Here for my brother who has low functioning autism

[GWL]

Hi everyone! I'm super stoked to have found this forum as I was doing research for my brother. He's nonverbal so being able to read all these posts helps me to see things from a different perspective; hopefully, it'll help me understand him more.

The main thing I was trying to research prior to stumbling upon this forum was medication. My brother, Gary, has a history of elopement, aggression and self-injurious behaviors. Due to these behaviors, his psychiatrist has convinced me that the benefits of antipsychotics outweigh the cost of the side affects. He is currently on risperdal and depakote, but these medications don't seem to have the same effect as they once did. The psychiatrist now wants to take him off the risperdal and put him on something else with more side effects and/or increase his dosage of depakote (which I'm completely against because the depakote gives him tremors). I don't know what to do because I don't really trust his psychiatrist; it seems like every time Gary has a spike in behaviors, the psychiatrist immediately suggests an increased dosage instead of taking into account other alternatives first.

If anyone has any experiences or advice they want to share, please don't hesitate to reach out. Thanks in advance!

 

[Major Tom]

That is unfortunately what psychiatrists do, up the dosage of medication, they do the same for me and my son. I refuse. Your brother is in a difficult spot because he cannot speak for himself. I'm glad you are there for him.

 

[SusanLR]

This is typical psychiatry treatment. Up the meds.
I usually don't agree. Reason being I am HFA and a retired pharmacist.
Also I've suffered from GAD and panic attacks through my life.
Handing out meds is the easy route.
Be there for him and do research.

 

[Crossbreed]

Hello & welcome.

My ASD2 son takes similar meds. My ASD3 daughter requires only a seasonal antihistamine.

Even though your brother is autistic, there is no medicinal treatment for it. The medicine is for his co-morbid conditions, which are usually more pronounced in ASD2s & 3s. They are firmly in the domain of your psychiatrist.

Your brother's inability to speak makes his case that much more confounding. Can he communicate in other ways, like writing, typing or sign?

 

[Nitro]

Hi GWL

 

[AloneNotLonely]

Does he actually have psychotic episodes along with autism? That's the only way I would see this medication being a good decision.

The truth with any medication is that there are physical adaptations. The chemistry in the body changes, and eventually the effect weakens and a new drug needs to be introduced or the dosage needs to be increased. So in that regard, the psychiatrist is making the correct decision. You just can't get around it. After this change or increase in dosage he will once again adapt and then there needs to be a change in medication once again. Didn't the psychiatrist tell you this in advance? Usually you will end up on a cycle of medications that have different biochemical pathways. So once the increased resistance to one drug wears off, it can be used again.

I'm pretty much a lay-person like most here. I doubt you are going to get much information. I just happen to know about the adaptation because it's such a universal rule of biology. Perhaps consider getting a second opinion from a psychiatrist that is specialized in managing autism?

Edit: I'm actually zealously against medication considering psychotic psychiatrists attempted to medicate me against my will despite the fact that I never needed it, but I don't want to get all vehement about something I know nothing about so I'm sticking to the facts that I am aware of.

 

[clg114]

Welcome to AutismForums!

 

[tree]

 

[Streetwise]

Hi everyone! I'm super stoked to have found this forum as I was doing research for my brother. He's nonverbal so being able to read all these posts helps me to see things from a different perspective; hopefully, it'll help me understand him more.

The main thing I was trying to research prior to stumbling upon this forum was medication. My brother, Gary, has a history of elopement, aggression and self-injurious behaviors. Due to these behaviors, his psychiatrist has convinced me that the benefits of antipsychotics outweigh the cost of the side affects. He is currently on risperdal and depakote, but these medications don't seem to have the same effect as they once did. The psychiatrist now wants to take him off the risperdal and put him on something else with more side effects and/or increase his dosage of depakote (which I'm completely against because the depakote gives him tremors). I don't know what to do because I don't really trust his psychiatrist; it seems like every time Gary has a spike in behaviors, the psychiatrist immediately suggests an increased dosage instead of taking into account other alternatives first.

If anyone has any experiences or advice they want to share, please don't hesitate to reach out. Thanks in advance!

You need to find someone who concentrates on autism as we are sensitive to medicines ,they need experience and what would happen if someone who is autistic Who takes anti psychotic drugs and antidepressants prevents at a clinic with certain behaviours.
His aggressive behaviour is probably more anxiety than psychosis and would probably work better with just an antidepressant.
What he needs is mindfulness ,something to focus on to use of his energy, he has an excess of energy which is building up in his head .
I guarantee he will find a way to communicate ,my mother had Lou Gehrig's disease ALS and she was paralysed from the top of her head literally to the soles of her feet and she managed to communicate .

 

[Tom]

It is a which is better scenerio. But 'elopement, aggression and self-injurious behaviors' are serious behaviors to consider. Other types of therapy may work for some of them. Is he in school/special ed or too old?