my son on Clozapine for 4 weeks but he did not want to continue the blood draw after he was discharged from Hospital. My son is now on Injectible (Invega Monthly Injection) and additional oral meds but still talking to himself.
he is calmer and less agressive but I get stressed out when his injection is due. Last month the Nurse gave him the injection in the parking lot because he refused to go to clinic. he said that he had high Anxiety and he is refusing to take anti-anxiety meds.
will keep trying to see what works for him… praying always about it.
I have not kept up with you guys. I’ve been rolling coasting with my son for about a year now. Regarding the tactile sensations: I was reading this morning about it, a girl with undiagnosed autism had it, the same as the smell of metallics. Many years ago my own son was saying that he could smell sulphur and he said he was in hell. Love your sense of humor! 
Due to the frequent blood draws, my son would not stay on it. It was hard enough to get my son to get a blood draw after a year of being on meds. His Dr was going to stop all meds if he didn’t do it. It wasn’t good.
I see- I am grateful that at least for now my son doesn’t object to the blood draws.
I really relate to your description of life on hold. No vacations, hard to have friends over etc.
The last time I took off for just a weekend I came home and found that my son had skipped his meds. He relies on me to go in and hand them to him.
I do despair about the future and what will happen to him after I’m gone. Still I remind myself that at least right now he is relatively stable. When the psychosis takes hold it is so obviously terrifying for him (and also for us just different). He sleeps all day and doesn’t have any friends to speak of. It is just so sad living here.
I am still hoping and praying for that supervised living environment for our loved ones. My son needs some freedom, but he also needs someone to pass out his meds. If I could just win the billion dollar lottery, that facility would be built!
Hello, If your son is on disability start signing him up for low rent housing or housing for people with disabilities if its available around your area. It may take a while but you have nothing to loose. If he is not on disability try to get him on it. He will be on his own someday. Maybe? Sorry if its already written up about any of this didn’t have time to read all the back stuff. Sending you hugs and a moment of peace 
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We have been trying to get him on disability for a while. It will be 2 years next month! This process is terrible. Do you know if we can apply for housing before he gets disability?
Sorry the system is such a pain. My daughter was put on disability when she entered the mental health tacitly she is at, all about the money for them. I do know people that had to get an attorney to be put on disability, Maybe in your area you could find some free leagal council in the area. I don’t know about the housing without having proof of disability. I’m so sorry I wish I could be more helpful. I did find that the hospital was actually helpful with some of this stuff.
I agree a supervised living environment that is permanent would be great but at least in CA I have not heard of any such place - although I have found a few that cost 6-10K/month
We are also on the disability application journey. We were denied despite a lawyer’s help. I gather we will likely be required to go through the court appeal and even then how do you prove that your loved one can’t work?
My son can seem relatively capable until you ask him to perform tasks on his own and watch to see how difficult they are for him.
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We converted our garage into a studio apt for my mom, years ago. Now our son lives in it, and as long as he takes his meds he’s ok.
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That is great that your son living in your garage works for you. I don’t want that for my son. I keep thinking about what will happen after I am dead and gone. I want to get my son in a place where he will hopefully learn to take care of himself. I want to do it while I am still around to help.
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The only one I found in Florida was also VERY expensive and didn’t really get much for all of that money. Basically, my son would have had to share a teeny tiny room with someone in a sketchy neighborhood. The owner would feed him every day and dole out meds. After that, everyone is on their own.
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I fully understand, that is something we worry about too.
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