refusing medication - what are your rights?

desperatebrother said:

Hi experts!!!

 

Just joined today,

As usual I need your input please

My brother (50years old) has been living independantly for getting on for 10 years. He is a very gentle person, is definately not aggresive and is not a danger to any living thing. As an aspergers sufferer he is socially a disaster and it can be difficult to understand what makes him tick sometimes. He has (until recently) never been on any medication, and as his family we have never felt he needed any

some background....

He was (eventually) diagnosed with aspergers in his early 20`s. My parents kept an eye on him until they moved some distance from him (very long story), and at this point social services took over, because he wanted to stay in the area that he knew. To my shame I too live some distance away and contact between myself and my brother has always been eratic. However up until very recently he was perfectly happy with the arrangement, and regular visits occurred with all of us.

in the last 18months he has been persuaded to go into Hospital twice (we still do not know why), indeed he is currently in hospital. His consultant has both times, imediately placed him on a cocktail of drugs.

Unfortunately these drugs have had a terrible effect on him...

He ends with urine retention and eventually a catheter

He hovers between constipation and bowel incontinancy

He aternates between a zombie state and bad temper (though never agression)

His consultant has admitted that he is "sensitive" to medication and at the last meeting attended by my parents agreed to take him off all medication. His health improved enormously within 3 days!!!!

My parents are currently away and I am ringing him every day to see how he is.

yesterday he (eventually) told me that the consultant very kindly put him back on the medication - "just to see how you get on" and coincidentally the day he knew my parents had gone away

My brother informs me that he does not want to take these pills and has been flushing them down the loo. He further tells me that he has told his consultant that he does not want tablets.

So my question is...

Should he "own up" to not taking tablets and further should he again inform consultant that he in effect "refuses " medication?

...if he does this what can/will they do??

Sorry for the rambling post if you need any more info please ask

 

 

your lucky your brother can live on his own my brother tried living on his own a few times only to get kicked out how did he get the place he staying at right now maybe the same people can help you get him moved near you your very brave person going through this it seems the older you are the harder it becomes to get help and he is lucky that he has a sister that is willing to help him my sister wants nothing to do with my brother.

desperatebrother said:

Hi experts!!!

 

Just joined today,

As usual I need your input please

My brother (50years old) has been living independantly for getting on for 10 years. He is a very gentle person, is definately not aggresive and is not a danger to any living thing. As an aspergers sufferer he is socially a disaster and it can be difficult to understand what makes him tick sometimes. He has (until recently) never been on any medication, and as his family we have never felt he needed any

some background....

He was (eventually) diagnosed with aspergers in his early 20`s. My parents kept an eye on him until they moved some distance from him (very long story), and at this point social services took over, because he wanted to stay in the area that he knew. To my shame I too live some distance away and contact between myself and my brother has always been eratic. However up until very recently he was perfectly happy with the arrangement, and regular visits occurred with all of us.

in the last 18months he has been persuaded to go into Hospital twice (we still do not know why), indeed he is currently in hospital. His consultant has both times, imediately placed him on a cocktail of drugs.

Unfortunately these drugs have had a terrible effect on him...

He ends with urine retention and eventually a catheter

He hovers between constipation and bowel incontinancy

He aternates between a zombie state and bad temper (though never agression)

His consultant has admitted that he is "sensitive" to medication and at the last meeting attended by my parents agreed to take him off all medication. His health improved enormously within 3 days!!!!

My parents are currently away and I am ringing him every day to see how he is.

yesterday he (eventually) told me that the consultant very kindly put him back on the medication - "just to see how you get on" and coincidentally the day he knew my parents had gone away

My brother informs me that he does not want to take these pills and has been flushing them down the loo. He further tells me that he has told his consultant that he does not want tablets.

So my question is...

Should he "own up" to not taking tablets and further should he again inform consultant that he in effect "refuses " medication?

...if he does this what can/will they do??

Sorry for the rambling post if you need any more info please ask

 

 

your lucky your brother can live on his own my brother tried living on his own a few times only to get kicked out how did he get the place he staying at right now maybe the same people can help you get him moved near you your very brave person going through this it seems the older you are the harder it becomes to get help and he is lucky that he has a sister that is willing to help him my sister wants nothing to do with my brother.