Stepson has chemical imbalance 19, lives in Chaiyaphum - best remedy

[dannywla]

My Thai born, Usa high school educated son cannot work or focus due to chemical imbalance. He has among other problems inability to socialize and hear voices. Not funny, as I not get this child to turn his life around.

He just started a new job in a nice hotel, his English is flawless but he cannot enjoy or show a happy face which is important during his two week probation. He believes that he needs medication. I agree and wonder what one would do?

My thinking was to have his mother call Goverment Hospital to see if they have a Mental Health department, and ask to see the Head of Department on his private time.

Thereby reducing the tension and anxiety waiting hours to see a specialist; any suggestions, as most mood altering medications can or cannot be purchases at a street pharmacy?

He also has a drinking and tobacco addiction here in Thailand. He just moved back to my retirement home and I made it clear that Acholol must stop or he cannot cure his mental illness.

Thinking best to get support locally as we are a good hour from any private hospital.

What medications have worked for those who wish to share?

[giddyup]

I'm certainly no expert on the subject, but I would think he would need to be assessed by a professional like a psychiatrist before any kind of medication could be prescribed.

[Sheryl]

Yes, there are many medications and the choice of the right one requires a skilled assessment.

If your son hears voices, more is wrong than just a mood disorder, and he needs to be very carefully diagnosed and monitored.

Unfortunately there is no psychiatric facility in Chaiyaphum, so travel is unavoidable.

There is a government pysch hospital in Kohn Kaen province http://www.jvkk.go.th/newweb/default.aspx and also one in Korat: http://www.jvkorat.go.th/newsite/ (both websites I'm afraid only in Thai).

Suggest he go to which ever is closer.

[dannywla]

We live in Phu Khieo, just 20 km south of Chum Phae, Khon Kaen

[Sheryl]

See above (I edited my post) - sounds like the government pysch hospital in Khon Kaen would be closest.

[Kitsune]

I had inability to socialize, hearing voices, panic attacks, depressed, chronic fatigue, muscles and joints pains etc ...

It was Lyme Disease.

[cdmtdm]

I had inability to socialize, hearing voices, panic attacks, depressed, chronic fatigue, muscles and joints pains etc ...

It was Lyme Disease.

wrong...

[Kitsune]

I had inability to socialize, hearing voices, panic attacks, depressed, chronic fatigue, muscles and joints pains etc ...

It was Lyme Disease.

wrong...

I think I know what I have better than you do...

[cdmtdm]

kitsune ...its not about u .... the thread is about someone else ....

[Kitsune]

kitsune ...its not about u .... the thread is about someone else ....

Not about me, about the OP's symptoms

The OP has described symptoms known for Lyme Disease.

Lyme is a world wide epidemic. In the US (where the OP's boy grew up) it is estimated that Lyme affects one million of new people each year.

Worldwide its incidence is 6 times greater than AIDS.

It's only normal to make a reference to such a spread up disease.

[NancyL]

The OP lists hearing voices, substance abuse, inability to socialize or put on a happy face as primary symptoms. Those sounds like something that should first be checked out by a psychiatrist before looking at less likely causes like Lyme disease.

Had the OP listed chronic fatigue and neurological symptoms, then yes, maybe Lyme disease should be higher up on the list.

Edited November 15, 2014 by NancyL

[Kitsune]

The OP lists hearing voices, substance abuse, inability to socialize or put on a happy face as primary symptoms. Those sounds like something that should first be checked out by a psychiatrist before looking at less likely causes like Lyme disease.

Had the OP listed chronic fatigue and neurological symptoms, then yes, maybe Lyme disease should be higher up on the list.

Neuro-lyme or neuro-borreliosis is very common now and affects many people with neurological symptoms such as anxiety panic attacks hearing voices (which is due to spirochetes), Inability to socialize, etc...

As explained by Igenex the main Lyme lab

http://www.igenex.com/psychological_effects.htm

• A college student in her early twenties who started hearing voices. “She came from a good family and had no previous emotional problems,” says Solomon.

As Lyme disease progresses, it can attack the nervous system, producing learning disabilities, mood swings, anxiety and depression, panic attacks, obsessive behavior, sudden rages and other psychiatric diagnoses. Says Raxlen, “When this happens, we’re looking at a completely different syndrome and one that is harder to cure.”

A recent European study shows that psychiatric in-patients are nearly twice as likely as the average population to test positive for Lyme, and the National Institutes of Health are currently sponsoring a major study of neuropsychiatric Lyme disease in an effort to illuminate specific changes in the brain.

A classic treatment of anti-depressors /anti-anxiety pills should be followed for at least six months before considering some other ways. Within this time the spirochetes can do a lot of damage to the nervous system.

It would be more helpful to rule out Lyme first.

There are forum-full of people who regret having followed their doctor advice, being misdiagnosed with depression for years and whose nervous system is now a wreck and their life are broken.

