Update on husband and treatment facility

[crazymama30]

I was having doubts about the facility before husband ever got there, but they were the only ones with a bed and the one I could get him into the quickest. I am now having more doubts.

At admit they had to look up every medication to make sure they weren't benzo's as it is against their policy. I understand that with some of them, but all of them?? That does not give me much confidence with their knowledge of medications (this is not a dual diagnosis facility). He is sleeping all night and all day, most likely because he needs his Zyprexa cut back to 10mg again. They have no clue. He says he is having panic attacks every night, I am wondering if it is not maybe akinesthia (sp). They again, would have no clue as to what that is. I am also concerned as he takes Lithium, and do they even know the signs and symptoms of Lithium toxicity?? He said (I realize he is a very poor source of info) that they were asking him what his medications were for. On a good day he does not know that, how is he supposed to know when he is in the frame of mind he is in now??? He told me today he has been hallucinating. I am afraid that if I call and tell him that they will send him back home.

I think he needs to be transferred to a dual diagnosis facility, one that knows at least as much as I do about psychiatric medications! husband was supposed to have an appointment with psychiatrist on Wed, and I asked his office to let me keep the appointment instead and there was no problem with that. I am going to talk to psychiatrist about mine and Dan's concerns, and hopefully we can get him transferred to a different facility. The same company that owns the facility he is in has a dual diagnosis facility closer to home that is supposed to be good, but at this point I think he needs a dual diagnosis facility, no matter where it is.

This is all so frustrating, and has been so from the get go. At least now he is admitting he needs to be somewhere and needs help.

 

[gcvmom]

Remember that at the very least he is someplace where he CAN'T get to the drugs he was abusing, and he will be safe, even if he's not as stable mentally as he could be. Would they REALLY discharge him if they learned about the hallucinations? Or is it possible they would be able to help facilitate a quicker transfer to the sister facility you'd prefer he be in?

This may not be the ideal place for him, but at least it's giving you some respite and keeps him out of trouble for now.

Hang in there!

(((((Hugs)))))

 

[crazymama30]

Oh, I don't and won't have him home yet. I am just not sure what their policy would be if it was found out he was hallucinating. I know he is safe, and better than he would be here. I really don't know what they would do, they did tell me that they are not a detox facilty and if he started goign through withdrawals I would have to come pick him up.

 

[DammitJanet]

This doesnt sound good to me at all. Actually gives me flashbacks. I will never understand why doctors dont know what medications are used for. Duh. If they are confused, certainly they can call a pharmacist!

This is actually why I ended up so blasted sick with 3 seizures when I had the meningitis. My boys took in all my medications I was taking at the time and the Doctors just basically ignored them and told them I must have had a bad reaction to the medications or overdosed on them by taking too many at one time so they were just going to put me in a room and see if I came around. That didnt sit well with Cory at all and he threw a major difficult child hissy fit and told them I never took too many medications, I knew exactly what and how to take them, I had been on them for years and this wasnt a reaction...I was sick and treat me NOW! Well, they finally did something when my temp went through the roof and I started seizing. After they forgot all about my medications and so they never gave me any of them at all even by IV, then I kept having seizures because I was on 4 medications that said to not stop them abruptly or they would cause seizures...well...do you think they ever even looked to see what I was on? Nope. They waited until I woke up and could actually speak to ask what about my medications! I had to literally tell them what I was on and then they finally gave me some of them back...slowly and not on anywhere near the right doses. They wouldnt even contact my doctors even though my family was begging them to do so. Idiots.

It doesnt surprise me one bit that this rehab doesnt know its nose from page two. They probably just think...medications...all bad. No medications. In his case, he needs medications. They have to find a way to work around what he needs to take and what he cant take. No other way about that.

 

[susiestar]

Janet, I had the SAME experience with medications when I had the cellulitis. The ONLY reason they didn't stop the fentanyl was because I called the pain doctor and he said that if they stopped it he would file against them for malpractice as I have real pain and NEED that medication and stopping it suddenly is life-threatening. Of course they ignored him on the lyrica - I made husband bring my purse and took my own by the 3rd day. Then I had a migraine and they tried to tell me the hospital doesn't have migraine medications in the pharmacy - I called BS when I realized they didn't even know what medications treat migraines.

