Just Back from an In-Patient Stay

Warning: The messages in this forum are the personal views and opinions of individuals. NEVER act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum without FIRST checking with your personal physician! Mood Tracker Web Media, LLC is not obligated to check forum postings for accuracy nor does it endorse the opinions of any person using the forum.
JulesD
January 15, 2009 - 10:34 am
Spam? Offensive?
JulesD
Total Posts: 133
Joined: 10-30-2007
But... it's not what you think! (How's that headline for an attention grabber? LOL)

I had an issue with my lap-band where a piece of hard carrot did not get chewed well enough (my bad) and became lodged in my band. Generally these kinds of mistakes are "forgiven" by the band and the offending piece of food eventually passes on through. WELL... not this one. It was stuck with a capitol "S." So much so that it required an endoscopy, done by a G.I. doc, to go down and get it. UGH! Because there was so much swelling, I was unable to hydrate, so I had to be admitted for two days.

WHY would I share that here? Well... as Paul Harvey would say, Here's the REST OF THE STORY.....

When I walked into the E.R., I gave them my med list. I was honest with them about my diagnosis. As per usual, before I left the E.R., every single person who did an assessment of me, asked for my med list... which I promptly gave. When I was admitted to the floor, my chart went with me... with my med list.

I began telling doctors, nurses, nurses aids, and anyone who would listen that I needed my sleep medication so that I could get some rest. (I have a raging sleep disorder. I just don't sleep without meds... period!). For one reason or another, I was put off. At 6am the following morning, when the residents made their rounds, I begged for my sleep meds. They agreed to write for them. At 7:30am, still no meds. I got testy.

Not only did they miss my sleep meds, my other psych meds were not on my orders list. I brought this to the attention of anyone who would listen. All promised it would be corrected. Then, when I asked the next shift, no one knew anything about it. I got testier.

I finally called my Psychiatrist (who is a hospital doc), and said HELP! He intervened and asked the surgeon to write orders for my psych meds. I was now more than 24 hours without meds. At bedtime, I FINALLY got some sleep meds... but not my other meds. So, another full day without my mood stabilizers.

On the day that I was discharged, they FINALLY gave me my meds, just a couple of hours before discharge. I had been two days without meds. I was really angry. It was like it was not important. Even though I self-advocated, even though I called in my psych doc, I still fell through the cracks.

I bet if it were heart medication or insulin, I would have gotten my meds.

be well,
Jules


Spam? Offensive?
JulesD
JulesD
January 15, 2009 - 10:34 am
But... it's not what you think! (How's that headline for an attention grabber? LOL)

I had an issue with my lap-band where a piece of hard carrot did not get chewed well enough (my bad) and became lodged in my band. Generally these kinds of mistakes are "forgiven" by the band and the offending piece of food eventually passes on through. WELL... not this one. It was stuck with a capitol "S." So much so that it required an endoscopy, done by a G.I. doc, to go down and get it. UGH! Because there was so much swelling, I was unable to hydrate, so I had to be admitted for two days.

WHY would I share that here? Well... as Paul Harvey would say, Here's the REST OF THE STORY.....

When I walked into the E.R., I gave them my med list. I was honest with them about my diagnosis. As per usual, before I left the E.R., every single person who did an assessment of me, asked for my med list... which I promptly gave. When I was admitted to the floor, my chart went with me... with my med list.

I began telling doctors, nurses, nurses aids, and anyone who would listen that I needed my sleep medication so that I could get some rest. (I have a raging sleep disorder. I just don't sleep without meds... period!). For one reason or another, I was put off. At 6am the following morning, when the residents made their rounds, I begged for my sleep meds. They agreed to write for them. At 7:30am, still no meds. I got testy.

Not only did they miss my sleep meds, my other psych meds were not on my orders list. I brought this to the attention of anyone who would listen. All promised it would be corrected. Then, when I asked the next shift, no one knew anything about it. I got testier.

I finally called my Psychiatrist (who is a hospital doc), and said HELP! He intervened and asked the surgeon to write orders for my psych meds. I was now more than 24 hours without meds. At bedtime, I FINALLY got some sleep meds... but not my other meds. So, another full day without my mood stabilizers.

On the day that I was discharged, they FINALLY gave me my meds, just a couple of hours before discharge. I had been two days without meds. I was really angry. It was like it was not important. Even though I self-advocated, even though I called in my psych doc, I still fell through the cracks.