Edited November 15, 2014 by Kitsune

[wilcopops]

I would be very concerned if someone diagnosed me or anyone I knew with "chemical imbalance" - GET A SECOND OPINION!

[wilcopops]

I had inability to socialize, hearing voices, panic attacks, depressed, chronic fatigue, muscles and joints pains etc ...

It was Lyme Disease.

wrong...

I think I know what I have better than you do...

evidently not!

[Kitsune]

I had inability to socialize, hearing voices, panic attacks, depressed, chronic fatigue, muscles and joints pains etc ...

It was Lyme Disease.

wrong...

I think I know what I have better than you do...

evidently not!

Wow

Great I found a LLMD at last!

Please enlighten us!

[konying]

Excuse if i am out of line, but can excessive drinking result in all of the above symptoms listed by OP?

Also OP states son has chemical imbalance, so someone has diagnosed the problem? if so, why they have not given any medication?

If it is OP's diagnose, i would again consider excessive drinking and possibly over use of other substances such as Marijuana,which son may have abused back in US

PS, OP just to clarify, probation is 120 days not 2 weeks

Edited November 15, 2014 by konying

[h90]

Excuse if i am out of line, but can excessive drinking result in all of the above symptoms listed by OP?

Also OP states son has chemical imbalance, so someone has diagnosed the problem? if so, why they have not given any medication?

If it is OP's diagnose, i would again consider excessive drinking and possibly over use of other substances such as Marijuana,which son may have abused back in US

PS, OP just to clarify, probation is 120 days not 2 weeks

or other drugs.....there are plenty in Thailand

[wilcopops]

I think I know what I have better than you do...

evidently not!

Wow

Great I found a LLMD at last!

Please enlighten us!

The enlightenment you need - and desperately so - is to educate yourself. It is not my job or intention to do so, but you have at least begun to realise you aren't "enlightened"

[Kitsune]

Wow

Great I found a LLMD at last!

Please enlighten us!

The enlightenment you need - and desperately so - is to educate yourself. It is not my job or intention to do so, but you have at least begun to realise you aren't "enlightened"

So you have nothing

Obscurantism, prejudices, misinformation, or simple ignorance is what keep millions of patients in dire pain and even kill them.

Edited November 15, 2014 by Kitsune

[Sheryl]

It is most unfortunate that a flame fest has derailed this topic.

Please cease and desist.

[dannywla]

Thanks for this feedback, I will have the test for Lyme disease at the local goverment hospital. Having stood by him the first 8 days of his new job i like taking a preschool child to school the first week.

Yesterday, he decided he was to ill to report to work, when there was a wedding with more than 600 people to attend. He said he called his supervisor the night before, "Super Bowl Sunday" and to ill to suit up! He said he not going to work. I had to get his Mom to get him out of his bed and suited up to report to work yesterday at 6 am.

I knew had we went with his judgement, he would of been terminated. He made it thru his shift but was sick enough that his supervisor saw that he was Man enough to report to his job and too sick to work the big event.

This morning, he said he would catch the Van from the bus stop, call me from the bus stop and tell me he forgot his 100 baht I left next to his breakfast plate. I was told to check, I replied" Its not there," he called me back and found it. Told him money goes into your wallet, so its a learning process every day with this kid.

I feel that if he continues with his job, as he is scheduled to work 40 days straight... His mental illness will work itself out! How so, he has direction, he continues to improve his time management skills, his comfort level at his job improves daily. His co-workers are starting to ask him to teach them how to say and speak English. His job benefits includes free meals, which help instill family values, because everyone is so lucky to work with a good Organization/

"Your Known by the Company you Keep" is a important factor in his development. His prior friends are young drinkers, smokers and poor role models. Finally, he took my advise and I found him a entry level job in a Fine Hotel in our small Rural town, 20 km from the bus station.

I appreciate all the interest and replies, I will share my post with him this week. Thanks for the Feedback.....

[Kitsune]

He seems to suffer from more than just being unable to smile.and motivation.

Not being able to get out of bed for a 19 year old is not normal.

Blood tests for Lyme are 99% useless : It's a European imported test. They test 3 strains of Borrellia out of 300 existing in the world. So even if he's got it, he has to be lucky ie ; 3 chances out of 300 to have the one which he's tested for.

Additionally one of the strain is not present in Asia, so if he got here in Thailand he's got even less chances ie only 2 chances out of 300 to be detected.

Finally even if he's got one of the 2 stains tested, the test is not sensitive enough and there are many false negative.

And also Thailand is refusing Lyme so when faced with a positive test, most doctors usually say "it does not mean anything"

It is an outrage that given the scale of contamination (1 million new cases each year in US alone) no one is funding proper research to get real detection, and many patients are misdiagnosed/ left without diagnostic.

I have a better idea, I will tell you by PM

[Sheryl]

Lyme disease is hardly the only, or even the most likely, explanation here so please do not go overboard with this.

It is possible this boy suffers from an acute pyschosis (which normally does have onset in the late teend and early twenties0 and if so, delaying treatment could be quite dangerous.