My son again has stopped taking his meds because of the side affects.
He says he now feels better, can think…
I know it is only a matter of time, when he will relapse and have to be hospitalised. Should I call his doctor?
He had been on shots,in the past, but new facility , does not give shots, just pills.
Any advise?
I have spent a total of 10 months unmedicated in my lifetime and it equated to much better days. I was only coerced back into meds after a fight broke out between me & my mother’s bipolar idiot of a boyfriend.
Well, things are actually looking uphill since going off of meds in October. I am still experiencing withdrawals & will probably experience them for months, but at least I can relax.
Not everyone with an SZ prognosis performs better on prescriptions, just thought I’d share my experience and present that fact.
If that has happened before, then you are probably right. I’m sure thats stressful for you - sorry to hear it.
If your son quit medications suddenly its even worse - that alone can trigger a relapse. Typically doctors slowly decrease medication doses so there is no sudden change.
What medications has your son tried? There are a lot of different medications with a lot of different effects on a given person - your son would ideally work with the psychiatrist to find a medication that works for him.
Ideally your son would get both medications and therapy for the best outcome. Is he getting therapy? Also - have you read the recent news on medications and therapy? See below:
but be sure to read this also:
Son is on respodone, my husband is going to call the doctor.
Stopped talks with social worker awhile back. Said he didn’t do anything for him. Dealing with an adult can be difficult, they are not children…
I can see the change already, back to being the absolute drummer, posting old video’s and things from the past…No more gym and isolating more. Hard dealing with someone who is in denial until he ends up in hospital again. Unfortunately, he got this illness, he was so popular and doing well in a band, and moved out to los Angeles and then the roof caved in and he had to fly home.
Lots of real useful stuff on this and other problems you have faced and will likely face again in…
My opinion will be very biased because i refuse to take meds too but trust me the meds often don’t feel like help at all just tranquilising him until he’s not a problem anymore. I didn’t think of negative stuff when i was medicated… because i didn’t think about anything lol It wasn’t worth it for me and it might not be for him you should be more open to his pov on the matter as it’s him that has to live with it.
Resperidone had me laying in bed for 4 hours staring at the ceiling before i even realised what i was doing once and im a big lad lol
That doesn’t sound good…
You may want to read this “First Aid for Psychosis” outline that we got from an early psychosis treatment center:
How are you off the meds?
When I have gotten off my med’s in the past I went through a brief period of euphoria before I relapsed into psychosis. That and other things made me want to get off my med’s. You should try to talk to your son, but it probably won’t do much good. It’s very difficult to reason with a psychotic schizophrenic. You might have to wait until he gets in trouble again, and then have him forced to take med’s. You ought to see where you can get timed released shots for your son. In the meantime see what you can do to minimize the damage. Watch your son to see if there are periods of receptivity in him.
As of a year ago, my son went off meds. I will not say he is doing better, but he is managing with a little help from family. He is going to have a harder time-but he is making this choice. I dont agree-but he is still in there, and I cant make him do anything anymore.
All I can do is accept him as he is and try to support as best I can.
My son went through 9 kinds of hell in the last 20 years, and there seems to be no hitting bottom for him. He may know something I don`t.
He also lives in his own place. It seems he is trying to work out on his own what will help him.
If your son is not violent, or threatning, then all you can really do is keep an eye on him.
Sorry i aint checked this site in a while. I’m ok off the meds you’ll have good days and bad days but ultimately come to the conclusion that this is the life you was born to live and adapt 
I wouldn’t trade off my perspective of life for all the money in the world even in my darkest hours as atleast i got to see the world in a way most people never will 
That and i self medicate #smokeweedeveryday
Son still off respadal, told the doctor. Isolation g more, constantly on his laptop and into his past drumming.Making videos he puts on utube. So far not acting paranoid, as far as I know. He has a studio apt in ourhouse, so we are there when he needs us.
That sounds like as good of a living situation as possible for the time being.