Does a schizophrenic recovering from anoxic encephalopathy experience symptoms&need antipsychotics?
My sister has paranoid schizophrenia. On July 13, she was admitted to the icu, with anoxic encephalopathy. After weeks of testing, they do not know what caused it, but do suspect it was related to her new antipsychotic. After 3 weeks, she started to wake up and began talking, answering questions, asking questions, smiling, laughing -- a miracle, because the docs and nurses thought she would never regain any cognitive abilities. She still has spasticity in her arms, and feet, but can move her legs wherever she wants to and is working hard to use her hand to scratch her nose among other things. She still has a lot of rehab to go. I asked her GP if she should be on an antipsychotic med because she was a severe schizophrenic, and he said that in her state it didn't matter and she didn't need them. But she is aware. she hears. She speaks, albeit not always understandably. I believe that she is in there but can't make her body do what she wants just yet. I am very very concerned that she could be suffering from her symptoms without the proper medication, and that this could affect her recovery. We requested a psych consult because the rehab hospital is giving her geodon on an as needed basis, but no one is addressing pre-existing personality disorder. The GP said he would get one, but it has been 2 weeks and we can't seem to get him to move on it. I believe he just doesn't think it is warranted. Please advise!
Hello Monaliza,
First let me say I hope you sister recovers soon.
I'm not a doctor and I can't diagnose or treat people, however, I'll tell you this: anyone with schizophrenia could experience symptoms, as far as I know.
If you want to be on the safe side with this answer, get a second opinion from an outside doctor who isn't involved with the hospital treating your sister. In fact, I urge you to get a second opinion from a doctor.
I have a couple of suggestions.
If your sister has schizophrenia, it is likely she needs to stay on her anti-psychotic, every day as prescribed, and not miss a dose.
Because the anoxic encephalopathy could've been caused by a psych med, it is possible that if the doctor switches her to another drug, things will be better.
Lastly, you need to push this with everyone if you and your family really believe she needs the anti-psychotic. I'm not sure how effective it would be, but sometimes hospitals have a patient care department that ideally is supposed to investigate these types of things.
Another route you could go is to contact the local newspaper, or a local politician's office. Sometimes they can intervene, or expose what's going on, at least advise you.
Push, push, push.
Regards,
Chri
- Thank you for your input
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Hello Monaliza,
Do hope your sister is progressing well with her recovery.You are naturally so concerned for her welfare.
Am posting a non expert reply for you here, and would certainly think that an early psych consult would be helpful for the longhaul. My thoughts come from the viewpoint of a retired doc (not psych), but just might reassure you somewhat re the lack of regular antipsychotics at present...
My understanding would be that the hypoxic encephalopathy would have caused variable physical damage and injury to areas of your sister's brain, often particularly the basal ganglia and brain stem. A healing process is taking place but for the moment those injured areas will be very VERY sensitive to psychotrophic drugs, and their side-effects. The balance of different neurotransmitter systems is likely to be unstable and could shift rapidly switching 'off' or 'on' of particular pathways so long acting meds will be used cautiously.This is very similar to treating the very elderly or after head injury...So I would think an 'as required' medication plan would make sense.
It is good that you are there as her advocate and will be alert to any distress and report it early to the medical team.
Hope this helps a little,
Best wishes,
Chris, UK
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