LFA Café
Emotional and Mental Health Questions => Mental and Emotional Health Questions => Topic started by: MaryAnne on October 28, 2001, 08:52:53 PM
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Dear MaryAnne,
I live in India and I have a sister who is now about 44 years' old.
She suffers from mental illness, probably for the last 15 years. Diagonosed as schrizophenia. Initially, she was under lot of medication and was given electric shocks also. But of no avail.
She does not take medicines and does not cooperate.
Initially, she used to hear voices and used to see people watching her through walls and closed doors and talking only about her and trying to harm her and ridiculing her. She also went into a religious fits - in the sense performing profuse worships and prayers to GOD (Hindu religion) and at any hour of the day or night. Used to hardly sleep in the nights.
Used abusive and foul language so much that beaten up and chained by the husband.
6 years back, she had a suicidal tendency and once took so much medicine at a time that almost died and went into coma for atleast a week and thereafter her thoughts started wandering about worldy pleasures- sex (from husband), good clothes, ornaments etc. etc.
Unfortunately, she did not enjoy conjugal bliss may be for the last 10 years or more. Her husband says he has simply no mind and cannot think of as he is mentally down and out because of her attitude (disease).
Recently, she ran away from home with only the clothes she had on her body and a very little money. After more than 3 months she telephoned to her parents and then returned home and of course in a very bad shape. The doctors said about 18 months back that her case had advanced so much not much could be done.
She uses abusive and foul language against her parents, husband, her two sons, her brothers and sisters and sisters-in-law and no body would like to keep her with them. Of course, she is presently with her parents (on her return).
Can you please guide me
1) if there are any medicines for the cure of this disease?
2) even if there is no cure, whether the symptoms can be brought
under reasonable control at this perhaps late stage?
3) How to make her take medicines?
4) what are the alternatives?
I don't like even the very thought of her wandering aimlessly on the unknown roads, becoming a living clown and becoming an object of fun.
I would be grateful if you can kindly give your advices on this matter and also if you need any further details that you would think necessary, please do advise.
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Chandra:
Lets get some help and relief for your family and your sister. I don’t know the laws over in India so I can not advise you on having your sister committed if she tries suicide again, or tries to wonder off. At least in a hospital she would be safe.
There is absolutely NO cure for Schizophrenia we wish there were. It is a nightmare for all concerned the patient also suffers terribly. If you had to be inside your sister’s head you would go crazy too.
BUT we do have medications today that can get your sister “under control” and she would have to take them because she would get them in shot form and they last up to a month. So you would give her another one before the first wore off and she would take it without putting up a struggle. If you wait until she is out of control you get what you have now.
The medication I know right off that we use is Prolixin – Fluphenazine
There are several new ones on the market but I am sure you should be able to get ahold of Prolixin injectable.
Other new antipsychotics – Zyprexa – xlanzapine, Serloquel – quetiapine
And for immediate relief to get her quieted down get Klonopin – Clonazepam now it is in pill form and you have to take it regularly but it would work until the Prolixin could take affect.
And look into adding Depakote – Valproic acid – it is for aggression and anger and acting bad and mean to people, like her cussing and yelling it would stop all that.
These are your options, they work, you just have to get the combination, for immediate Klonopin, also get the shot Prolixin which is what we use for patients who will not take their medications and it lasts up to 3-4 weeks and then the Depakote to take away the violence and verbal abuse.
I think the whole family would do better once you get her on these medications.
Once they start working she will be a different person and with the shot every month you don’t have to worry about her taking the other medications she will most likely take them with the Prolixin working.
Other than medications I wish I could say there is something you could do, change, or a way to treat her that would make a difference but there isn’t. Of course don’t let anyone abuse her and treat her with love but she will make you mad and you and your family should not feel guilty about that. It is a terrible disease and no one can deal with it all the time. I hope your whole family supports each other in this and lets everyone get their feelings out because it is so hard on families. Your sister can be so difficult and hateful and not listen to a word you say it is so natural for you to get frustrated, angry and just want to put her in a room or something. These and more feelings are normal. Just be there for each other and as I said support her lovingly but set the limits you need to so you and your family can have some life too. It is terrible to worry about her all the time.
I hope you get these medications and the sooner the better for everyone because as I said she is suffering too.
I hope I have been of help, please let me know what you do and if it works,
I will be thinking of you and would appreciate knowing if life and your sister got better. I think she could have some really good days once the medications are working.
Remember to write me about what you do,
God Bless you all,
MaryAnne