Should I just go ahead and book the psychiatrist

[gcvmom]

for husband now? I mean, I fully expect that in a month or so, when he's weaned off the Lamictal and on Trileptal for his seizures, he's going to slide back into his old depressive and moody ways. I'm not sure I want to wait until things are getting icky around here before having some place to take him for help.

Mabye I'll give the office a call and see what they say. The psychiatrist knows husband's recent history even though husband hasn't been in to see him in about 5 years. Last year I booked an appointment with him just so I could specifically talk about husband's issues. He gave me some off-the-record advice and opinion and also some perspective. I think with all I've shared about our family life, psychiatrist has husband pretty well figured out.

If I had to bet, I think the psychiatrist may rx something like Risperdal for husband. But man, weight gain is NOT something he can afford right now -- he's already about 60 pounds over.

Hmmm... any thoughts here? Things have been so pleasant around here since last Fall, I was actually beginning to enjoy life. It sure would be nice to hold on to some of this serenity for a while longer!

 

[WhymeMom?]

I would go ahead and set up an appointment for a month or two out...... you can always cancel if it's not needed.......... Lots of people are on a cancellation list, so don't think I would worry about taking up an appointment...... Don't think I would tell the appointment maker that this is a "just in case" appointment, I would just say a checkup may be needed at that time...... or if she pushes you just say you are concerned about some of the medications he has been taking and you hope by that time he will be off those and want him checked out......

 

[Hound dog]

Make the appointment.

I discovered by accident that trazadone makes my husband able to live with. He's almost a happy person. Almost. (King of grouches)

You've just reminded me that I need to make an appointment and get him back on it. lol

But make the appointment. You can always cancell later.

 

[Star*]

OH have we learned NOTHING?

Make an appointment for NOW while he's still ON the medications - and it will be habit by the time he's sliding.....sliding.........................sliding.....and harder to agree (without medications) to GO to the psychiatrist.

Can you leave him at inpatient? lol....just kidding....(can you?) huh?

 

[flutterbee]

Another vote for making the appointment. I think seroquel doesn't cause the weight gain - or as much - but I could be wrong. Plus, I noticed SIGNIFICANT cognitive dulling (this was before my current cognitive issues) on the risperdal, in addition to the horrible nightmares where I would wake up terrified. That was worse than the weight gain, but everyone's experiences are different.

What about an AD?

 

[gcvmom]

Heather, he's already on Paxil... not sure if adding another would help. Lamictal just really evened him out and took the constant irritability away. Paxil gave him patience and made him less explosive.

Okay, y'all have me convinced. I'm going to call Monday to book the appointment for the next available.

by the way, he had his MRI today and although we don't have the official results we talked the tech into letting us look at the images briefly. It looks like he may have had another small bleed/leak. It would explain the recent increase in seizures. I hope I'm wrong. I really hope I'm wrong.

 

[totoro]

Make the apt. I also hope the image you saw is wrong... my thoughts are with you.

 

[Wiped Out]

Keeping fingers crossed you saw the image wrong! I'm glad you are making the appointment.

 

[susiestar]

I think making the appointment would be VERY SMART. Current neuro seems unwilling to deal with what effects the medications have on mood, you may even need someone to take over for the neuro while you wait to get into another one (if you continue to dislike the neuro's approach) and it can't hurt to have a psychiatrist on board. A psychiatrist might be able to give perspective on the "if the 2nd medication doesn't work we will crack you open and slice out healthy tissue" stance of the neuro as well as suggest one or more other antiseizure medications that would be good to try as first line treatment to deal with both the seizure and teh mood problems (thinking you might be able to find another medication that worked on both problems if the docs really think about it, or work to that end anyway).

I am sorry that you think you saw something on the MRI. That must be very scary for both of you. And worrying aobut the mood situation sliding would also be scary.

Sending hugs and saying a prayer that everything gets better instead of worse,

Susie