Win some lose some.
By koopharper
@koopharper (7477)
Canada
August 13, 2016 6:47pm CST
Yesterday's visit with the psychiatrist for our oldest son didn't go quite as hoped but I think we scored well enough.
One thing discussed was the possibility of reducing his medication. Discussed is probably the wrong word. Sheldon brought it up, my wife made short statement and the psychiatrist went off on them. Evidently he didn't agree with that. To us that is bad news. I know the government pays for it at this point in time. We aren't entirely comfortable with that situation. We've been on the wrong end of a government bureaucratic stroke of the pen on several occasions. Our level of trust isn't very good. The cost of course is way beyond anything we could hope to afford on our own. For now we'll live with that.
On this issue of him eventually getting an apartment close by with his brothers, we're golden. They have no objection and there was no pressure to accept having him move to Moncton.
You win some you lose some. I'm comfortable with the status quo in the near future and managed to calm both my wife and my son down. They were both quite upset. We won on the most worrisome issue.
12 people like this
11 responses
@toniganzon (72285)
• Philippines
13 Aug 16
So sorry about the medication. It could really be costly. My sister-in-law is under medication too and here the government doesn't support that at all. She sees her psychiatrist every month and has to pay for it as well. And they're not even well off
2 people like this
@toniganzon (72285)
• Philippines
14 Aug 16
@koopharper yeah I understand. At least there's some support from the government.
2 people like this
@koopharper (7477)
• Canada
14 Aug 16
For us it is prohibitively expensive. Without the government program to pay for it, we simply could not. It's roughly half of what I earn each month.
2 people like this
@koopharper (7477)
• Canada
13 Aug 16
There are negative side effects. His dosage was reduced in the past some as he improved. He has made some very positive progress over the course of the last six months. We thought that it would be appropriate to continue reducing it.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205716)
• Walnut Creek, California
14 Aug 16
@koopharper Why was the psychiatrist so against it?
1 person likes this
@koopharper (7477)
• Canada
14 Aug 16
@TheHorse Honestly the man is extremely overworked. He responded like we were making demands and that wasn't the way it was. My wife says that even the social worker who was present seemed a bit taken aback.
1 person likes this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
14 Aug 16
@koopharper Since he's been doing better, I can't see that a request for a reduction in medication would have been out of line.
1 person likes this
@koopharper (7477)
• Canada
14 Aug 16
I think we've been given a functional solution at this point in time. I understand why they were upset as well. The request to consider a reduction, I don't think was an unreasonable one. He could have said, "I don't think it is a good idea at this time and here's why..."
2 people like this
@allen0187 (58444)
• Philippines
14 Aug 16
Be grateful for those things that went for your favor. Accept those that didn't.
Hope things pan out right for you.
1 person likes this
@allen0187 (58444)
• Philippines
14 Aug 16
@koopharper 
Learning to accept things not going your way is a win in itself.
Learning to accept things not going your way is a win in itself.1 person likes this
@Morethanamom (1948)
• Canada
14 Aug 16
Mental health is a very sensitive issue. Obviously with the proper support(medicinally as well) he has the opportunity to thrive. I can understand not wanting to rely on medication(or an abundance of it), but it may be what is needed. I hope a balance is reached.
1 person likes this
@koopharper (7477)
• Canada
14 Aug 16
Our studies have shown that he might at some point be able to do without. I'm not going to insist on it. I just want to be sure he is taking what is necessary and not more. The side effects over time can become their own problem.
1 person likes this
@Morethanamom (1948)
• Canada
14 Aug 16
@koopharper that would be awesome, especially if he continues to receive support(therapy and dietary or whatever else is a possibility).
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
14 Aug 16
Boy those Doctors sure don't want to decrease meds, do they? The long reach of Big Pharma strikes again.
2 people like this
@koopharper (7477)
• Canada
14 Aug 16
Honestly we'd rather see less medication and more therapy but I don't think the resources are available for that. I know a young lady who needs therapy and the waiting list for what she needs is a year long. She has managed to put the medication aside for the most part but every once in awhile hits the bottle pretty hard. Her problem is post traumatic stress though not schizophrenia.
2 people like this
@Shellyann36 (11385)
• United States
4 Feb 17
Red tape and government go hand in hand. Hang in there. You win some and lose some but don't give up hope.
@hereandthere (45651)
• Philippines
14 Aug 16
i'm glad you were there with them. it would be nice if he and his brothers get to live together. speaking of which, it's obvious from the picture you're an exceptionally tall family.
1 person likes this
@koopharper (7477)
• Canada
14 Aug 16
The camera angle probably makes us look even taller than reality. We are all taller than average though.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (48937)
• United States
14 Aug 16
I hope that your son will do well and be able to get his own place.
1 person likes this
@koopharper (7477)
• Canada
14 Aug 16
I think we're working in the right direction. I spent quite a bit of time encouraging him yesterday.
@Macarrosel (7498)
• Philippines
14 Aug 16
If lowering the medication is effective for your son then maybe you should follow the psychiatrist. Just my thoughts.
1 person likes this
@koopharper (7477)
• Canada
14 Aug 16
Ideally we would like him to have his dependency on the medication as much as possible. We aren't going to argue the point though.
@koopharper (7477)
• Canada
18 Aug 16
Mistrust in government is epidemic. I wish they would take the hint.
1 person likes this
