I'm sorry about what you're going through. Some people do not respond well to psychiatric drugs, especially multi-drug cocktails.
The drugs that make your son feel like a zombie are likely the antipsychotics, also known as, neuroleptics. Wikipedia or drugs.com should both have a list of the drug names in this class of meds.
And do go to the drug interaction checker on the drugs.com website, and put all your son's meds into the drug interaction checker to make sure there are no major or moderate drug interaction concerns. If there are, then print a copy of that out for your son's doctor. And it may be best to switch doctors, if this case as well.
Back to the neuroleptics, they are known to cause psychosis in some people, which may be why your son is talking to people who don't exist, and a couple new studies have come in showing that this class of meds causes long run damage as well.
http://m.psychologytoday.com/blog/mad-in-america/201102/andreasen-drops-bombshell-antipsychotics-shrink-the-brain
http://www.ahrp.org/cms/content/view/772/9/
So I do recommend you find a doctor who will help get your son weaned off these. I do recommend weaning him off very slowly (perhaps as long as two years), and a mood stabilizer like lithium, as he is being weaned off the drugs would likely help.
My prayers go out to you. And you are correct, psychiatry is beginning to be seen as a very bad joke, and not at all a funny one. I'm so sorry for what you've gone through.
It takes time and good communication and compliance with prescribed meds to find what works. How can this succeed when youre so angry? Why on earh do you call the police? For transport to a psych unit I hope. Something just does not add up when reading your post.
Bipolars do not talk to things that dont excist unless in a delusional state.
Is it possible your son is schizophrenic? Have you told his Doctor about this behavior going on for a year? Please open your mind and let the professionals diagnose and treat your son with your input regarding his behavior. You seem so incredibly pissed in general.
Hey I just read your story and Wow, it reminds me of my mom went through with me. she has to give up work as she wasn't coping and i was put into a care house for adolescence with mental illness. our journey took 2 years before i moved town to get better treatment. i have got post traumatic stress disorder from the way i was treated by the mental health staff and clinics. I will let you know i turned out OK though am still battling bipolar disorder and everything that goes with it, but the city i moved to has more places to get help so when you get a bad doctor you can change. it does get better and i am living independently and am studying at university. There is hope.
I would love to know who you are both getting on.
Hey there - I am so sorry you're dealing with so much.
Have you seen another psychiatrist, or just one?
If it were me, I would be very straightforward with the doctor. You have every right to know the answers to the questions you have, and for the doctor to work with you on a treatment plan (WITH being the key word).
For instance... WHY is my son on all these medications (ask for details on each medicine he is prescribed)? Is there one med that can do the job that several are doing for him? We want to minimize the number of medications he's on, we need your help to do this. One of these pills is making my son feel like a zombie, can we figure out which one and switch it? We need to find an alternative for this medicine, it's side effects (weight gain in particular) is not acceptable when there are plenty of other medications for him to try.
I gained over 50 pounds on Depakote. My dr will not put me back on it because of that.
It may take some time for adjustment, but you and your son at least deserve the hope that these medications can stabilize him and not interfere with his day to day living in such an extreme way.
The other thing I would suggest is just exercising. Just go out and walk. It helps you balance your chemicals in your brain and it will at least help a little with the weight gain.
I really hope you can either get your son's psychiatrist to work with you, or find another that is willing and capable of helping. Good luck :)
Here is a site for you to look at:
http://www.glutenfreedietbook.com/articles/index.php?article=21
If you choose to try this diet, you have to be 100% gluten free (no trace of wheat, barley, rye or oats). Give it at least 3 months, maybe 6 months to see how it helps.
He will need to take a multivitamin (NatureMade is gluten free) to make up for nutrients missing in the diet. You will have to read up and learn what he can and cannot eat (hopefully you will do the diet with him since you suffer also). I've been on it for so long for different reasons, so it is easy for me. But looking back I remember hating trying to figure out what I could and couldn't eat. Gluten is in a lot of foods. If you are going to give it a try, just leave me a message for diet ideas. Hope this helps....I really do!