Posts by Alex Ruiz4

So, I’m looking at my urinalysis results and it says there are urate crystals present, which really shouldn't be there. It doesn't specify the amount, though. Is this actually a concern? I already saw my doctor earlier and she told me everything looks fine. My blood work came back normal before, too. Generally speaking, she always tells me I'm perfectly healthy and everything is a clean bill of health.

Still, I’m feeling a bit unsettled by it all. I’ve been getting this weird fatigue in my arm and leg, along with some discomfort in my lower left abdomen. It isn't constant—it happened today, and a few days ago, and sometimes even further back. It’s a strange sensation; it’s not exactly "pain," just an uncomfortable feeling that makes me feel like I have to constantly shake out my arm or leg to get relief. This might sound a little silly, but I ate way too much watermelon yesterday and felt that discomfort right after, and the same thing happened a couple of days ago.

Could the presence of those urates have anything to do with this odd sensation in my arm? Or am I just overthinking things again? One more thing: everything else on the report looks normal, except it mentions some bacteria and some squamous epithelial cells. Thanks for any insight!🙂

Look, I’ll definitely take suggestions if nobody points me toward a suitable location. I don't see what the issue is. I'm talking to people here who likely have the best insight into finding the right spot for him.

It’s honestly wild how much love and understanding he gets from everyone. We all bend over backward at home to accommodate him—we don't push his buttons, and we barely even complain. He actually gets along fine with us; it's not like he holds anything against us. The whole house really tries, and he’s usually quite cheerful—especially during the summer, he's almost always in good spirits. The issue is that he isn't really living in this reality. Sometimes things get heavy for him, and he falls into these deep bouts of sadness. It usually happens when the seasons shift from summer to winter, but it can happen anytime. During those episodes, he just cries and sobs, and he won't let anyone near him because he feels like we're intruding. He’s completely lost in whatever is going on inside his own head. But he doesn't lash out physically or anything like that.

I'll check out the Pfizer website. Thanks. I might reach out again if I need more info. Tell me though—if even his own family can't figure out what's wrong, is he really in bad shape?

He’s been diagnosed with schizophrenia, some specific type, though I'm not entirely sure which one. He deals with auditory hallucinations and imagines all sorts of things. My main concern is that nobody seems to be taking a specialized, proactive approach to it. No one is truly monitoring his condition. Things weren't much better in the beginning; he'd chat with a psychiatrist here and there, but nothing substantial ever came of it. Even back then, I had this nagging feeling that no one believed any real progress could be made.

I'm not even certain if his current meds are the best fit, since I'm not 100% sure if his behavior is directly tied to them. I'll tell my mom to make sure he takes them strictly on schedule. Right now, it's Risperdal and Lexapro... what's the deal with those? Are they safe? Are they considered high-quality options, or should he be looking into a third alternative? He took Haldol before, but it gave him terrible headaches. Are those among the strongest antipsychotics out there?

Also, where am I supposed to take him? He isn't acting out or losing control, so I don't think a hospital ward is the right move. Maybe some kind of specialized outpatient facility? Does something like that exist? Where would I find it?

@Kenneth Price74

How can you say the family isn't doing enough? Are you suggesting we should have just hauled him off to a hospital? My mom talked to the doctors, but nobody really pushed her to believe that was the right call. It’s almost like there's this unspoken assumption that he’s beyond help... You might not realize this, but out here in rural towns, people often rely on just talking to themselves to get by. The locals just get used to seeing them like that, and that's it. Honestly, I feel like this whole small-town atmosphere is part of the problem. Our doctor is a local who sees my brother all the time—whether he's out on the road or just passing by. She sees him laughing to himself. But no one ever takes any initiative... I've been reading stories about people where, if they miss their meds, the police or an ambulance show up to drag them away. That's why I'm staying hopeful; he's much calmer than those cases. My brother doesn't really have "classic" episodes... at least, they aren't that intense.

