The last piece
I was still sick and so couldn't travel to Butterworth in time to bring my mum to her third appointment with Dr N. So, my sister kindly did that despite her busy schedule (thank you!). My dad, as usual, went along too.
I advised both of them that they could freely correct my mum if her answers were incorrect or incomplete. Just don't start off by saying, "Mum, you're wrong", but instead say, "But mum, do you remember this and that?" or "How about those times when you did this and that?" I did this in previous sessions when meeting both psychiatrists at private and public hospital and she wasn't upset at all. Moreover, Dr N did tell me, in private, that we can correct her and also, during the second appointment, mum did, at the start of the session, tell Dr N that she would let her family answer for her (we did tell her that Dr N would still like to hear her thoughts and the rest of us could chip in later). So the door is open wide.
I had already privately told (as we were asking for advice) Dr N some of the things here. As suggested to my sister, she brought out the remaining points when the opportunities arose during the session. Besides that, here's the summary of the session
(1) Introduced mood stabiliser, Epilim. Fortunately it's the same drug as the one that public hospital has. Start with 1 tablet each night for 3 nights and then thereafter add on another tablet during the day.
(2) Currently, Olanzapine is Dr N's choice to treat psychosis because it also has some effect on mood but she may change it in future
(3) Dr N was puzzled about mum's low appetite (and thus resorting to improper snacks) and advised us to continue monitor this. She did agree that junk food is not proper replacement for meal.
(4) Thyroid test results were ok but advised mum to take the test again once she recovers from cough.
(5) Mum still has "calling".
(6) Mum still has many ideas but appear to be fewer than before.
(7) Increased Olanzapine dosage i.e. from 5mg to 7.5mg.
(8) Advised to get the cough treated as it made it harder to judge the efficacy of the psychiatric medicine. Cough interfered with mum's sleep and also may had caused soreness.
(9) If mum doesn't need it to sleep, then halve the Xanax dosage and taper it off.
I advised both of them that they could freely correct my mum if her answers were incorrect or incomplete. Just don't start off by saying, "Mum, you're wrong", but instead say, "But mum, do you remember this and that?" or "How about those times when you did this and that?" I did this in previous sessions when meeting both psychiatrists at private and public hospital and she wasn't upset at all. Moreover, Dr N did tell me, in private, that we can correct her and also, during the second appointment, mum did, at the start of the session, tell Dr N that she would let her family answer for her (we did tell her that Dr N would still like to hear her thoughts and the rest of us could chip in later). So the door is open wide.
I had already privately told (as we were asking for advice) Dr N some of the things here. As suggested to my sister, she brought out the remaining points when the opportunities arose during the session. Besides that, here's the summary of the session
(1) Introduced mood stabiliser, Epilim. Fortunately it's the same drug as the one that public hospital has. Start with 1 tablet each night for 3 nights and then thereafter add on another tablet during the day.
(2) Currently, Olanzapine is Dr N's choice to treat psychosis because it also has some effect on mood but she may change it in future
(3) Dr N was puzzled about mum's low appetite (and thus resorting to improper snacks) and advised us to continue monitor this. She did agree that junk food is not proper replacement for meal.
(4) Thyroid test results were ok but advised mum to take the test again once she recovers from cough.
(5) Mum still has "calling".
(6) Mum still has many ideas but appear to be fewer than before.
(7) Increased Olanzapine dosage i.e. from 5mg to 7.5mg.
(8) Advised to get the cough treated as it made it harder to judge the efficacy of the psychiatric medicine. Cough interfered with mum's sleep and also may had caused soreness.
(9) If mum doesn't need it to sleep, then halve the Xanax dosage and taper it off.
Comments
Yes, with siblings who care, for sure :)