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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Can Depakote And Risperdol Be Continued For Schizophrenia?

My 28 yr. old, 6 5 tall, 320 lb. son is diagnosed with schizophrenia. He was on Depakote and Risperidol since he was 19 but started to have trouble seeing because of snow. He has NEVER STOPPED being psychotic. He has been delusional with complete compliance on meds for 9 entire years. In other words, the meds make him a giant, slow, delusional man, but he is still delusional. He went from 195 to 350 in 1 year on Depakote. He went from a gorgeous lifeguard to this Hagrid-looking man in one year. He has stretch marks everywhere. He smokes like a train. His neurologist took him off all medicine and put him on Metanyx, a prescription, food-based vitamin, to help his brain and eyes, commonly used to treat diabetes retinaopathy (sp?--sorry). Since then, he has been in mental hospitals in May and June, 4 times, 2 of which he was rejected at Eastern State Hospital because he was not murderous or suicidal enough--one was on a judge s order WITH the recommendation of Samaritan Hospital s team of doctors that he be put on a 60 day hold. This is Lexington, KY, and we have the lowest scores in the nation for mental health care. I have tried to get my ill son to go to an MD, with integrative care specialties, but he refuses. He is VERY PARANOID now and I am at my wit s end. I take him food and WHEN HE LETS ME ENTER (once a week), I clean his apartment, which is awful. Last week, he threw away all his medical cards, ID, social security card, computer, lazyboy (which he destroyed), apt-size fridge, and giant desk, and punched holes in his walls, 13 to be exact. The mental health intake at Eastern State Hospital says he is fine. He laughs maniacally and says scary stuff to me. Is there a Center for alternative healing for schizophrenics? Kentucky s system is not working for my son. Even when he is his sickest, he gets rejected for not being sick enough. Are there any cutting-edge natural therapies or places like Cancer Centers of America for Schizophrenia? Thanks.
Thu, 11 Sep 2014
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Psychiatrist,  's  Response
There are several 'natural therapies' that claim to cure or help schizophrenia. However, they have not been found to be effective in scientific clinical trials.
I have often seen patients and their families going for these new age or natural therapies after getting tired of side effects or inadequate response to conventional medicines. They spend money, effort and time on these alternate therapies but rarely get desired benefit.
Your best bet is still medicines. Here you may have some hope. Certain antipsychotic medicines (such as risperidone and olanzapine) cause weight gain but there are others (such as trifluoperazine [stelazine] and haloperidol [haldol]) which cause much less weight gain.
Overall efficacy of most antipsychotics is similar. They differ in their side effect profile. You can discuss this with your son's doctor.
Depakote causes weight gain in may patients but it alone may not be responsible for weight gain. Again, there are alternative medicines available which may have a different side effect profile.
All this can be tiring and troublesome but is worth the trouble given the alternative of exacerbation in his psychosis.
You should also get some basic tests such as blood sugar level, thyroid level, lipid profile for your son.
I understand your anxiety about the side effects as you put it 'giant, slow, delusional man' but as you have reported stopping medicines has been much worse.
I hope this information is helpful.
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Can Depakote And Risperdol Be Continued For Schizophrenia?

There are several natural therapies that claim to cure or help schizophrenia. However, they have not been found to be effective in scientific clinical trials. I have often seen patients and their families going for these new age or natural therapies after getting tired of side effects or inadequate response to conventional medicines. They spend money, effort and time on these alternate therapies but rarely get desired benefit. Your best bet is still medicines. Here you may have some hope. Certain antipsychotic medicines (such as risperidone and olanzapine) cause weight gain but there are others (such as trifluoperazine [stelazine] and haloperidol [haldol]) which cause much less weight gain. Overall efficacy of most antipsychotics is similar. They differ in their side effect profile. You can discuss this with your son s doctor. Depakote causes weight gain in may patients but it alone may not be responsible for weight gain. Again, there are alternative medicines available which may have a different side effect profile. All this can be tiring and troublesome but is worth the trouble given the alternative of exacerbation in his psychosis. You should also get some basic tests such as blood sugar level, thyroid level, lipid profile for your son. I understand your anxiety about the side effects as you put it giant, slow, delusional man but as you have reported stopping medicines has been much worse. I hope this information is helpful.