[gravyyy]

I haven't been on here in a while so I apologize for not keeping up with you all. I just wanted to see what your opinions are on something. To make a long story short, I have an opportunity to go to a treatment program for bipolar disorder. It's a top-notch place but it's also top-notch price, namely $35,000 for each 30 days. I'd be planning on a 60 day stay. Yes, it's a whole lot of money but it's a great program. My quality of life sucks right now big time. I am basically reduced to working and sleeping. I can't watch TV, can't focus on the internet, don't clean the house, etc. I'm not a rich person but my family has offered to pay for me to go to treatment without even the burden of paying them back.

What would you all do??? Go and spend the maybe $70,000 or pass it up because there's no guarantee it's going to make things any better. If it helps my pdoc yesterday said I have 3 options... continue changing meds and see if we can figure out a winning combination, residential treatment, or ECT. He votes ECT but I don't want to go there. I can't risk the memory side effects (though any input on ECT would be appreciated in this thread as well). Thanks for reading and I'm anxious to see what others who have been in the depth of depression think.

[Ryask]

jokingly i want to say i would take the 70k and go on a trip :P
But seriously, i would say keep trying new meds until you have exhausted all options, then think about ETC or residential treatment. I dont know about you...but i would feel really pressured....like..."if this doesn't work will my family hold it against me". I mean that facility will be there..right...so...you could keep trying meds..and then use it as a last resort...i would think..thats what i would do. I dont know whats right for you..but...thats what i would do.

[BlackPup]

I'm inclined to agree with Ryask... I would feel really unhappy taking that amount of money from my folks, but would do at last resort. It is a really good opportunity and if you feel like you can't get anywhere with what other options you have then you should definitely take it...
I guess you could think about what other things you could do to get better at home - some of the same sort of things that they would be doing as an inpatient (maybe with some financial help from the family!!!): additional therapy / pdoc appt. What lifestyle factors could you change to help with your stability? Can you learn more about BP in general and your BP - triggers, warning signs, develop plans etc. Could you reduce your work hours to give you less pressure and time to focus on improving your moods. Are you doing therapy at the moment along with meds???

[blueoctober]

Originally Posted by gravyyy

It's a top-notch place but it's also top-notch price, namely $35,000 for each 30 days. I'd be planning on a 60 day stay. Yes, it's a whole lot of money but it's a great program.

I also agree with what Ryask and Blackpup posted.

That's a lot of money and I'm not sure what exactly they could do that would be worth $35,000/month? What is your pdoc's involvement with this program? Has he had patients with bipolar that have benefited from it? Can you speak to patients that have gone through the program?

It may be worthwhile to speak to a therapist regarding this, so you could get some impartial input on it. If you don't have a therapist already I would suggest finding someone that specializes with mood disorders.

You may also want to post a separate thread for your questions about ECT because I know a couple of our members have done sessions.

[venusss]

That seems a lot. I have no idea what would be worth that price. I would instead explore other option - even outside of the medical field.

[sugahorse1]

Yup, also sounds like a lot to me. The opportunity is great, but I'd always have a niggle in the back of my mind about the "loan" from my family.
I believe that bipolar is a life-long illness. I need to learn how to deal with it, as it will never be cured as such.
So - I involve a pdoc to help me with my meds to decrease symptoms. I see a T to help me work through any past issues.
And on this forum I've learnt a lot of changes I can make in my life to help me cope better too.

[lonegael]

Ditto the above. It sounds good, but I seriously would need to know a lot more about it and a lot more about what you have already tried that hasn't worked before i could advise you at all. good to hear from you again, but sorry that things are going so rough. HUGGGS dear!

[Merlin]

Are there any in between options, such a partial hospitalization that would get you the treatment without the residential costs?

[IdoubtIT]

That's a lot of money. For that amount of money I'd want a cure, which they can't give you.

[wing]

Bipolar is an illness treated with medication and psychotherapy. I can't see what a $70,000 expenditure in a facility has to offer that can't be accomplished as an outpatient, or by a short hospital stay (which you don't seem to meet the criteria for). I firmly believe that your money would be far better spent on a good psychiatrist and therapist over long-term outpatient treatment. It takes almost everyone months to adjust their medications, and some don't even reach full effect for 4-6 weeks. Finding the right meds is a long, frustrating process for some of us, and I don't see how that could be done in 60 days. Management skills are a life-long learning process.

I have a friend who gets ECT regularly (about every 2 years) and has a professional, responsible,full-time position as a psychiatric nurse, plus is going to school full-time in a Master's to PhD program. The minimal memory loss that she gets disappears over time. Her depression is med resistant and without ECT she is eventually non-functional.

[Bat Mom]

Hi Gravyyy, I've thought for days now about whether or not I should reply to this post. I am here for my daughter and want to learn. It is amazing how her life and symptoms mirror much of what others are going through. I don't participate in a lot of the conversations because I don't feel comfortable as I do not have an illness and I wouldn't want to offend anyone.

I have been on here a little more than a year now on and off and I remember you. When I needed to understand something, when I was trying to figure out what she was going through I almost always took comfort in your posts. You are a very intelligent person with a heart of gold. You are compassionate, understanding and very insightful. I was worried about you when you stopped posting but I can certainly understand how this may be triggering. I was hopeful that you were feeling better.

I think that one thing to consider is how your family may feel about it. Will it substantially change things for them, their way of life, their retirement? If it does, and the treatment is less than successful, how would that make you feel? There is a program like that near where we live, with some fantastic reviews from former patients but then again, they wouldn't advertise the less than fantastic reviews. I have certainly considered it more than once for my daughter. Wouldn't it be great if it were covered by insurance? I remember you considering this program several months ago. That's when I was doing research as well.

If your family can afford it, then why not? Would you lose your job if you were away that long? After the program would you pick back up with your current pdoc and therapist (assume that you have these, I don't remember that much of the details) or would you change? I don't know what part of the country you are in but do you have good quality doctors around, perhaps you could find one that specializes a bit more.

I hope to hear that you are feeling better and that you are doing better. Hoping for positive changes that will help you through this and will strengthen you on a life-long basis.

[Ryask]

Bat mom i just want to encourage you to make posts, It doesn't matter that you dont have bi-polar, everyones opinion is valid and important.To be honest, i don't think anyone would be offended, in fact i for one would love to hear the thoughts on an issue/problem by someone who isn't bi-polar.....I hope you start to feel a bit more comfortable with replying or even posting either for yourself..or your daughter.

[venusss]

The thing that worries me is... apparently the consensus in medical community is there is no cure. There is not medical test for the presumed imbalances... no therapy done in isolated place is gonna ensure you that it will work in RL...

and here you would go and spend big sum of money on something... which is not sure to work. If it does not work... could you bear the disappointment? How will your family percieve it.

[venusss]

btw, do you have a link to the program? I am bit curious about it.

[Amazonmom]

This program looks expensive in the beginning but if its two months long and 70000 bucks it's roughly equivalent to the cost of two months in any inpatient facility.

I would want to see more about this program before I said anything because what really makes it different than intensive outpatient or partial hospitalization?

I'm sorry things are going poorly for you Gravvy. HUGS

[sugahorse1]

Gravvy - what are you deciding on? What further thoughts do you have?