Partial Hospitalization *trigger*
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| Fri, 08-05-2005 - 4:09pm |
Hi all.
Recently I saw my pdoc for my regular monthly appointment. She asked me the same old questions and when she asked if I had any thoughts of suicide I answered truthfully, that yes, 2 nights in a row I thought a bunch of pills would stop all the stuff in my life. I wasn't in a particularly depressed mood, I was just (as I'm sure all of you are) tired of the ups and downs. I rapid cycle about weekly to 10 days even after 10 months of medication. So she got kind of miffed because I told her I had stopped seeing tdoc because I didn't see why I needed to when I was manic and what would I tell her when I was depressed,other than I have BP, which she already knows. Pdoc also got testy about the fact that I asked my family doc to write me 3 month rx's because they are so much cheaper that way. But she wants me to only get 1 month at a time, since I have been suicidal so she is calling my fdoc to tell him not to write me anymore rx's. That makes me angry.
Any way, she took me to the intake nurse and decided I needed partial hospitalization to deal with the depression. The thing is I was not depressed when I saw her so I declined after the intake interview. No doubt pdoc will be unhappy about that also. My question I guess is - Have any of you gone into partial hospitalization or hospitalization when you were in a hypomanic mood or just a good mood? If so, what benefit did it have for you?
Thanks. Sarah

Hi Sarah,
I've gone into the hospital both when I was manic and when I was depressed and it helped each time.
Sarah,
I know what you mean about saving the $ on the 3 months suppy my insurance is the same way.
Your thoughts realy helped me understand why my pdoc would have even suggested the partial program. It would be nice to talk with others and find out how to deal with my suicidal thoughts when they happen. I did tell her that I would have my family doc (who is also a family friend) or my dh hold all my meds and give them to me weekly. But she said she couldn't do that.
My dh has asked to go with me to my next appointment to talk with her and tell her he will definitely control my meds and keep them and his meds awaay from me. He takes 17 different meds each day for his co-morbid diseases which have left him disabled for the last 7 years. I think with him there I will discuss the partial program more completely. She kind of took me by surprise and I didn't have time to think. I don't do well under those circumstances. He can help me remember all I want to know. The program here has education, individual and group therapy, art and music therapy. I definitely DON"T want art and music but if pdoc will let me take the other stuff and leave at noon to go back to work, I will consider it. I can't take off so much time because my job provides our medical benefits and I can't risk losing them.
Thanks again for all your thoughts. They have helped me immensely!
Sarah
I am glad that we could help.I do not know how the day hospital works where you live.My insurance company would not approve of a full day program for me despite three appeals and the advice of my "T" and the director of the day program.We finally got them to agree to eight half-day sessions. Several poeople were there for the half-days. The only thing I missed was lunch and two educational sessions. The individual sessions and two group sesions and seeing the psych.doc there was done in the AM sessions.They also provided help if I needed to see a nurse or the psychdoc as an emergency.
If you said you were having suicidal thoughts or thought about hurting yourself. the nurses asked if you thought you would act on them and if you thought you would be safe.If you did not feel,"safe" they told you to talk to one of them.but usually a nurse or psyc hdoc. would come to you first.
I underderstand how hard it is when you hear the psych.d or "T" o wants to admit you to a program for the first time .
I fought going in as a "in-patient" for months and the outpatient program for another month.
My "T" and psych. doc and the hospital all agreed that I needed go into the hospital. I had about three hours notice and had to be there before dark I did not even have clothes washed and packed.My sister came(she did not know that I was in such bad shape) and took me to the psych. hospital because my husband was so angry about it.
My "T" and psych.coc. both said that if had I had not gone voluntary thee would have admitted me involuntary within a few days(which makes it harder to be released).I was so scared and shocked that I cried for several hours.It was so scary when the door locked after me and knowing I was in a locked space,not knowing how long I would be there. Everything you brought had to be going through to make sure I did not bring anything with which I could hurt myself.However it was all done very nicely. The nurses were gentle and kind.I cried almost all night the first night and did not know what to expect. it is a short term unit so I knew I would be able to leave within 5 -8 days.It was hard when I realized I was losing my freedom.
We were watched 24 hours a day and the nurse had to know where we were every minute.
The hospital had just be renovated so there was an airy,comfortable sitting room(where we had group).Each person had theri rown really nice roon.
My medications were adjusted( I was having a real bad reaction to the one med and they had to take me off of it suddenly.They had to watcg for withdrawal symptoms. The main theme in both hospital programs was staying "safe" I did feel very safe as an in patient and at the day hospital.
Often when I was very depressed or upset the nurses would know it when they saw me and they immediately would talk with me. In the day hospital you have much more freedom and you can leave at the end of the day;you can take you own meds unless they think you are a danger to yourself.
Everyone was so nice and supportive in both progarns and I realy felt "safe "while I was there.
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