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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ginny on July 16, 1999, at 20:09:52
I need real life advice from those who have experienced hallucinations and have lived to tell about it!
I have a 12 year old son who experiences severe emotional disturbance, characterized by mood disorder, thought disorder and hallucinations.
We have done reasonably well on Depakote, Dexedrine and Risperdal, but the hallucinations are a pain. At a small dose of Risperdal, he thought his Brett Favre action figure would come alive and clean his room. Soon, he thought voices were telling him to kill kids at school. We have moved it up and up and he is on 6mgs. now, but they persist. They are more background, he doesn't understand them, but they scare him. Any tricks for making them go away? He cannot take Haldol for TD reasons. He's already taken Serentil and Zyprexa. One more thing, is this a typical pattern for hallucinations? Don't they occur more when things are quiet, like before bed? (I get asked if he's making up imaginary friends, but I don't think they usually scare you and you don't beg for them to go away...)
Anyway, thanks for reading all this....
A
Posted by PL on July 17, 1999, at 23:01:46
In reply to those nasty hallucinations, posted by ginny on July 16, 1999, at 20:09:52
If this is for real then I'm more scared than you know.
Does your son's Doctor know all this? Does his School? The Police, the FBI? I think if they knew your son would get the the treatment he needs.
Posted by saintjames on July 18, 1999, at 0:23:39
In reply to Re: those nasty hallucinations, posted by PL on July 17, 1999, at 23:01:46
> If this is for real then I'm more scared than you know.
>
> Does your son's Doctor know all this? Does his School? The Police, the FBI? I think if they knew your son would get the the treatment he needs.James here....
These kind of thoughts (harming oneself or others) is common in disorders of thought and not acted on often if people get help. To me it seems as this kid is on 3 meds someone is trying. I think docs can break privacy if patient or others are in danger, so it is a judgement call. I too, hope the doc is informed but I would guess the answer is yes. It might help if we know exactly what this child is diagnosed with.
james
Posted by ginny on July 21, 1999, at 20:49:45
In reply to Re: those nasty hallucinations, posted by saintjames on July 18, 1999, at 0:23:39
> > Yes, we have a whole battery of professionals on the case. We live near a major metropolitan area, and are able to hire some very good people. Interestingly enough, when I did inform the school district and the local human services people (already involved with him) they did nothing. I had to go to court to get him more help. Today he is leaving the hospital and bound for a residential treatment center.
He is 12, and incapable of carrying out a real plan. However, I am fully aware that command hallucinations cannot be left untreated. It's amazing how many professionals don't do enough for a kid experiencing this kind of hell. We have done sixteen med trials.
DX is organic brain sydrome, psychosis NOS, Mood disorder NOS. GAF of 35.
Secondary to a genetic medical syndrome.He is a child that really wants to be better and have a life and friends. His brain plays nasty tricks on him, however. (He still believes in Santa).
Anyway, back to the original question. If you can't do traditional neuroleptics because of tardive dyskenisia, and Zyprexa and Risperdal haven't done enough, where do you go? Clozaril, or wait for Ziprasidone? Would changing the mood stabilizing agent do anything?Or, for the voice hearers among us, how do you teach someone to cope with all of this?
Thanks for your thoughts!
Ginny
p.s. PL don't be scared. I am a reallllllly informed Mom, and ALWAYS access services when I need them...it's just too bad ( a crime really) that families are put through so much to get help, and that children must get worse and worse before they qualify for services. I wish everyone that didn't do anything to help this situation had to live our private hell for a while.
> James here....
>
> These kind of thoughts (harming oneself or others) is common in disorders of thought and not acted on often if people get help. To me it seems as this kid is on 3 meds someone is trying. I think docs can break privacy if patient or others are in danger, so it is a judgement call. I too, hope the doc is informed but I would guess the answer is yes. It might help if we know exactly what this child is diagnosed with.
>
> james
This is the end of the thread.
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