CM, he NEEDS a dual diagnosis facility because this one will NOT be able to understand the complicated problems with chronic pain patients and addiction and mental illness. NO WAY will they handle it appropriately. I hope hte psychiatrist can get a bed in the appropriate facility. Benzos are not allowed at all because they are a medication that the patients will forcibly take from each other and/or will force the staff to get for them if they know that ANYONE on the premises has them. Benzos are weird with addiction that way. In many ways I think it is nuts, but it is common.

I pray that he gets better very soon. And that you and the kids can develop healthier ways also.

 

[crazymama30]

For now I am grateful he is in a facility period, and just hope he does not go completely off the deep end. I can tell the paranoia is coming next. I have no doubts he needs a dual diagnosis facilty, and I should have gone with the one in Portland that was dual diagnosis and had a bed. I think that he will end up there anyways, and am not beating myself up over the decision I made, I did what I had to do and can make it better in the next week. He is way too complicated for them and way too much for them to handle. I think he will maintain unless he ends up completely manic,and then they will transfer him back to our home town and hospitalize him in the psychiatric unit.

 

[Nancy]

Benzo's are very dangerous drugs and the hardest to get off when addicted. I'm sorry I didn't follow your earlier post to know why he is in a treatment facility but if it's for drug abuse, benzo's are a big problem. It can take years to beat that addiciton. I agree he needs to be in a dual diagnosis facility but I'm sure no matter where he is that benzodiazepines will be a problem.

Nancy

 

[DDD]

I am sending all the supportive thoughts and prayers that I can. You are in a frightening circumstance and I admire your diligence and loving support. Hugs DDD

 

[Hound dog]

If they have a dual diagnosis facility it's possible that his mental health instability would actually facilitate his transfer to that facility. At least one would think as that would make sense. Of course I'm betting that would also depend on if they have a bed for him.

Having a mental illness and being an addict/alcoholic makes it really tough all the way around. Many symptoms of withdrawal actually mimic mania and depression.......so then you have to judge (if it's possible) is it unstable mental illness or is it just symptoms of withdrawl? Or even a combination of both as I wouldn't be surprised that withdrawal could trigger instability in some people. This is actually why unless a facility is a dual diagnosis place they really don't want clients who are being treated with mental illness.

I understand your concerns. I really do. I know with bff if she started withdrawal she would either skyrocket into mania or dive into depression. Hallucinations. Paranoia. The whole shabang. The bipolar/Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) dxes she had were bogus. Brought on by the symptoms of withdrawal in a person who refused to admit to family, docs, and even herself she was addicted to both drugs and alcohol. With history I've gathered since her death she was an alcoholic then addict long before her first trip to the psychiatrist. psychiatrist was actually to hide and excuse her behavior to family ect which kept them from suspecting the addictions until they became severe and sort of slapped you across the face. Bff was so smart it killed her. Horrible but true. And I'm seeing this more and more.

husband is safe and being watched. He is unable to get to the medications he was abusing. Both good things. Very good things. I would do whatever possible to keep him where he is unless you have a confirmed bed in a dual diagnosis facility for him to transfer to.

I'm so sorry you're having to struggle through all of this. This may sound a bit harsh, but right now getting off the medications he was abusing is much more important than his mental stability. Hmm. That comes out bad, but I think you know what I mean. Saying a prayer for you, Dan, and the family.

((((hugs))))

 

[crazymama30]

Hound Dog, I know what you mean. I have been thinking about this all morning, and have decided I am going to wait on doing anything untill I talk to husband's psychiatrist on Wednesday. If he thinks that the facility that husband is in is adequate, he stays. If he does not, he will transfer but he will NOT come home . It would be from one facility to another. It is hard when I know so much about the medications, to deal with people that don't know as much.

husband's counselor from the facilty called this morning to be sure husband knew we were not coming today. I mentioned that the sleepiness could be from the high dose of zyprexa and explained why the dose was so high. He said he thought that had already been cut in half, and that other medications had been changed. I think that I have to let that happen, as he is on too many medications and if he can be taken off some of them it will be better done there than at home.

I still question if he is in the right place, but what matters is that he is somewhere, and once I talk to psychiatrist I will feel much better.

 

[TerryJ2]

Good idea. Best of luck. Many hugs.

 

[totoro]

I agree you and the kids need to try to just hold on and wait to see if he can maintain here or be transferred. You are safe and getting a tiny bit of a break. I am continuing to keep you and your family in my thoughts.

 

[KTMom91]

Sending hugs and saying prayers, CM.