I bet if it were heart medication or insulin, I would have gotten my meds.

be well,
Jules


Lizabeth
January 15, 2009 - 1:08 pm
Spam? Offensive?
Lizabeth
Total Posts: 146
Joined: 01-04-2009
Hi Jules, former RN chipping in here. I hope you are feeling better regarding your GI tract and good and angry regarding your experience with your meds. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THE HOSPITAL TREATING YOU LIKE THAT ABOUT YOUR MEDS. The thing is, I don't think the problem is that they were psych meds. I saw similar things happen when I floated to the Surgical floor in my hospital---I usually worked on our Medical and Oncology floor.

For some reason, the surgeons' mindset tended to be that anyone could do without almost any medication for the day or two surrounding their surgury. Diabetics usually got blood sugar checked, but if the numbers weren't really outrageous they didn't always get insulin ordered either---after all if they had an IV almost anything can be given stat. (slight sarcasm here) Unless the doctor who took care of the patients' non-surgical stuff was there in person and wrote orders in the chart and/or the nurse had enough time to really get on the surgeon about it---med orders just didn't get carried through. This was especially true for unexpected admissions, preplanned admits had a standard set of orders regarding regular meds made out by the Admissions nurse the the surgeon usually signed. By really get on I mean be there when that doctor made rounds, sit him down in a chair and go into a whole spiel about whatever the med was and the possible dire consequences if it was missed. Only oncology patients seemed exempt from this--and that was because the whole hospital lived in awe of our oncologist and didn't want him getting angry for anything. It was a small hospital, about 100 beds total.

If you are feeling able, I think you should send a written complaint to whoever is in charge of Patient Care Services at the hospital you were in. Point out that the hospital would have had to pay actual money to the Inpatient Psych unit if the doctor failing to prescribe your meds had resulted in you needing inpt. treatment. I am so angry on your behalf---anyway if you tell them their mistake could have cost them money they might be more inclined to listen. JCAH (the Joint Commisssion for Acredation of Hospitals) I think I left some of the intials out, but anyway---they would also be an agency to complain to.

Be well soon--and who knew vegetables could be so dangerous?


Spam? Offensive?
Lizabeth
Lizabeth
January 15, 2009 - 1:08 pm
Hi Jules, former RN chipping in here. I hope you are feeling better regarding your GI tract and good and angry regarding your experience with your meds. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THE HOSPITAL TREATING YOU LIKE THAT ABOUT YOUR MEDS. The thing is, I don't think the problem is that they were psych meds. I saw similar things happen when I floated to the Surgical floor in my hospital---I usually worked on our Medical and Oncology floor.

For some reason, the surgeons' mindset tended to be that anyone could do without almost any medication for the day or two surrounding their surgury. Diabetics usually got blood sugar checked, but if the numbers weren't really outrageous they didn't always get insulin ordered either---after all if they had an IV almost anything can be given stat. (slight sarcasm here) Unless the doctor who took care of the patients' non-surgical stuff was there in person and wrote orders in the chart and/or the nurse had enough time to really get on the surgeon about it---med orders just didn't get carried through. This was especially true for unexpected admissions, preplanned admits had a standard set of orders regarding regular meds made out by the Admissions nurse the the surgeon usually signed. By really get on I mean be there when that doctor made rounds, sit him down in a chair and go into a whole spiel about whatever the med was and the possible dire consequences if it was missed. Only oncology patients seemed exempt from this--and that was because the whole hospital lived in awe of our oncologist and didn't want him getting angry for anything. It was a small hospital, about 100 beds total.

If you are feeling able, I think you should send a written complaint to whoever is in charge of Patient Care Services at the hospital you were in. Point out that the hospital would have had to pay actual money to the Inpatient Psych unit if the doctor failing to prescribe your meds had resulted in you needing inpt. treatment. I am so angry on your behalf---anyway if you tell them their mistake could have cost them money they might be more inclined to listen. JCAH (the Joint Commisssion for Acredation of Hospitals) I think I left some of the intials out, but anyway---they would also be an agency to complain to.

Be well soon--and who knew vegetables could be so dangerous?


