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Suggest Treatment For Mental Disorder In A Elderly Person

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Posted on Wed, 14 Jan 2015
Question: Dear Sir,

My father aged 60 years is suffering from mental disorder from last few years. He use to afraid of sound, noise looking at movement of peoples etc saying somebody wants to attack us. He didn't have his sleep completed in several nights. What should I do to give him proper relief?

Regards,
XXXX
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Ashok Kumar Choudhary (56 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Taking antipsychotics medication is required

Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX
Thanks for using healthcaremagic.
I read your question and understand your concerns.

From the available description it appears that your father is having psychosis like schizophrenia which needs longvterm treatment.
Majority of patients need life long treatment and on stopping it they get similar syptoms again. So continuation of prescribed medication is essential.

Some of the patients do not respond to few drugs which need to explore other available options. In case no drug is effective than Clozapine is preferred choice.
Few people respond to ECT but it needs hospitalization to administer.

Having said this I also request you to discuss with his doctor about possibility of lewy body dementia as this may alternative diagnosis and need different treatment.

I hope this answers your questions.
Thanks and regards
Dr Ashok Kumar
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Ashok Kumar Choudhary (13 hours later)
Dr. XXXXXXX

I have attached a prescription of previous treatment undergoing at my native place.
Most of the time he is feeling well and not repeats the words like afraid/fear/scared etc which he use to frequently talking while under this attack.

We found him sleeping more after taking those medicines.

What medicine should we start to give him so that, he can be treated well ? Now a days, he is very much under that disease of fearing.. do not want to go out of home... sometimes do not want TV to run... Why he fears.. we don't understand..

Request your valuable advice and how to proceed with treatment on this ..

Regards,
XXXX
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Ashok Kumar Choudhary (4 hours later)
Brief Answer:
I think changing or increasing dose of anti psychotic required

Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX
Thanks for reverting back to me.

I have already seen your prescription and understand that he is treated on line of schizophrenia.

As I said earlier it is life time kind of problem and needs long term treatment.

With regular treatment most of the patients do well and function properly.

In regard to sleep problem first of all it is better if you can give his complete dose of olanzapine (olanep) at night time after consulting your treating doctor. The second option is to to replace his olanzapine with Aripiprazole which is non sedative antipsychotic medication and work in similar way to olanzapine.

Since currently he is experiencing active symptoms it will be appropriate to increase the dose of current medication if there are no limiting side effects. The other option is to replace with any other option.

As I can see your prescription is months old and unfortunately your father needs regular consultation with a doctor. If treated inadequately people tend to stop medication or lose effectiveness or sometime they believe that treatment is not effective so they stop it.

Considering all these facts meet your doctor or any other psychiatrist in your city. He will reassess the patient will determine what intervention is appropriate.

Hope this answers your question.
If you have any further query, I would be glad to help you.
If not, you may close the discussion and if possible you may rate the answer for me, so that I get a good feedback.
In future if you wish to contact me directly, you can use the below mentioned link:
http://doctor.healthcaremagic.com/doctors/dr-ashok-kumar/67386
Thanks and regards
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Dr. Ashok Kumar Choudhary

Psychiatrist

Practicing since :2000

Answered : 3355 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Mental Disorder In A Elderly Person

Brief Answer: Taking antipsychotics medication is required Detailed Answer: Dear XXXXXXX Thanks for using healthcaremagic. I read your question and understand your concerns. From the available description it appears that your father is having psychosis like schizophrenia which needs longvterm treatment. Majority of patients need life long treatment and on stopping it they get similar syptoms again. So continuation of prescribed medication is essential. Some of the patients do not respond to few drugs which need to explore other available options. In case no drug is effective than Clozapine is preferred choice. Few people respond to ECT but it needs hospitalization to administer. Having said this I also request you to discuss with his doctor about possibility of lewy body dementia as this may alternative diagnosis and need different treatment. I hope this answers your questions. Thanks and regards Dr Ashok Kumar