Might be my first time in the hospital...

Well I've been a complete mess all week. Tearful all day, freaking out at work, and barely making it through the day. I saw my tdoc on Friday and says all the sui thoughts are normal and he doesn't believe that I will carry anything out.

What is the psych ward like? What can I expect? When do they admit you? I don't know what to do or when to go.

I found myself looking up if life insurance will pay out after a sui, so my kids would be taken care. I see the NP on Monday to see if my meds can be adjusted. The only change I have had is I dropped my Lexapro from 20 to 10mg a month ago. I'm up to 200mg of lamictal. I've also been dealing with some weird symptoms and a slightly abnormal MRI according to the neurologist. It could be MS but no definate diagnosis for now. My last two depressions have been the worst ever. I feel like I slide down in so much quicker that years prior and they are much more intense. I thnk my bf has had enough of this.

If you're looking at your life insurance, then it's probably time to go in. I'm not sure what hospitals you have available to you, but generally if you go to the regular ER or through the emergency assessment at a psychiatric hospital, they will take a history and assess whether or not you are a potential danger to yourself. They will get an approval from your insurance and then find you a bed. If you're going to a different hospital than the one you're being evaluated in (if there are no beds there, but they can find you one somewhere else) then you will likely be transported in an ambulance.

Once you're on the ward, you will likely meet with an intake nurse who will ask more questions. They will take your bags and go through your things to make sure you don't have anything that could be used to hurt yourself. You are generally not allowed to have belts, shoelaces, drawstrings on clothing, anything with a cord, sharps or anything that can be made into a sharp (makeup compact, for example). They may require a strip search - not all places do. At some point, you'll be examined by a doctor for a general physical and neurological check (touch your fingers to your nose, repeat these words, etc).

From there, you'll probably eat your meals on the unit at first. Some places will let you eat in the cafeteria after you've earned privileges. Each hospital is different, but the ones I have been to have had various groups throughout the day and there is usually a morning check-in meeting where the whole unit can meet and set personal goals for the day. You'll meet with your treatment team and be assigned a contact person each shift. Many places will take your vital signs at least once a day. You may have bloodwork done at some point.

Not all hospitals are created equal, but out of five hospitals (nine different admissions) I've only had one bad experience. The most important thing is that it will give you a safe place to breathe, get some meds adjusted if you need to, and focus on yourself for a while. I can honestly say I have never regretted going to the hospital. Each time has helped in some way.

So please, put down the insurance policy, and consider packing a bag and getting yourself evaluated.

dragonfly2 said it all. I hope you are already on your way to an emergency room.

The description of a stay is pretty similar to mine. I have been in 5 different hospitals across the country and hospitalized over 10 times. I really no longer remember the actual number. If I need the Hospital I go.

hugs

Well I'm worried that I won't have a choice where I go. On of the upstanding hospitals in the area has it's own psych floor. There is also a pyschiatric hospital in the area which I have heard horrible things about. I don't want to end up there (if there aren't beds in the hospital unit) My parents are coming in to babysit me tomorrow. I might ask my Mom to come with me to see the NP tomorrow night so she can help me make a decision.

I'm glad your parents are coming to be with you. Before you go see your NP tomorrow, I would check with your insurance and see what hospitals are in your network so you know what your options are. Also, be prepared with a bag in the car when you go to your appointment. She may have you go right to the hospital from her office. She may even have admitting privileges somewhere and do a direct admit (my pdoc did that for me once), helping you avoid the whole emergency evaluation process.

I hope you are able to rest well tonight. Stay safe.

If you're looking at life insurance you need to go to a hospital. If you're not going to be left alone, I would wait until I saw my doctor. If I was going to be left alone, I would call my mom or someone else I could trust, get them to come stay with the kids and go the ER or call mobile crisis.

My experience was pretty much the same. The only difference was that when I went to the ER they got a court order for involuntary admission. Apparantly the state of Tennessee has a law stating that if a person comes into an ER and is threatening to harm themselves or others they must take whatever measures necessary to keep the person there until they can be admitted to a psych hospital. They put me in a room that had nothing in it except for a bed and a camera that let them observe me. The nurse told me that as long as I didn't attempt to leave the hospital they would not lock the door. If I attempted to leave they would lock the door; if I did actually leave they would have a police officer track me down or call mobile crisis. They let me use a phone in the hall to call my husband and brought me a meal from the cafeteria in case I didn't get to eat for awhile. A police officer took me to the hospital but he was really, really nice about it. He turned on the radio for me, talked to me until I quit crying (I was really upset and scared) and then stayed with me until the counselor told him had to leave so they could evaluate and admit me. I wish I had known his name because I would have liked to have sent him a note thanking him for his kindness.

