My son definitely has break through symptoms and is on 450mg - trying to get an increase currently. So, yes some good days and still some bad, but no where as good as with any other medication - not. even. close. They would never give me conservatorship, I begged regularly - you must’ve been awarded that on the east? I do think the system is much better in the west, but still with many, many flaws. And, what? Able to finish his undergraduate and is law school - that is absolutely AMAZING! Cheers to you!
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My son was recently diagnosed with schizophrenia and I started a daily pill box and either you or both you and your son put his medication this pill box which is labeled for each day of the week. He is in denial at times about taking his medication, so I give him his medication at 9 p.m. at night and at least I see that the medication was taken and when. I hope that helps you!
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If he stops his meds there’s nothing you can do. Been there.
But if he ends up in psych ward again, perhaps they can get him mandated to take meds. The best is a shot they get once or twice a month. Been there too…Good luck!
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Well, we got him to take the meds for two days after his discharge and on the third he refused. Even worse he refuses to take the antibiotics. He has a bad infection in his arm. We are waiting to see what happens next.
@Steadfast Regarding the arm infection: can you talk to him about seeing a family doctor? Maybe he would accept that instead of a psychiatrist. I.e. make it clear that the appointment is to treat his arm and nothing else but the arm.
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Thanks caregiver1. I am working on this today.
I have a feeling I am going to be looking at this myself. My son is 31 and off meds and refuses to go back on them. Not the life I expected for him or myself. I’m sorry your daughter is missing.
Thanks Diane. She has done pretty well over the previous 10 years, got a degree, trained as a midwife. She went on and off meds through that time - but mainly off I’d say. But she always resented being “parented” despite frequently asking for help. As long as she was in some kind of structure - school, job etc. it was always manageable with relatively few hospitalizations - and those always short. Then after finishing college and she could “get away” from our influence she did the ultimate “parentectomy” by going into a delusion that we’d abused her a a child. Then after a long hospitalization and meds that went away. Again after graduating in midwifery and no structure a crisis ( no meds) started the whole thing up again.
Another hospitalization and meds brought her back for a while. The meds are the answer but even when we find her - how to even communicate as she is totally scared of us!
That’s familiar. My DD has the wildest beliefs about how she has been used and abused by us her entire life—including currently. A year ago, some of those delusions allowed me to have her hospitalized, but not for nearly long enough to make a difference. Understandably, she is extremely hostile, and will only speak to me when she needs monetary assistance. We own a townhome, bought and held in trust for her to put a roof over her head. Her latest rant included the belief that I am actually profiting from this arrangement, where we accept the pittance disability rate for housing as ‘rent,’ pay all the expenses, and help her out with extra $$ at every unexpected expense. This is all part of her firm belief that we do our best to make her life an abject misery.
ETA. I am sorry you don’t know your daughter’s whereabouts. We have been there, and with this arrangement, we know where she is. I live in fear of her taking off for fear of being surveilled or controlled in some way.
Spu,
Thanks for your response. This forum is both comforting (we can relate to each other’s pain)
and extremely depressing. Knowing that so many people are struggling both as sufferers and family members is very dis-spiriting. Yes “recovery not cure” but on this forum we rarely get posts of “recovery”.
Erica
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I find the only solution that last is injection once a month. My son was so anxious to get out of the hell hole, the hospital, he gave in. And got the shot and scheduled for next shot and therapy . I also filled out AOT (adult outpatient treatment) where court will mandate his compliance with his meds for a year. And there will be someone assigned to make sure he is in compliance.
I don’t know how I missed this previously, but I want to “Like” this…like TEN times!!! I know this exact strategy won’t work for everyone, but I think your story is a great example of using communication and patiently holding to established boundaries in ways that encourage compliance which eventually becomes routine. In your case, and mine, this led to med-compliance and meaningful recovery. (I’m a fan of Clozapine, also.)
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Thank you so much - I’m trying so hard and gains are coming my way! I’m ecstatic! I’ll never stop pushing and strategizing and thank you so much @hope4us for your expertise, advise and encouragement - means the absolute world to me! Xo
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I am so sorry. I know how difficult it is to not know where your loved one is. People with SMI can be very vulnerable but they also seem to have an amazing ability to survive. Hold on to that hope.
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I am so sorry. It is obvious you care about your loved one so very much and continue to do so much to provide support. And the verbal abuse has to be hard to bear. And yet it is heartbreaking to imagine the agony of a person who experiences these kind of fears and delusions.