Can you hire a private psych nurse to give meds?

[exhausted mom]

I DO know that this is not legal - to force meds on someone.....So possibly what I am looking for is outside the law....something more like a hit man: - A shot man.

But here is my question:-

How do I go about hiring a psych nurse who will get my Schizophrenic, Bipolar, Borderline 20 yr old son to take his meds? ( 9 years of diagnoses) I can't do it and am spending all my time off work in trying. I am exhausted. It destroys the one relationship he has left, with me, so it is bad for him that I have to be the bad guy. I feel that a non family member would have less baggage, and may be more effective. Don't suggest sneaking it in his food/drink. He s so suspicious of being poisoned everyone has ZERO access to the few morsels he ever eats.

Someone who will come by and just give him his 300 mgs Seroquel, no more BS.

Is Seroquel injectable or implantable? - I know there are longterm Haldol shots, but he can be fully rational and human on Seroquel and has been on (and off) it since 2000, (and I think Haldol is more leading to TD.)

Are any of the other newer antipsychotics like Seroquel injectable or implantable? Geodon, Abilify, Zyprexa?

I am in Northern California. I know what the laws are. I really just need any advice that may be a solution to this problem.

I really hope someone has some experience or advice that is helpfull in solving this.

[lmkrn]

In any state I would imagine you will be facing the same difficulties.As a nurse and a parent of a recently dx son I know how difficult this is (difficult does not even come close to it) .Even with court orders mandating treatment following hospitalization (often written as 30 or 60 day alternative treatment orders -never seen longer here). Once the person is out of the hospital they are RARELY enforced. In Michigan a person must be a danger to himself /others /or unable to care for self AND be unable to recognize the need for treatment. Once a person is out of the acute phase of the illness and d/cd from inpatient many could actually (albeit briefly) contest that continued treatment is a violation of civil rights and to force meds injectables on someone could result in worse than losing a license but assault and battery( I considered this myself in desperation) .Its also pretty hard to get any one to do something they dont want to do order or not .While I am not trying to make this seem hopeless the best situation would be to engage (somehow?) the person in treatment.Most but not all at some point in their illness/treatment cycle recognize the benefits of treatment primarily the improved functioning.Another dr , treatment agency ,partial hospital ,or med may be more to his liking . If he is highly noncompliant repeatedly he may be eligible for a State Hospital which is only a temp. fix . Until he recognizes the benefits of treatment he will repeat. That being said Haldol or prolixin (other Ds) can improve functioning for alot of people (but young guys do seem to have higher rates of some side effects some of which can be permanent ) and works nicely on paranoia. Possibly only temporararily until he can be engaged in treatment. Despite the risks we considered it seriously. The paranoia , hallucinations and isolation were too frightening to him ,too disruptive to life (not eating or sleeping). Luckily he responded slowly to zyprexa 40 mg with Effexor sr 150 and has been stable for 3 mo. on 20 /75. For now . I wish you and your family well .I wish I had something more positive to say and I wait with you for FAR better treatment options for our children .

[exhausted mom]

In any state I would imagine you will be facing the same difficulties.As a nurse and a parent of a recently dx son I know how difficult this is (difficult does not even come close to it) .Even with court orders mandating treatment following hospitalization (often written as 30 or 60 day alternative treatment orders -never seen longer here). Once the person is out of the hospital they are RARELY enforced. In Michigan a person must be a danger to himself /others /or unable to care for self AND be unable to recognize the need for treatment. Once a person is out of the acute phase of the illness and d/cd from inpatient many could actually (albeit briefly) contest that continued treatment is a violation of civil rights and to force meds injectables on someone could result in worse than losing a license but assault and battery( I considered this myself in desperation) .Its also pretty hard to get any one to do something they dont want to do order or not .While I am not trying to make this seem hopeless the best situation would be to engage (somehow?) the person in treatment.Most but not all at some point in their illness/treatment cycle recognize the benefits of treatment primarily the improved functioning.Another dr , treatment agency ,partial hospital ,or med may be more to his liking . If he is highly noncompliant repeatedly he may be eligible for a State Hospital which is only a temp. fix . Until he recognizes the benefits of treatment he will repeat. That being said Haldol or prolixin (other Ds) can improve functioning for alot of people (but young guys do seem to have higher rates of some side effects some of which can be permanent ) and works nicely on paranoia. Possibly only temporararily until he can be engaged in treatment. Despite the risks we considered it seriously. The paranoia , hallucinations and isolation were too frightening to him ,too disruptive to life (not eating or sleeping). Luckily he responded slowly to zyprexa 40 mg with Effexor sr 150 and has been stable for 3 mo. on 20 /75. For now . I wish you and your family well .I wish I had something more positive to say and I wait with you for FAR better treatment options for our children .

Thank you, and good luck with your son. I agree this is unbelievably hard. I have never faced anything worse in my life. He just won his hearing (= is no longer a danger to self or others, as he was last weekend when 5150'd -CA comitted) and was released from the state hospital, but this time in much better shape for a change. Not only back to his sane self but making plans for dealing with the falls into psychosis. And he ate easily 4 times yesterday.

I am also uneasy with Haldol because of the TDs risk. I wish Seroquel came as an implant for 6 months!

They prescribed Vistaril, an antihistamine, for his anxiety, apparently they listened to me re his drug seeking, Benzos history because they have seemed to have succeeded in selling him on Vistaril instead: he was touting the benefits of this.

Last time he was there he was out as soon as he could fake sane for 10 minutes in front of the judge. This time he actually got some real help in the groups, and medically, and is back on his Seroquel, and now Vistaril. And he plans to rent with another kid he met there who also went off his Seroquel, wound up in there with him. They will hold eachother to staying on their meds. Maybe getting the mommy says aspect out of taking his meds will be helpfull. Cautiously optimistic...