Possible bipolar, what medicine is available?

[sidjameson]

Gf's sister is 35. For decades will be nice a while then downright mean awhile. Real jackal and Hyde situation. Not that I know much but it sounds a bit like bipolar to me. Gf of course has no idea. But it really has created an impossible situation for years.

What help is available and if it is bipolar what will the cost of ongoing medication look like?

Any insights from others really would be appreciated.

[Sheryl]

She can get free medication and treatment at government hospital if she is Thai. Where does she live?

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[tutsiwarrior]

I've had a similar problem with a family member for some time now...trouble is a lot of thais don't believe in mental illness until something catastrophic happens and it's hard to get the affected person to a doctor for an examination...the affected person is now back onto an 'even keel' so no action is required at the moment...

 

but there will be another episode (there always is without medication) and I'm wondering if the air force military hospital in Kampaeng Saeng in Nakhon Pathom would have the necessary treatment facilities...they deal primarily with military folks who are presumably 'sound in mind', etc...I was treated there for a broken leg early last year...

 

 

[simon43]

Certainly, it's not the best option to medicate without a medical opinion, especially as some of the drugs, such as Lithium, can be dangerous without medical observation/management.

My Thai ex was diagnosed as bipolar, but refused to take the medication (valproic acid, also known as Depakote, that was prescribed by the doctor. I was able to buy Depakote over the counter in Phuket, and would grind and hide the tablets in her food.

When she took the drug, she was 'managable'.

When she didn't take it, she could go 'higher than a kite'.

Water under the bridge now - good luck.

PS - Cheap drug, never broke the bank

Edited January 9, 2018 by simon43

[tifino]

 

there's a schitzo meeting coming up on Monday.

 

 

 

 

Got a half a mind to go...

 

 

 

been through similar though.

had an ex (thankfully) GF, who flat out refused to take her meds.

She'd barricade the front door, when the Dr had finally resorted to actually coming to the house to administer. She'd refuse counselling workers entry...

 

turned out that anybody who tried to help, even closest to her - became the 'enemy' if they made any suggestion the implied they were on 'the other side' who 'blamed' her she was 'sick'

 

Found it she'd had it for years prior, and that it had been an unspoken dilema for her then-cosest friends,when she been priorly married, and divorced for the very same reason - her ex was her greatest enemy... because he tried to help her

Edited January 9, 2018 by tifino

[saakura]

3 hours ago, tutsiwarrior said:

trouble is a lot of thais don't believe in mental illness until something catastrophic happens

Very true. And the other trouble is that in western countries, a lot of people will beleive in some sort of mental illness for anything that is wrong with them.

[sidjameson]

Thank you everybody. Comforting to hear the same stories.

The gf says she would never go to any doctor and accept her problem. As she lives in the south with the grandmother and her 2 kids far from the gf I guess that's it. I just feel very sorry for the grandmother and kids that suffer every three days out of four.

[Sheryl]

I wouldn't expect much in the way of psych care from military hodp. Try Somdet chaophrya, a government psych hospital located in Thonburi.


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[Sheryl]

Thank you everybody. Comforting to hear the same stories.

The gf says she would never go to any doctor and accept her problem. As she lives in the south with the grandmother and her 2 kids far from the gf I guess that's it. I just feel very sorry for the grandmother and kids that suffer every three days out of four.

 

Possible hormonal cause should also be considered. Especially likely if she has spells as long as 2 weeks in a row of being normal.

 

Being nasty at times is not really a sign of bipolar. That would be manic episiodes (non stop talking, frenetic activity) and episodes of depression.

 

 

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[sidjameson]

Thanks Sheryl, 

It really is a case of angry, screaming, hitting the kids, and being very mean and aggressive to everyone for three days then suddenly on day four being very normal and even nice for a day. On that fourth day will totally not talk about the previous days. If pressed will get angry.

Lives in prachuapkirikhan 

[tutsiwarrior]

3 hours ago, sidjameson said:

Thanks Sheryl, 

It really is a case of angry, screaming, hitting the kids, and being very mean and aggressive to everyone for three days then suddenly on day four being very normal and even nice for a day. On that fourth day will totally not talk about the previous days. If pressed will get angry.

Lives in prachuapkirikhan 

 

those symptoms sound familiar...like sheryl said before look to see if there is any hormonal connection...the person in my house had the whole household terrified with violent outbursts and etc...later it looked like the problem began with the onset of menopause but that was never confirmed...

 

the mood swings seem to coincide with how the person looks after herself; when she's crazy she's fat, slovenly and etc and when she's OK she looks after herself nicely...there's probably a clinical depression element as well...

 

but a doctor needs to investigate and then to prescribe the meds as required...and it has been impossible to get the support needed from the family for those purposes...

 

it all reflects my western bias in that one does not allow violent household disruptions, especially when there are children involved...don't seem to make no difference to folks around here...

 

 

Edited January 10, 2018 by tutsiwarrior

[Deserted]

On 09/01/2018 at 4:10 PM, simon43 said:

Certainly, it's not the best option to medicate without a medical opinion, especially as some of the drugs, such as Lithium, can be dangerous without medical observation/management.

My Thai ex was diagnosed as bipolar, but refused to take the medication (valproic acid, also known as Depakote, that was prescribed by the doctor. I was able to buy Depakote over the counter in Phuket, and would grind and hide the tablets in her food.

When she took the drug, she was 'managable'.

When she didn't take it, she could go 'higher than a kite'.

Water under the bridge now - good luck.

PS - Cheap drug, never broke the bank

Agreed, you can't go on basing medications on assumptions. There are enough trained people in Bangkok to help diagnose the condition. They won't just whittle out cliched accounts of what a mental health issue is about like you will find on the internet. If you are genuinely concerned for the person in question, seek medical advice before doing anything. You could try the Manarom Hospital near Bang na BTS, that would be a good starting point.  

[Sheryl]

Thanks Sheryl, 
It really is a case of angry, screaming, hitting the kids, and being very mean and aggressive to everyone for three days then suddenly on day four being very normal and even nice for a day. On that fourth day will totally not talk about the previous days. If pressed will get angry.
Lives in prachuapkirikhan 

Sounds very like a hormonal imbalance
Could be either PMDD or, if she is old enough, menopause.

In which case a gynecologist rather than psychiatrist is needed.

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