QUESTION:
Dear Dr Heller,
I have read your first book and am very grateful for all your research and work that you have done in regards to this debilitating illness.
My son now in his early 20’s has had problems with anger management from a young age and after seeing numerous psychologists and psychiatrists through the years has been diagnosed BPD. He has been on Prozac at various strengths 20mg up to 60mg only for the last 6 years and even with psych visits lost it completely a couple of years ago, starting a trend of self destructive behavior involving gambling/alcohol addiction that led to lying stealing and bizarre rages.
After reading your book 2 years ago I tried and failed to get the treatment you recommend until now. I have returned to my former physician who thinks your treatment plan is sensible and safe and is willing to give it a try. Yay! He is very interested in your procedure and has prescribed Prozac, Haloperidol, Tegretol and Risperdal as per your patients’ dysphoria instruction sheet.
My question is in reference to your good results with Tegretol. Should he start using it on a regular basis or just according to the instruction sheet?
Also in regards to Haloperidol when is it a good idea to use this as a preventative? His dramatic mood change comes soon after a personal upset and there’s no predicting them.
ANSWER:
Thank you for your kind words. Chronic Tegretol use depends on the patient and the symptoms. Based on what you wrote he probably would benefit from it – the goal is to get the level in the upper third of normal.
It’s an excellent idea to use Haldol as a preventive treatment.