Mental health meds advice for 16 year old.

[Adaskins]

I have a good friend in BG . A few weeks ago her daughter had a schizophrenic episode. Out of the blue, never a hint of anything before this, happy, confident, popular, funny and clever girl who is great student. Serious episode with serious harming throwing herself against walls and screaming. Anyway long story short. Hospital is not the best there, no food or washing done for you. You rent a chair to stay with your relative or you need to attend 3 times a day with meals, soap and towels etc. Mum took daughter out after 2 weeks as with Covid was not allowed go out to get supplies and family not allowed to come in to help. She was given prescription and sketchy instructions. She can't get any reply from the hospital has called over 50 times with no reply. Really struggling to know what meds to keep giving and some have to stop after 6 weeks. I really feel for her and have exhausted every idea to get her some help. Mum's et has so often helped me it thought I'd put this out there. I can message the meds to anyone who may be able to help. Thanks in advance x.

She’s in Bulgaria? Can she afford a consultation with a private psychiatrist? This might be helpful:

www.expatfocus.com/bulgaria/health/how-to-look-after-your-mental-health-in-bulgaria-5708/

Her mother could try physically turning up at the hospital to ask? Your poor friend, how stressful!

She has gone 3 times now. Turn her away. Doctors are busy, no entry with Covid.

Thank you so much for the link. I will ask if private consultation possible and I can pay. Thanks for this suggestion. I'm so vexed for her and her daughter is just so exhausted she can hardly speak. Her mother told me she looks like she is carrying a heavy load of rocks with her. I still can't believe this has happened. I am in the UK I go to stay in BG for a few months a year but not this year of course. I've checked the meds online and seem standard for schizophrenia but one in particular says not to be used for people under age of 18 which is rather worrying.

Awful situation, OP, but they are lucky to have you to help out.

I googled “Bulgaria private psychiatrist” and lots of clinics/websites came up.

You could contact some of the authors of this recent report and ask how to get a recommendation for a good private psychiatrist:
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7355170/

I’d start with Dr Beezhold whose email is in the second screenshot, he’s at Norwich Medical School. He may not be able to give a recommendation, but should hopefully be able to point you in the right direction.

Meant to tag you, @Adaskins

Update. My friend has gone to private doctor who was rubbish. He was writing in paper to reduce the medications from 4 to 3 a day etc and my friend could see what he was writing so she told him she had reduced already to these amounts for the last week, he rolled up the paper and put it in the bin and was rude.
She managed to find a female doctor also to see but said she just was saying what she wanted to hear and was of no use at all.
Her daughter is just doped up by my reckoning and won't eat unless prompted as I believe she is too doped to think to eat. She can read only a few lines and then slurs and is exhausted.
On googling the meds she is on one is not to be used for schizophrenia in under 18s the girl is 15. I'm so frustrated, this is a promising, funny, charming and talented young girl, a wonderful personality and a warm character, very clever at school. For this to happen is just horrible. I know mental health is not simple but this just needs a good doctor to monitor and advise. She is so young to be going through this. Please keep her mum in your thoughts and prayers as its such a hard time for her for a million reasons.

Lots of medication isn't officially licensed for under 18s because of the ethics of testing it. My dd's medication isn't so a GP can't prescribe it to a child but a consultant can in the UK. She's under 18.

I highly recommend that you email the doctor I mentioned above, who has just published a review of mental health services in Bulgaria, @Adaskins.

Sparkling Lime, I did this straight after reading your post. Here's hoping we get a reply. Thanks again very much for your great idea and help.

Thanks for that advice. I do believe she is on super high doses for such a tiny person.