My adult 20yo daughter is in a hospital mental ward diagnosed with Schizoaffective Disorder. This is her third stay in 3 different hospital mental wards within 5 years, but always with a 2 weeks recovery before. From previous doctors it seems this condition is said to be uncommon and each doctor is taking their turn without much experience/results it seems. Currently she is at the 3rd hospital and the doc there has stated he can’t figure out what to do to help her, but he has decided he wants to make her a ward of the state to gain total control over her healthcare, taking out her rights, so she must do what he wants in treatment forever. Despite the fact he cannot figure it out and won’t turn her over to another professional for treatment. We are still hoping to keep them from gaining total control over her, but she has been mostly nonverbal.
Compounding this is the they took away her anti anxiety drug so her CNA’s supposedly can help her in self care since they deemed her sluggish. I told them another med was likely the culprit for sluggishness since we saw this before. But, because she’s an adult they can do whatever they wish independent of our information. She breaks out crying and throwing herself to the floor now we are told. Could be a result of taking away the anti-anxiety meds. Seems that way.
Bottom line, I wanted to find a doctor successful in treating Schizoaffective Disorder in Wisconsin so she can recover. The docs in the current hospital mental ward seem to have no success after 3 weeks and have thrown up their hands and want her to be a ward of the state under their care permanently and no one elses, with her rights taken away by the courts.
How can I find a successful doctor that may be able to help her before the current hospital takes her rights and life away, without showing any progress of care under them? We are in Wisconsin.
The way that it is usually treated is medication. At least that is what works for me. I take risperidone and it makes the voices go away. It can be hard to find the right med. Your daughter needs to keep trying different meds until one works and then keep taking it until it no longer works. That is my suggestion.
Mods, please feel free to move this. I couldn’t find the family forums.
My trouble is the current doc has said he doesn’t understand what treatment can work for her. Tried a few meds already. Seems the doc has little knowledge or success in treating this and has stated he wants to make her a ward of the state to continue his treatments, even though after 3 weeks she is no any better than when she went in. I feel we need to try to get her under the care of a proven professional, but their reply is to submit court papers to put her under their care permanently and take her rights of refusal away permanently by court action.
Hi, @thepixelpusher. This is a peer support forum for people with schizophrenia or a related disorder. You can find the family forum, for people like yourself, over here: http://family.schizophrenia.com.
The short answer, though, is that three weeks is almost no time at all. It can take quite some time to find the right medication, and even then, it can take a long time to see improvement. There is no easy cure for schizoaffective disorder.
I recommend you create an account on the family forum - many people there have been in your situation and can give you their perspectives. Good luck to you and your family!