I can also say that the psych hospital was not anything like I thought it would be. The staff was wonderful and the patients were actually pretty nice people. Nobody was attacking each other or anything like that. I guess I've seen movies like "Girl Interrupted" and read stuff like "The Bell Jar" too many times. We had to see a counselor in both a group setting and on an individual basis. They also had people come in who played music and sang, gave us art and craft projects, etc. The main difference between my experience and others is that you were not allowed to keep anything on you when you were admitted. All they let me keep was my wedding and engagement rings. They had me call my husband and tell him what to bring. I could have deodarant, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, my Bible and my Book of Common Prayer. We couldn't have anything liquid that had alcohol in it or that we could get high off so we couldn't have toner or hairspray. The only literature you could bring in was religious texts. They had a small library, though. You had to eat in the commons area until they decided you were stable enough for cafeteria privileges. They also had visitation once per week and at that time whoever came could bring you food. My husband brought me food from my favorite Mexican restaurant.

One thing to do--have them check with your insurance and find out how long you can stay. Mine allows for three days. My psych dr. (I liked her when I saw her in the hospital and my insurance covers her so I kept seeing her) fought tooth and nail to get them to let me stay at least three more days. They refused and wouldn't consider it. Make sure you know what your benefits are so when the bill comes it's not a shock. Don't let the potential expense keep you from going--all hospitals will set up a payment plan. They did for us.

I know the thought of a psych hospital is scary but if you are suicidal it's the best thing to do. If you get help your kids will have their mother, who they need, around. If you don't go, you're playing with fire. In terms of the therapist who said you didn't need help--ditch him and get a new one. He's an idiot and he's dangerous if he's telling people crap like that.

I've been in hospital once, coming up on three yrs ago now. It was a psych unit, a good one I think. I had been depressed for a few months, thinking about my daughter who had died from crib death decades earlier, my husband who went missing in Vietnam, & because I was depressed. & just because.

I was there nearly a month. My dx was changed from clinically depressed to bipolar II. I was treated well, & I got a lot out of my time there. We has a unit mtg every morning, as dragonfly described. There were three classes, or workshops, during the day. I remember I found them useful, but I'm foggy now as to what was covered.

Periodically we went to the pharmacy for meds, the large hall to eat, our rooms to rest. I had one roommate. Well, four altogether, but one at a time. One asked me when I was intending to kill her, I talked to the nurse, & they moved her somewhere. I didn't see her again. That was fine with me.

There were no provisions for exercise of any sort, which annoyed me--so I speed-walked the halls, used bannister to work on, & complained. They kept taking me down for neurological tests which I'd had recently, & I would refuse them. I guess I was a problem patient. I saw my appointed staff psychiatrist daily & she was terrific.

It was a good experience. Started me on a new life, with the correct diagnosis & correct meds.

I hope it works out as well for you.

My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Psych ward in my town isn't so bad, you do meds, have group, have therapy, smoke a lot of cigs, meet others with mental issues-I liked that part I didn't feel so alone.

Thank you all for your help. I'm not so scared of going now. It might be the best thing while the meds start working and get me stable. My parents are willing to stay as long as I need. So maybe a few days off of work with no stress and being around my family will also work (while I wait for an increase in meds to kick in) Maybe all the stress of a possible MS diagnosis is getting to me more than I think. Fortunately I work for a great doctor who knows what I am going through. He knows I'm bipolar and has called a neurologist and a rheumatologist to get me right in for appointments (due to the MS symptoms). It's gotten to the point when he knows if if I'm not feeling well or I'm depressed just by looking at me. I was a mess last week and he kept asking if I was okay or needed to go home. I'm so fortunate to have my parents to look after me and help with the kids. If I do end up in the hospital, I'm sure they will stay here and take care of the girls for me.

Sheba- I will keep you in my thoughts -be safe. Tuti

things to pack:

clothes for 5 days, sweater or light jacket (all the psych hospitals I have been in had washing machine/dryers)
if you wear makeup try to find ones without mirrors to bring
pajamas without strings
undies, socks
personal hygiene supplies, mouthwash without alcohol (though one place watched me rinse and spit when I brought some w/ alcohol)
cigarettes if you smoke
quarters to use the payphones - you can't use your cell so write down phone numbers you don''t have memorized (notepad ok but can't have wire or plastic spiral)
some places allow you to bring snacks, others don't; some had vending machines, others no
a book or magazines or stuff because evenings and weekends are boring
you might want to bring your own pillow because hospital pillows are gross
most places allow you to bring a battery operated radio; some allow CD players/mp3 players; one place I went allowed me watch my own DVDs on the unit TV

one place I went allowed visitation every evening but another only allowed visitation on weekends; most don't allow children under 12 y/o

the nurses vary a lot, some helpful, a few like Nurse Ratched. You generally have group session once or twice daily. I was told I would receive private meetings with the therapist twice weekly but once/week was more the norm.

You will meet with your psychiatrist (or the one assigned to you) once per day. Some like to start rounds at 5am (curse them!!!).

A psych unit is a cross between a jail and a zoo. The first 24 hours are the hardest. You will be locked in everywhere you go because some of the patients are a flight risk. One time when I was inpatient one of the other patients managed to get out the door following some visitors and walked across the road to Hooters. She started drinking at the bar and ran up a tab before the bartender finally figured something was weird and called the psych hospital and asked if they were missing a patient. I thought that was awesome!