Hello Everyone, I have an update on my son and a question. He has been on the Invega Susennta for about 2 weeks. It have kept him under control with very little delusions, but he has been talking about the side effects. He said he can’t focus or think. His face looks flat and he hasn’t had any energy for the past couple of days. I started him on fish oil ills on yesterday and On this morning, He wake up and said he have a little energy and he don’t look sluggish. He’s been eating 3 healthy meals a day.
This is the question. My son from the beginning do not thinks he sick. He have said all I need to do is get a job. He was talking about getting a job before he left the Hosiptal 2 weeks ago. I think getting a part time job for him would be great. It would keep him productive, but I don’t think he’s ready. He received a call from Kroger on today to come in for an interview to be a bagger. He put this application in before his first break in Sept 2015… He’s excited. And I’m excited for him. I don’t know what to think about this because he’ still says he’s not sick and he’s not going to take another shot… I know without his medication he will get bad again, but while on his medication he can control himself… What should I do? Thanks
To add to my post … It’s good to see him wanting to work, because he’s hasn’t been motivated to go anywhere, take baths or be around people. I just don’t know what to do. I trying to be positive about this, but I have negative feeling about this to… Only because he’s saying he’s not going to take anymore medication…
These are common “negative symptoms” of schizophrenia and also sometimes of the medications. Its still very early right now for your son - its only been 2 weeks. It takes time for his body to adjust - so tell your son to be patient.
Be sure to communicate these issues to your son’s doctor. Here is a good checklist that you and your son can work through before every doctor’s appointment:
Sometimes - these symptoms / side effects can be lessened with lower doses of medications - but that will only likely happen after your son has been stable for a number of months. Other people find some relief from these symptoms from some add-on vitamins and supplements. You can learn more about these here:
Sarcosine Improves Negative and Cognitive Symptoms in Schizophrenia, May Reverse Damage to Brain
and
and more on other vitamins and supplements that has some scientific research behind them as being helpful:
The motivation to work is good - but if he’s not on medication the stress of work will likely lead to a relapse. My brother before he was on medication would get jobs and then the stress would get to him and he’d get delusional and stop working after a few weeks. This went on for many years before we could finally get him on medications.
Make sure the doctor understand the issues your son is having and make sure he conveys messages of hope and adjustment on the medication. There are many medications too - so if isn’t acceptable, you can try other ones.
Thank you for responding. You are always here when we need you! Big hugs to you.
Yes, I agree with you. He just got out of the hospital and only been on it for 2 weeks. He has another dr app on 5/4 and I will make sure he explain to her about the side effects. I tried talking to him about the job and how it’s to early to work. He said its nothing wrong with him and he’s going to the interview and he has made his mind up. I didn’t say anything after that because I don’t want to stress him. As a mother, I want to see him productive, but I want him to be stable and accept his mental illness. He hasn’t accepted his illness and will not stay on Meds. I don’t want to discourage him, but I do think it too early because his body is adjusting to this new medication. As a mother, please time me what I should do? The job is at a Kroger that also hire disable people to bag groceries. I just don’t know!
Yes, That’s what I know. I told him he need to stay on his Meds if he want to work because he can’t get stressed. He has agree to continue to see the dr and Therpist, but still refusing to stay on Meds.
Dear mason, I think it’s great that your son wants a job. My instinct would be to support my family member and not worry about what could go wrong because that is not under your control.
He has tried Risperdal 2 mg night/ day and cogentin for side effect and it worked for him in the past. The thing with that is: he will stop taking the pills when he start to feel better.
@Hereandhere Thank you for responding too, I can always count on you and @SzAdmin… Big hug to you too…
I most definitely want to support him and I will because he has made up his mind and said he want to work. The interview is tomorrow at 1:30pm. I will take him and just go from there. Do you know of anyone with Szcho that works? I have research and read a lot of success stories of people whos is working part time, but they also take their med and go to therapy. He said he will continue to go to the dr and therapy, but he’s not taking anymore shots and I have to respect his decision about the medication.
I like that advice! I will take him to his interview on tmw and leave it in God hands. I don’t want to stress myself about something I have no control over. I must say the past 2 weeks has been very pleasant and not stressful because he truly has been under control. He has been getting up taking baths, cleaning up and cooked me and him breakfast on yesterday, but he hates the side effects from the shots.
Remember the strategies provided in ‘I’m not sick, I dont need help’ - use your son’s wish to work as an encouragement to continue on the shot.
“Its up to you, but you want to work, and it looks to me like the shot is making that possible. If you don’t get another shot, it may become difficult for you to keep your job.”
Hello Everyone, Update on my son and his interview. I supported my son on today with taking him to the interview. He applied for this job before he had his first episode in Sept 15". He has been hospitalized 3 times since Sept 2015.He has been on Rispedal 4mg a day. It did work for him but once he start to feel better he stop taking his medication and relapse. He was just release from the hospital on 4/19 after staying there for 2 weeks and 4 days. He started a new medication Invega sustenna. Although, he don’t like the side effects from the shot. He is doing well. He is taking baths, changing his clothes, cleaning his room, sleeping at night, not laughing to himself, and he’s motivated to do things. He’s still delusional but he don’t talk about it everyday all day.
Well, his interview was at 1:30 on today. He was ready at 12:30 pm and he told me he wanted to leave at 1:00pm, so he can be early for the interview. It’s at a grocery store and he would bag grocery if he gets the job. I am very happy to see this from him because we haven’t seen this from him in about 2 years when he first started isolating himself from everyone.
Although, He is still saying “I’m not sick and I’m not taking anymore medication.” I just have to take it one day at a time and live in the moment. He did agree to continue to go to his doctor, so we will see how that will go. I know how it has been in the past with him saying he would go to the doctor, but when It was time for him to go. He wouldn’t go, but I will not focus on the past. He has already went to his follow up appointment last week and hopeful he will continue. I know this is going to be a roller coaster ride, but we are ready…
He will know on Monday if he gets the job. If he don’t that’s ok to. It’s just good to see him wanting to do something instead of sitting at home not being productive. On this day, I am happy. God bless us all…
I hope he gets the job before my son got sick for several years , since he was 16 , he worked at a store called Lances New Market bagging groceries usually and stocking shelves he loved it had a lot of friends there and misses it so much and cant wait to go back there .
I dont know how your son was but mine was not able to function or concentrate on invega shot and while he was on it he did try going back to Lances and was not able to do the job or concentrate enough and had to leave which caused him to become very very depressed . he still wants to go back very much hes doing better now than when he was taking invega and im so glad we finally got him off of that . but of course everyone reacts differently to medication .
Like your grocery store this one also has experience hiring people with mental disabilities but still even performing a simple job you have to be able to follow simple directions and cant just start staring into space you have to work . This time i want to make sure he is able to concentrate well enough before i let him get his hopes up . how old is your son ? I hope everything works out for him and he can keep up when he goes back to the doctor maybe a med adjustment will help if he doesnt like how it makes him feel .
@johnsmom Hey, My son hates the side effects from it, but he really want to try, but he did say on yesterday he’s feeling a little better. In the beginning he was sleeping long hours, but it’s not like that now. My son has worked before and held a job Up until 2 years ago, He started isolating himself from people and started talking about the neighbors flying airplanes over his head. He is also Biploar too. He didn’t take his medication for bipolar because he didn’t think he needed that too, but he was functioning well without the Meds. He was working and had friends until this new diagnosed came in 2015. I personal like the Risperdal. We have another appointment on 5/4 and we will talk to the doctor about it. Hugs to you…