DavidP
January 16, 2009 - 5:49 pm
Spam? Offensive?
DavidP
Total Posts: 28
Joined: 12-15-2008
Hi Jules and Lizabeth

I have two hospital horror stories with meds. A number of years ago I was admitted to hospital with a kidney stone after collapsing in the street. Of course I didn't have my meds with me. I told the docs what I was taking and why. No meds. Time wore on and eventually i asked the ward sister for my meds. She asked me what I was taking them for (so obviously she knew **** all about pyschiatric drugs) and when I explained she said - patronisingly - that I'd have to do without them for a change! I got quite angry and was made to feel in no uncertain terms that I was behaving like a child who had had his sweets taken away. I was in for about three days and never got any psych meds. Oh, nearly forgot to mention that they sent me home with a blood infection caused by a septic iv line - which I drew their attention to a number of times. Another hospital visit was required - for a week of iv antibiotics.

More recently I was admitted again (same problem). This time I was taking amongst other things, moclobemide which is a MAOI. These drugs can be pretty dangerous; you have to be careful what you eat and drink and there are lots of contraindications with other medications. I told the A&E people what I was taking and they prescribed morphine to be followed by regular tramadol for sustained pain relief. This time I got written up for my my psych meds the day after I was admitted. I was in hospital a few days and needed a lot of pain relief but I was also feeling very strange and iller and iller, which is not usual with kidney stones with no complications. I told them this several times but no-one investigated it. After 3 days they sent me home, still with stone in-situ, and with a BIG box of tramadol. When i got home I read the leaflet in the tramadol box - I always read the leaflets - and found that moclobemide and tramadol are specifically contraindicated - in fact, it was in bold type and capital letters! So, I had a look on the web and found out that the combination can be fatal. I phoned up the hospital pharmacist told them I took moclobemide, had been prescribed tramadol, and what i had found out. She had a look through her info and said under no circumstances should I take any more tramadol, and that I should see my GP immediately and contact my psych team to tell them what had happened.

Now I carry a card in my wallet listing my meds and any major contraindications. I also carry my repeat prescription form since as soon as you mention that you have a psychiartric disorder you are disbelieved.

Stay well


Spam? Offensive?
DavidP
DavidP
January 16, 2009 - 5:49 pm
Hi Jules and Lizabeth

I have two hospital horror stories with meds. A number of years ago I was admitted to hospital with a kidney stone after collapsing in the street. Of course I didn't have my meds with me. I told the docs what I was taking and why. No meds. Time wore on and eventually i asked the ward sister for my meds. She asked me what I was taking them for (so obviously she knew **** all about pyschiatric drugs) and when I explained she said - patronisingly - that I'd have to do without them for a change! I got quite angry and was made to feel in no uncertain terms that I was behaving like a child who had had his sweets taken away. I was in for about three days and never got any psych meds. Oh, nearly forgot to mention that they sent me home with a blood infection caused by a septic iv line - which I drew their attention to a number of times. Another hospital visit was required - for a week of iv antibiotics.

More recently I was admitted again (same problem). This time I was taking amongst other things, moclobemide which is a MAOI. These drugs can be pretty dangerous; you have to be careful what you eat and drink and there are lots of contraindications with other medications. I told the A&E people what I was taking and they prescribed morphine to be followed by regular tramadol for sustained pain relief. This time I got written up for my my psych meds the day after I was admitted. I was in hospital a few days and needed a lot of pain relief but I was also feeling very strange and iller and iller, which is not usual with kidney stones with no complications. I told them this several times but no-one investigated it. After 3 days they sent me home, still with stone in-situ, and with a BIG box of tramadol. When i got home I read the leaflet in the tramadol box - I always read the leaflets - and found that moclobemide and tramadol are specifically contraindicated - in fact, it was in bold type and capital letters! So, I had a look on the web and found out that the combination can be fatal. I phoned up the hospital pharmacist told them I took moclobemide, had been prescribed tramadol, and what i had found out. She had a look through her info and said under no circumstances should I take any more tramadol, and that I should see my GP immediately and contact my psych team to tell them what had happened.

Now I carry a card in my wallet listing my meds and any major contraindications. I also carry my repeat prescription form since as soon as you mention that you have a psychiartric disorder you are disbelieved.

