[Tucson]

Hello all,

I have a fiancé who is bipolar I with psychotic features. She left me a note that she is going to this one medical hospital that is associated also with a psych hospital right behind it. This must be what she is talking about. She was going through a psychotic episode. BTW For some reason her doctor took her off her antipsychotic. Amazing.

I need to know a couple things about these psych hospitals. Do they take your phone away from you when you are there? Do they have a community telephone that everyone can use to call their friends or receive calls from their friends? What is the average stay there for med adjustment?

She left me a note at her house. Told me that she is at this hospital. She also told me that she told them of her suicidal ideation. This must mean she is in the psych hospital. She did not tell me what unit she is in, so they will not let me talk to her because they cannot acknowledge or deny that she is actually there.

What is interesting is when I call her cell phone, it rings a few times, and no one answers. But third time, my call was immediately going to voicemail. Under these circumstances, someone was blocking my calls. I left many text messages, but she has stopped responding to them a couple weeks ago. if she doesn't have her telephone, how could this possibly happen? Someone is keeping it charged up it to be able to receive my text messages that I have sent her day to day.

What do you think is going on here? This is very unusual for her to do.

Thanks.

[Soupe du jour]

Hi Tuscon. It may depend on the hospital if they allow electronic devices, or not. Or the specific ward. When I was inpatient, years back, neither of the two hospitals allowed any, but I've read others on forums like this say that theirs did.

The one hospital I went to had a payphone on their regular psych ward, but one needed a calling card to make calls from it, and the payphone usage was limited to certain hours. Other wards had no phones, though early on they let patients make one free call from the nurse's desk. If she is on such a ward, she may have no chance to call. If she is very sick, maybe she's just psychologically incapable.

A cellphone can receive texts without charge. Keep in mind that many wards won't allow charging phones because the charging cord is not permitted. It could be a tool for potential harm to the patient or other patients. Even if the owner isn't a risk, stuff could be stolen...and used for harm. So the ward may prohibit it. If her phone is with her, but out of juice, she obviously can't respond.

I do hope you hear from her soon and/or learn where she is. Do you know any of her blood relatives (parent, sibling, adult child -if applicable)? Perhaps one of them knows more.

[Crazy Hitch]

Here’s my experience -

I need to know a couple things about these psych hospitals. Do they take your phone away from you when you are there?

Public hospital yes they did when I was psychotic manic
Private hospital no they didn’t.

Do they have a community telephone that everyone can use to call their friends or receive calls from their friends?

Neither my public or private hospital did but my private hospital had a landline in my bedroom.

What is the average stay there for med adjustment?

I was in the public hospital for about 6 days and private 2 weeks. It really depends on the person and their treating team.

[bizi]

I was admitted to a privet hospital the beginning of covid. I was there for 30 days hubby said I should not have come home that they had just gotten my meds straightened out and I was not well.I was psychotic as f*** I went to an IOP,(Intensive out patient therapy program). and regained some sanity.

I continued going 5 out of 6 weeks. And asked if I would get in any trouble stopping the program they said no. So I quit just one week early. I told them that I had a business that I needed to get back to work. So I was out of commission for 9 weeks. Blamed it on covid which was a half lie.
There was a phone in the hall that you could sign up to use the phone 5 minute max, no cell phones usually some one brings you there. Then when I was transferred to another facility they had 2 phones available so we could talk longer if there was no one waiting to use the phone. I really don't remember this 2nd place at all.The first place the therapist would not see me.
I remember her being afraid of me and avoiding me.I was bat shyt crazy. I was put on the meds that I am on currently, except for the 50mg of haldol IM which I did not mention that to my new provider. Because I did not need it I was taking 5 mg twice a day. any way I should not have written all that, and hog up your thread. I am sorry.

bizi

[neverending]

Whenever I have been hospitalized they have taken my cell phone. The ward has 2 phones available at certain times for a limited amount of time. I have had to give people calling me a password in order for the hospital to connect the call to the ward phone. During groups the phones are turned off. So without being told by the patient, in the most recent hospitalizations, nobody else would have been able to reach me or know what times it is available to talk.

[MuddyBoots]

They always take my cell phone away, and if it's off/dead it only rings a few times and quits and I don't get voice messages but I do get text messages. My stays have ranged from 2 days to 3 months. Most hospitals had a public phone that you could use during the day outside of groups, but some you have to pay to use so if that was the case I didn't use them (personally speaking).

[stahrgeyzer]

Both times I was in a psych ward they took my phone away. They had 4 phones on the wall that visitors could call. How long I stayed depended on when I could convince the psychiatrist that I was ready to leave.

[insideoutsider]

Depends on the facility.

Some have land lines.

Some have visiting hours.

No idea about her phone.. why don't you go see her and find out?

[Tucson]

I do not know what ward number she is in, so they will not admit, or deny that she is there. I have no access to her right now. She has not called me with the ward number or anything like that. She has a couple sisters, still alive, but they both heater and refuse to talk to her.

[Tart Cherry Jam]

I have been to a locked unit in a community hospital where the phones and computers were taken away but there was one free landline per whole unit in the hallway and also one laptop in the common area that people took turns using.

I have also been to both locked and open units in a private teaching hospital. On the locked unit, the cell phone was taken away for the night and charged, using my charger, in a special room, and then given to me during the day. Same with the computer. No charging cords, obviously, because they are a hazard (you can strangulate yourself with a cord). But at the private hospital there was staff to charge those devices, something a public hospital likely will not have. On the open unit, I had 24 hour access to my devices and charging cords.

Have you tried sending her an email, a messenger or Whatsapp message, etc.? There might be a shared computer where she is and if she is able to log into her accounts, she would get your messages. Of course, this, assuming that she is well enough to use the computer and that she is positively disposed towards you and willing to communicate with you.

[insideoutsider]

Originally Posted by Tucson

I do not know what ward number she is in, so they will not admit, or deny that she is there. I have no access to her right now. She has not called me with the ward number or anything like that. She has a couple sisters, still alive, but they both heater and refuse to talk to her.

Being there for people in spirit is huge, too

[raspberrytorte]

I've been IP dozens of times now and have never been able to use my phone.

[Tucson]

I thank you all very much for relating to me your previous experiences when you were IP. There's a particularly big thanks to @bizi here. I do not think you should ever be sorry for helping others, like myself.

Thank you all for your very helpful posts! I think sending an email sounds like a very good idea.