[hope4deb]

I presented to ER with first Hypomanic episode ever after a year's depression. I was told by the psych nurse that the psychiatrist had no time to see me as he was dealing with 'real' problems. Was told I had wasted gas money driving there, to go back to work and be more responsible with my money. I had been off my meds for 7 days and was going through major withdrawal. He sat in on my meeting with the general ER doc who didn't let me say anything, said, "I agree with the nurse," without me saying a word. I felt railroaded out of there. I just cried and cried. Why is a psych nurse deciding who needs help?

[Sunflower123]

Hello. Welcome to PC. I’m so sorry this happened to you. What happened was wrong! And the psych nurse was wrong to treat you that way. Is there anywhere else you can go? If you continue to have symptoms, go back and demand help.

[All Is Revealed]

What an awful experience you had! I've never heard of such horrible treatment towards a sick individual.

Honestly, there are some nurses that are unhappy with their jobs. Unfortunately, the patients become their victims.

You can go see another psychiatrist. Plus, you don't want to see a psychiatrist that has no time for patients.

Or you can demand to see the hospital director.

I hope to hear good news.

[eskielover]

Do you have your own pdoc since you went off the meds & were in withdrawsl, i assume you have your own pdoc.

Mine was always available 24/7 through his paging service. That is who you should be talking to. Honestly, hospitals think they can play at being god & they do a crsppy job of it. Most do have specific psych emergencies they are willung to treat & expect everything else to be handled through ones own personal pdoc.

Of course your own pdoc will wonder WHY you went OFF YOUR MEDS & now are complaining about having problems.

For one thing....GO BACK ON YOUR MEDS & stop doing your own self or lack of medications. Your pdoc is trying to KEEP YOU STABLE & by messing with your own meds you are messing eith your stability as you can obviously see.

Just curious, what help did you expect to get from the ER. if you already have meds that help you but you stopped taking them. What did you expect would happen when you stopped?

ER doesnt like to deal with issues like that either....so that might have also been why they treated you in the wsy they did fuguring your problem is just because you quit taking your meds. You have your meds so just stsrt taking them again & let the ER deal with problems that the person cant solve themself. Just a thought as to possibly what the ER thinking might have been in your given situation

[graystreet]

I am an ER nurse. While I have been stern (sometimes I have to be), I would never dream of speaking to a psych patient that way, no matter how irritated I was. Not only because I have been on a stretcher in the ER myself, but because my professional ethics demand otherwise.

I'm sorry this was your experience.

[possum220]

Please go back to the professional that prescribed the meds for you in the first place. If you are having difficulty with the meds themselves now is the time to explain and work something out that will work for you.

I am sorry that you got dismissed and shown the door. I admit that I didn't take my meds for two days years ago while I was an inpatient. I found that I needed to use the walls to keep me upright. It was not pretty at all. I didnt think they were doing anything for me. Turns out I was wrong.

There are a number of ER's that will do the same simply because they do not have the funds to spent on mental health issues. Sad but true.

Hoping that you are able to sort the meds out and maybe you can find out some form of support group in the real world.

[zbmom]

Were you manic or hypomanic? Typically being hypomanic is a bit annoying but not an emergency situation. If you were full on manic they might give you meds but probably wouldn’t admit you unless you had psychosis. Things have to be really severe to go inpatient. I agree with everyone. Call your doctor and ask them for help.

[Snowing Again]

My son drove himself to the hospital after a panic attack and called me from there. He met with the psychologist on duty who assumed he was just having a bad day and after talking to him about the things he liked told him he could be “king of the nerds”, told him to contact his therapist/psychiatrist the next day and discharged him. He had a meltdown that night and 5 days later attempted suicide. He’s never been the same since.

[stopchewinggum]

I had something like this almost happen. I think it was because I was in the middle of switching from a very manic to depressive state, and it confused them. Plus, I was in a business suit, so I looked functional. Of course, I almost nearly cost my business 40 grand that day due my manic phase, but hey, go ahead a judge a book by its cover. I told them, explicitly, the only reason I had the sanity to get to the ER ahead of time was because I had about 30 minutes before my mood started to switch. They said they were going to call in the meds I didn't have to the pharmacy, and then let me go. Then I flew into a rage, and I started screaming and crying. They called in someone else. He said I had to go cause I wouldn't commit to a safety plan he tried to give me. I freaked later before I was transferred and was tranquilized.

So yes, it happens. ALL OF THE TIME.

[sonjaward809]

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience!! I don't know what to say really because I haven't had that experience. I usually don't go to the ER unless I'm severely depressed and need to be in IP, well okay I've had one instance where I had too much to drink with my meds and I raised hell in the hospital because the nurse wouldn't give me my jacket back. I ended up getting my jacket back because they got tired of me causing chaos, honestly I'm surprised they didn't sedate me because my mom said my behavior was terrible. I was discharged with a diagnosis of "acute stress reaction" the following morning. But even then the nurse was still nice to me. I hope you don't ever have that experience again!! Doctors and nurses are meant to help us, not ridicule us.