Stay well


JulesD
January 16, 2009 - 7:00 pm
Spam? Offensive?
JulesD
Total Posts: 133
Joined: 10-30-2007
David, It just amazes me the attitudes that people have about Psych meds... or psychiatric patients for that matter. I have seen "the look" from medical professionals who don't know me, when they see my med list. My med list would tell any medical professional that I have a psychiatric diagnosis. It's almost as if my psychiatric diagnosis makes everything else I say "suspect."

I am very glad that your run in with the MAO contraindication didn't do any permanent damage. I am such a little old lady when it comes to being prescribed new meds. I check things out, ask questions, and sometimes get down right pesky. But, I know it is different when you're in hospital. You don't have access to Google!! :)

I supposed we just have to keep on self-advocating every single time we find ourselves in such situations. Things are not going to change until enough of us put our feet down and demand that our medical needs are just as important as anyone else's!

Be well!
Jules



Spam? Offensive?
JulesD
JulesD
January 16, 2009 - 7:00 pm
David, It just amazes me the attitudes that people have about Psych meds... or psychiatric patients for that matter. I have seen "the look" from medical professionals who don't know me, when they see my med list. My med list would tell any medical professional that I have a psychiatric diagnosis. It's almost as if my psychiatric diagnosis makes everything else I say "suspect."

I am very glad that your run in with the MAO contraindication didn't do any permanent damage. I am such a little old lady when it comes to being prescribed new meds. I check things out, ask questions, and sometimes get down right pesky. But, I know it is different when you're in hospital. You don't have access to Google!! :)

I supposed we just have to keep on self-advocating every single time we find ourselves in such situations. Things are not going to change until enough of us put our feet down and demand that our medical needs are just as important as anyone else's!

Be well!
Jules



HoosierK
January 20, 2009 - 3:24 pm
Spam? Offensive?
HoosierK
Total Posts: 265
Joined: 08-30-2008
My last hospital stay was actually fairly good. It was in a psychiatric facility to attempt a new med. Since I was suffering from a moderate situational depression and have become suddenly suicidal in reaction to meds in past, I requested to be in-patient. I was working about 30 hours per week and functioning rather well at the time. I had only been remarried about 6 months and my moods were still confusing to my husband. He believes that there is a pill to cure anything.

I was amazed at how accepting they were to my natural treatment plan and allowed my husband to bring in all my meds except 1. The only reason they wouldn't OK the one is that it has to be prepared in a coffee maker and they thought that I would be discharged before my coffee maker could clear safety inspection. Well it is the main medicine that had controlled my manic symptoms for about 2 years prior to that.

No surprise I slept very little the 1st night. (I had been sleeping about 10 hours per night) I told them that in the past Seroquel has been very succesful for sleep for me and that I would like to have it just for the hospital stay. The doctor agreed but it was still only after 2 more sleepless nights (and completely cleaning and organizing the ward for them) that they finally gave me the Seroquel!

Overall this was my best hospital stay ever, but because of the cavalier attitude about sleep deprivation, I will be extremely reluctant to be admitted to any hospital again. 3 sleepless nights may not seem that big a deal, but after you have suffered extended period of no sleep many times, it takes weeks or even months to recuperate from the experience now.

Thanks for sharing your stories. Hopefully the day is coming when doctors will realize that patients are whole human beings and not merely one diagnosis and that all our needs are important.

K



The only place that you can find perfection on Earth today is in the dictionary.
Spam? Offensive?
HoosierK
HoosierK
January 20, 2009 - 3:24 pm
My last hospital stay was actually fairly good. It was in a psychiatric facility to attempt a new med. Since I was suffering from a moderate situational depression and have become suddenly suicidal in reaction to meds in past, I requested to be in-patient. I was working about 30 hours per week and functioning rather well at the time. I had only been remarried about 6 months and my moods were still confusing to my husband. He believes that there is a pill to cure anything.

I was amazed at how accepting they were to my natural treatment plan and allowed my husband to bring in all my meds except 1. The only reason they wouldn't OK the one is that it has to be prepared in a coffee maker and they thought that I would be discharged before my coffee maker could clear safety inspection. Well it is the main medicine that had controlled my manic symptoms for about 2 years prior to that.

No surprise I slept very little the 1st night. (I had been sleeping about 10 hours per night) I told them that in the past Seroquel has been very succesful for sleep for me and that I would like to have it just for the hospital stay. The doctor agreed but it was still only after 2 more sleepless nights (and completely cleaning and organizing the ward for them) that they finally gave me the Seroquel!