I didn't say it’s absolutely impossible to get him to see a doctor. It’s more like there’s zero chance we can just tell him he has to go today and expect him to actually show up. Mom has tried nudging him a few times in the meantime, but nothing has worked. Her plan is to go to the clinic herself and talk to the doctor about what she’s seeing—which meds seem to help and what he’s been saying. I also think it's worth noting that his condition improves drastically in the summer. When the weather gets warm, the neighborhood comes alive, people are out and about, he can go swimming... he’s so much, much better. He goes to the beach, grabs coffee, takes walks... he really thrives on that. He mostly just talks to himself. Basically, his environment makes a huge difference. In the summer, I can even have a little chat with him, and living with him isn't even a major struggle. You might hear him talking to himself occasionally, but he’s usually in a good mood. If we ask him to quiet down because it's bothering us, he’ll actually listen and settle down. But in the winter? He just snaps at us with a "get lost!" or some profanity, telling us to leave him alone because we "just don't understand" how he feels...

Damn, what are we supposed to do?

I really need some advice here. It’s urgent.

My brother has schizophrenia. Ever since he was diagnosed, my sister has been struggling just to function. This all started while he was away serving in the military, so we aren't even sure exactly when things shifted. When he finally came home, he would just stare into space. He wouldn't talk, and it felt impossible to even be near him... I can't recall the exact details anymore. I just remember my mom coming home looking completely distraught, telling us he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. He’s currently on Risperdal and Lexapro—he takes quite a high dose of the Risperdal (about three tablets a day plus half a Lexapro, though I don't know the exact milligrams). Honestly, it doesn't seem to be helping much... Let me try to explain.

How does his illness actually show up? He makes up people and talks to them. At first, it wasn't out loud; he would just smile to himself or mutter something under his breath. But then he started talking to them audibly. I don't even have to mention that we can't sleep at home because of it. Mostly, he just laughs with them. Sometimes he seems to be in a great mood... laughing hysterically, even though he thinks they are his enemies. He's convinced he has this massive responsibility to carry the weight of the world, like he's some kind of martyr. He believes "they" planted that idea in his head. Other times, he gets angry—furious, actually—at them. He yells, but it has nothing to do with what's happening around us. He'll just lie in bed or sit somewhere rambling to himself. He isn't violent, at least not until we try to give him his medication, which can trigger a strong reaction. He isn't trying to hurt us; he just curses because he hates having to take it. There are times we can't even get him to agree to take his meds. And then the house just goes crazy. One minute he's laughing and talking to them with incredible excitement, and the next, he's absolutely heartbroken and desperate, begging them to leave him alone. He cries and pleads. It's devastating. We all just sit there in the house, frozen, praying to God that he'll calm down. He often says he's done enough, that he's carried the weight of the world and all that. So, he begs them to leave him alone, and because of that, he often makes up specific dates for when it will happen. Apparently, that's what "they" tell him. He doesn't have visual hallucinations.

To be honest, I can't say for certain if it's only this bad when he misses a dose. It's so unpredictable. When he's okay, and we think he's just sitting there watching TV, smiling and quietly chatting with "them" (he never says more than a sentence to us), he'll take his medicine without much fuss. But there's a catch... His sleep schedule is all over the place. Sometimes he won't sleep all day, and then he'll crash for 15 hours straight. My mom doesn't want to wake him up to give him his meds. The doctor supposedly told her not to wake him, just to give it to him as soon as he wakes up. But then he ends up not taking his medication on a regular schedule. Is that a problem? Does he have to take them at the exact same time every day? Maybe that's our biggest mistake right here.

Also, he used to see his psychiatrist pretty frequently, maybe once a week. They would talk for a bit, the doctor might adjust a medication, and that was it. He took Haldol once, but he stopped because it gave him headaches. He had a decent relationship with the doctor, but mostly because the doctor was probably the only person with the patience and strength to listen to his made-up stories. Lately, those visits have become rare. The doctor didn't complain, but now he barely goes at all. I can't remember the last time he saw someone. No one is monitoring his medication or anything like that. Living on an island makes everything even harder.

But I truly believe we can help him enough so that he can live in the real world again—so he can realize these are hallucinations, fight back, and understand that he needs to manage his own medication. Maybe he could even live a normal life. Am I being unreasonable? We're all sitting at home wondering what to do. I was thinking about sending him to a clinic so he can be under professional supervision for a while, where doctors can figure out exactly which medication works best and at what dosage. Where should we go? I honestly have no idea what to do. I know that what we've been doing isn't working. He can't fight this battle for himself, so it's our responsibility to do it for him.

I hope someone reads this long post, comments, and maybe offers some advice so I can help him.

Thanks