Working with mental illness!
Question: Working with mental illness
my husband has been in a hospital for about a month now, he will be able to come home next weekend!. they have him on 300 Mg's of zoloft, zyprexia, haldol, cogentin and one other thing I don't recall!. The docs and myself feel like he will not be able to work that it wouldn't be in his best interest!. At first they thought he was depressed with psychosis, now they have determined that he's schizophrenic(paranoid)!. My question is, do any of you with similar problems work full time jobs while taking butt loads of meds!?!? All he talks about is getting a job when he gets home, we remind him that we are going to get him on SSI, he says ok, then the next day he's talking about work!. He's worried about our bills and I'm worried about him!. any insight would be help full!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
Being that he is just coming out of the hospital, he is not ready to work yet!. First he will need to get regulated on his medication!. He is taking a lot of meds!. My schizophrenic husband only takes Haldol, nothing else and that alone makes him pretty sleepy!. He functions well though and most people do not know he has a mental problem at all!. He took him years though to get him stable!. He is on SSI!. Perhaps he could get a part time job, but don't push him!. I found for myself taking NAMI's family to family 12 week course was a true life saver for me!. Please consider this!. Also use NAMI's web site as much as you need to!. You can ask many people who know about this kind of thing for advice!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
I work in a psychiatric hospital, and yes, many of our patients with disorders like your husband do work!. As long as there some level of control by medications to allow social functioning, there is no reason why he cant work!.
He may have to start small, doing something simple, it can actually help with the disease!. If he has something to focus on, and feels he is providing for your, it can be greatly beneficial, rather than staying home all day with nothing but his thoughts!.
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He may have to start small, doing something simple, it can actually help with the disease!. If he has something to focus on, and feels he is providing for your, it can be greatly beneficial, rather than staying home all day with nothing but his thoughts!.
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WAAAAYYYY over medicated-get a second or third opinion!. There are hotlines and support groups for families of people with mental illness-even on-line!.!.!.!.this is a growing dilemma and i wish you the best of luck-look after your own health-physical and mental and make sure you get respite care for your husband!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Too many meds!. The doctors are prescribing them in a book related manner instead of a personal manner of long time experience from prescribing, watching, and relating!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
my ex partner was in the same situation!. She's a dental nurse and went back to work despite my requests and the advice of her doctor that she should take some time off!. Basically because of the drugs, she wasn't really able to keep up with the speed of the work, so she would secretly stop taking the meds, keep working and would be going through a psychosis and trying to keep it under wraps!. Inevitably, the stress at work would become to much, she'd have a major episode and end up in hospital again!. Only this time, she'd have embarrassed herself by presenting her paraniod thoughts to workmates, whihc made it less likley for her and them to be comfortable with her back at work later!. This happend a number of times!.
I suggest you just see how the meds go and maybe do some part time work further down the track!. If he wants off the meds make sure he doesn't just yank himself off them - he'll probably has a huge withdrawl and a really bad episode again!. You have to wean yourself off them!.
It's a real tough road your on!. Good luck and stay strong!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
I suggest you just see how the meds go and maybe do some part time work further down the track!. If he wants off the meds make sure he doesn't just yank himself off them - he'll probably has a huge withdrawl and a really bad episode again!. You have to wean yourself off them!.
It's a real tough road your on!. Good luck and stay strong!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Well I have some schizophrenic relatives and they are able to work!. But with him being on so many medications, it would probably be best for him to not have to work!. A lot of the time extra added stress from work can cause the schizophrenia to get worse!. Try getting him on SSI and find something like a hobby that he can enjoy!. Maybe you can find something that is really important around the house that he can do so that he feels like he is contributing!? I would just try to keep him busy!.
I am very sorry about your husband!. I hope that everything works out just fine!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
I am very sorry about your husband!. I hope that everything works out just fine!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Even to someone who's not a proffessional, that seems like waaaaay too much medication!. Have you queried why he is being prescribed so much!?
I looked them up, and that's an anti-depressant, a typical antipsychotic and an a-typical antipsychotic-it's no wonder with that lot that he's being prescribed Cogentin as this is used to counter act side effects!.
Atypical and typical antipsychotic drugs should not be prescribed at the same time either, except for short periods if patients are changing drugs-I'm assuming this is the case; otherwise this is something to query too!.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in the UK, suggests that a-typical antipsychotics are used for people newly diagnosed with schizophrenia!. Typical antipsychotics generally cause more side effects!. I know in the US antipsychotics such as Haldol are more commonly used, but it seems like from what I'd read that if possible, one of the newer one would be better!.
Just some things you could bring up with his psychiatrist if you haven't already!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
I looked them up, and that's an anti-depressant, a typical antipsychotic and an a-typical antipsychotic-it's no wonder with that lot that he's being prescribed Cogentin as this is used to counter act side effects!.
Atypical and typical antipsychotic drugs should not be prescribed at the same time either, except for short periods if patients are changing drugs-I'm assuming this is the case; otherwise this is something to query too!.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in the UK, suggests that a-typical antipsychotics are used for people newly diagnosed with schizophrenia!. Typical antipsychotics generally cause more side effects!. I know in the US antipsychotics such as Haldol are more commonly used, but it seems like from what I'd read that if possible, one of the newer one would be better!.
Just some things you could bring up with his psychiatrist if you haven't already!.Www@Answer-Health@Com