Overall this was my best hospital stay ever, but because of the cavalier attitude about sleep deprivation, I will be extremely reluctant to be admitted to any hospital again. 3 sleepless nights may not seem that big a deal, but after you have suffered extended period of no sleep many times, it takes weeks or even months to recuperate from the experience now.

Thanks for sharing your stories. Hopefully the day is coming when doctors will realize that patients are whole human beings and not merely one diagnosis and that all our needs are important.

K



The only place that you can find perfection on Earth today is in the dictionary.
ssheehy
February 6, 2009 - 2:11 pm
Spam? Offensive?
ssheehy
Total Posts: 10
Joined: 11-20-2007
WOW...I have had experiences advocating for others while they were in the hospital (not psych) to get meds, treatment, attention, and even a language translator. I feel very upset reading these posts on behalf of all you who have had such hard times in the hospital. This makes me think that whenever I go to a hospital, I should immed phone my Psych to make sure HE advocates for me.


Spam? Offensive?
ssheehy
ssheehy
February 6, 2009 - 2:11 pm
WOW...I have had experiences advocating for others while they were in the hospital (not psych) to get meds, treatment, attention, and even a language translator. I feel very upset reading these posts on behalf of all you who have had such hard times in the hospital. This makes me think that whenever I go to a hospital, I should immed phone my Psych to make sure HE advocates for me.


ajneat
February 11, 2009 - 10:12 pm
Spam? Offensive?
ajneat
Total Posts: 14
Joined: 09-08-2008
After just coming from a stay at the local psych ward for 2 weeks I can say that I have never been treated with such concern and caring than i did then. They even brought something to my doctors attention that i hadn't even noticed in myself....every afternoon around the same time i would get irritable, hostile and yell at everything anyone said to me. Since the staff noticed it the Doctor took corrective actions right away and it really shortened my stay there.



Current medications as of 02-11-2009
09-08-2008 - Present: klonopin, 1 mg. at night
09-08-2008 - Present: Klonopin, .5. 1 p.m.
09-08-2008 - Present: Seroquel, 450 mg. at night
09-08-2008 - Present: Trileptal, 450 mg. twice a day
09-08-2008 - Present: Wellbutrin, 300 mg. at morning
02-09-2009 - Present: Effexor, 75 mg. morning
02-09-2009 - Present: klonopin, .5. morning
02-09-2009 - Present: Lexapro, 10 mg. in the morning

Spam? Offensive?
ajneat
ajneat
February 11, 2009 - 10:12 pm
After just coming from a stay at the local psych ward for 2 weeks I can say that I have never been treated with such concern and caring than i did then. They even brought something to my doctors attention that i hadn't even noticed in myself....every afternoon around the same time i would get irritable, hostile and yell at everything anyone said to me. Since the staff noticed it the Doctor took corrective actions right away and it really shortened my stay there.



Current medications as of 02-11-2009
09-08-2008 - Present: klonopin, 1 mg. at night
09-08-2008 - Present: Klonopin, .5. 1 p.m.
09-08-2008 - Present: Seroquel, 450 mg. at night
09-08-2008 - Present: Trileptal, 450 mg. twice a day
09-08-2008 - Present: Wellbutrin, 300 mg. at morning
02-09-2009 - Present: Effexor, 75 mg. morning
02-09-2009 - Present: klonopin, .5. morning
02-09-2009 - Present: Lexapro, 10 mg. in the morning

shea76
April 28, 2009 - 10:02 am
Spam? Offensive?
shea76
Total Posts: 1
Joined: 04-22-2009
I just joined and read this and was not shocked at all. This has happened to me and because it happened once I now carry my meds with me when it's necessary for me to go to the hospital. While pain hurts I am in the hospital for that mental illness is the worse pain in the world and I'd rather sneak my meds in until they get it right.


Spam? Offensive?
shea76
shea76
April 28, 2009 - 10:02 am
I just joined and read this and was not shocked at all. This has happened to me and because it happened once I now carry my meds with me when it's necessary for me to go to the hospital. While pain hurts I am in the hospital for that mental illness is the worse pain in the world and I'd rather sneak my meds in until they get it right.


We use cookies to personalize your experience on this website and to analyze our traffic. By using our website, you acknowledge this notice of our cookie practices.

Loading...