Staying Safe

[Former-Member]

Quick check in @WinterSun

[WinterSun]

Hi @Former-Member

Son has been a bit on the "hyper" side. Last week he felt the new med had mellowed him out too much. The dr increased the dose and now he is on the "hyper" side but not wildly spending. It's bearable and better than depression. He has been working the past few days which he has enjoyed.
Don't understand how the mood stabilizer can be making him hyper at the increased dose. I am going to keep an observation diary for feedback to the dr.
How are things with you?

[Former-Member]

Hi @WinterSun

Hope things steady out soon for your son and that a good balance will come sooner rather than later. I looked up the CMI on all meds Mr Darcy was given so I knew what 'red flags' to watch for. Mood stabilisers vary in efficacy for keeping either mania or depression at bay and this info is readily available on the interweb.

Documenting doses and response to drugs is also helpful for docs. I have a concise history (gave them a copy) and I also documented reasons for declining an anticonvulsant that was on offer.

I am starting to feel quite grateful about a number of things. Even though there are some ongoing concerns (something we all have) I am coping heaps better.

Take care

[WinterSun]

Hi @Darcy

Hope you don't mind me giving an update.

Things have not panned out well with the mood stabiliser having the boy go from being hyper for a few days then mellow for a week and a half now a week of no motivation at all depression, This has caused him to lose two jobs that he recently got.

Psych dr did blood test and said it would be 24-48 hours for results and would phone us. We got no call and my husband left messages and got response 3 days after the 48 hr period ended!

Now recommending a different mood stabiliser the older variety not sure I'm not allowed to name on here????

So heavens knows what that will bring! We are seeing the psych dr Thursday. 

My husband who is diagnosed bi polar contacted his dr to ask if he would give an opinion but he is too busy. Other psych drs recommended are also too busy or closed their books,

We are trying to source another psych dr as the boy is not gelling with the current one and quite disheartened and frustrated that there seems no answer to this. I am ready to stop seeing the current psych dr and return to community health. We are just going around in circles and caught between the private psych playing around with meds come back every two weeks a long slow painful process and community health who don't see him as being bad enough to need a case manager?????? 

This kids life has totally gone. 

We are increasing his health insurance, currently only covered as psych patient public hospital. We need to turn a corner so badly.

Hope things are going well with you.

WinterSun

[Former-Member]

Hey @WinterSun

You are right, meds are a no go zone on the forum but there are bipolar websites such as these that might be of help.

http://psycheducation.org/treatment/

http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-medications.html

The public system here is the only acute service available and is serviced primarily by locums. I have started to be a lot more assertive. A good GP can make a difference with continuity if treatment but I have had to drive appts for bloods and other follow up monitoring.

We did see a private pdoc but Mr Darcy needed acute care and it turned out to be a disaster.

I think that when the community treating team see that a patient is supported at home, they tend to see that support is not needed. I had to point out to the team that Mr Darcy needed regular contact so that if he were to deteriorate he needed to have confidence to call. Since he has had a more proactive case worker, after I complained, Mr D has been more amenable to attending appts.

Hope this helps,
Darcy

[Former-Member]

@WinterSun
How are you holding up?
Darcy

[WinterSun]

Hi @Former-Member
All was good for a few days when he was away. Back now to 0 motivation and effort.
When he was manic he bought a car he couldn't afford and ran a debt up. We are selling the car to clear his debt then if he wants to lay in bed I won't have the stress of his debt.
I don't see how there can be no help. We are paying in the private system but have no access to any programs. Public doesn't consider him to be bad. Awful trap to be in. There is no help. He is dead just hasn't taken his body. I continue to despair. It's a problem without an answer. At the very least my family will be broken who am I kidding my family is broken by this.
Everyone wants to wipe their hands off it including me. I do not have the energy to keep at it. It is soul destroying. I keep hoping for a glimmer of positive change but it doesn't happen.

[Former-Member]

@WinterSun

It is hard so very hard at times, but I hold on to hope with defiance that things can get better. As a carer getting some support for yourself is really important. Wellways ph 1300 111 400 are in the Eastern States and offer both carer and patient support.

https://www.wellways.org

To have the courage to say to the pdoc that the balance may have been tipped and that risk (side effects) may be outweighing benefits and insisting on a drug review is quite appropriate.

The RANZCP guide to the treatment of mood disorders is readily available on the internet.

Darcy

[WinterSun]

Hi @Former-Member
As expected no help. Wellways were sympathic but said we fell in the cracks.
Can't see how someone who has lost 6 jobs in the past 6 months can't need a case worker.

We are seeing the gp Thursday to get her input. I will phone cat team to find out if anything can be done by them seeing as he has lost the jobs since last contact.

We saw my husbands psych yesterday who unfortunately is too busy to see our son. He was interested to chat about the situation and
a bit flabbergasted that he is on 4 meds. He thinks the old school med for bi polar should be tried and if it works should mean only med required. His psych says it's about getting the meds right. My husband will ask Thursday at sons psych appt.

We have another appt with alternate psych early October for second opinion hoping son may gel better with someone younger.

So we continue to try to survive the next two months and keep life as normal as possible.

Sad situation that if we had no interest in helping our son he would access more help.

[Former-Member]

@WinterSun
I was thinking Wellways might have had some carer support that you may have found beneficial.

Raising the issue of the meds on Thursday sounds like a good plan. Having the info written down about the side effects, job losses etc might be worthwhile. If they do decide to change any meds it does pay to ask about discontinuation - some drugs are best not stopped cold turkey, a gradual taper is better.

Darcy