I was just wondering how to keep your loved one from being hospitalized while there on medication? Usually my son will stop his meds and become hospitalized but never experienced him being on meds and being hospitalized …My son is so worried that he won’t be able to make it through the next few days because of being hospitalized last year around this time… Do you have any tips or experiences with loved ones or yourself with sz on being hospitalized to get a so called tune up or adjustment on meds feeling like you are going to relapse? This is all new to me and learning along the way any tips or experiences would be very helpful to me…
Normally you should be in contact with someone regularly like a psychiatrist or an ordinary doctor who monitor the situation. It’s a pretty bad idea not having the situation monitored.
Going to hospital voluntarily is very different to going there involuntary. So if you’re not in regular contact with a doctor of any sort, in fact I’d suggest actually going to hospital to speak to a psychiatrist who can offer advice. Chances are they won’t keep him there.
I agree with everhopeful, but would like to add that the “hospital” needs to have a sophisticated, broadly sz-experienced ER and an acute psych ward either onsite or fairly close by.
If the pt is a danger to himself or others, he’ll usually haave to transported by ambulance. If not, you may be able to transport him yourself… which will save a bunch of money insurers may or may not cover, as well as cause less stress to the pt. Because most (though not all) of the time (see below), it’s far better for the pt to have trusted friends and/or family members close by.
I have seen way too many instances where one of the “trusted family members” is actually “toxic.” (An impatient, under-sophisticated, perfectionistic and/or authoritarian parent, for example.)
It’s been my experience that at least where I am in Oklahoma the doctors are reluctant to hospitalize a person unless he is in an emergency. It’s probably budget constraints. I think that as long as your son stays on his med’s he shouldn’t be headed for the hospital. If it makes you feel better maybe you could get your doctor to temporarily increase his med’s during the time of danger.
Sometimes I need more antipsychotic medication right around May First. I believe the reason is the budding plants cause my brain to inflame. The culprit is probably air born allergens,
My last hospitalization was in 1990. I just go along with program. Take my meds, talk to the shrink. Knock on wood. I come close to being hospitalized every day. I don’t have tips except to stay away from drugs and stay away from the wrong people. Hold onto what little sanity you have.
For some reason November and December are hard months for me… something always happens that rattles me enough to feel not as stable as other times.
I do need to gather my preservation team around a little tighter… go to my therapist a little more often… Check in with my Doc a little more often during this time.
The way I’ve been staying out of hospital all this time is taking my meds… going to my therapist… and consciously working and trying to stay healthy.
When this happens to me… my family has helped by just being around… helping me see that I’m stronger now… I wish I had an idea that would be useful. Because if I feel shaky… then a huge change in routine doesn’t help. Or focusing on what happened in the past doesn’t help. Keeping busy does help for me…
I hope your son does Ok these next few days… Wishing you all the best.
Right before I got clean and sober in the late 80’s I had several short hospitalizations. Not coincidentally after I got clean, I have not been hospitalized.
Thank you for you tips and what has helped you stay out of the hospital!! I will have my son read all your tips so he knows he’s not alone and maybe it will give him hope that staying on meds and keeping healthy ect . will keep him out of the hospital…Thank you very much!!!
When I think of going to a hospital I remind myself that I know pretty well what they do there and that it would really not be anything new, so why repeat it. I also see my pdoc and don’t argue with taking my meds.
I was hospitalized six times from ages 20 to 23. Never once was I on my meds when I was hospitalized. now it’s been 16 months I’ve been on meds and haven’t been hospitalized during that time…I’m almost 25 now. Don’t plan on ever being hospitalized again.
I have hidden my thoughts and feelings to keep from being hospitalized. I was hospitalized once and it did me absolutely no good! I believe I am better off not being hospitalized. My therapist also makes sure I stay out of the hospital. It is a new and different therapist. Every morning for breakfast in the hospital, they fed me yogurt for breakfast. I have my beloved cat and my strong belief and determination in my rights as both a patient and a person that keep me out of the hospital. Now, I will work with the mental health professionals, but, I am the ultimate determiner of my health care and what is right for me! No one can ever take me from me again for absolutely any reason! I will prevail and thrive!
I could go either of two ways. One would be to say that if my husband says he’s thinking about going to the hospital, my experience tells me that there is a lot more going on in his mind than he’s told me about, and hospitalization is always preferable to me than relapse. In this case you could try and comfort him by letting him know that if he does go to the hospital that they are there to help him feel better, and that it probably won’t be for very long. He’s done it before and everything turned out alright.
On the other hand, if he’s just stressing out thinking he’s going to relapse, or having preliminary symptoms. One, he needs calm and quiet. Sensory input can be aggravating. I’ve learned how to talk to my husband in a calm voice to help him ease his anxiety, and also distract him a little from whatever fear he’s obsessing about. Sometimes wearing headphones and listening to music helps him, or going out for a walk. Do whatever you can to calm his anxiety until you can get to the pdoc.
Hi BarbieBF well we got through it ! I was just a little worried at time because my son was stressing he would go back to hospital. I think the first few days of May were harder on him because it was a reminder that last May he got off meds and went back into hospital long term care. We upped his meds slightly for a few days. I only have experience with him getting off meds and relapsing and wasn’t sure if relapsing occurs on medication or anybody has experience it…How is your son? Sorry the Latuda was making your son feel worse …Is Latuda for depression? What other medication he is on? Well if he wasn’t doing good on Latuda than you would know first hand because you are his caregiver…Good for you for taking him off something that was making your son worse…Prayers out to you and your son that he get stabilized.
Just want to comment about staying out of hospital - my son is certainly not completely well, and every day has some symptoms. He takes his meds every day, and I know he is motivated to stay out of hospital and in the home that he is renting from me. In addition, after some experimentation we seem to have found a PRN med that helps him and that he accepts, and he is getting better at recognizing when he needs to take that extra boost.
