What does hospitlal do for depression?

[lemonflavor]

I know that at the hospital doctors give people Haldol or Zyprexa (from what I've heard, correct me if I'm wrong or if they do other) for mania. What do they do for severe depression? I'm just curious. I've never been hospitalized and hope I never have to be.

[Thomas]

The one time (of three) that I was admitted in a depressive state, by other than my pdoc, they gave me paxil and ativan, then kept an eye on me so I wouldn't hurt myself any way.

When admitted by my own pdoc, she increased some meds and added others to my cocktail rather than automatically zombifying me on ativan.

Still seem to develop the "Thorazine shuffle" by the end of the week though.

Tommy

edited when the next post reminded me it was called the thorazine shuffle

[wifezilla]

Every time hubby has been in the hospital it was because of mania/psychosis. Yup, Zyprexa is what they have given him. Many years ago it was the Haldol/Thoirazine route, but that never worked on him.

I imagine that the meds would be different for depression, but the routine would be the same. Put you somewhere where you can't hurt yourself or others until the meds kick in.

[celestia]

I know that at the hospital doctors give people Haldol or Zyprexa (from what I've heard, correct me if I'm wrong or if they do other) for mania. What do they do for severe depression? I'm just curious. I've never been hospitalized and hope I never have to be.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was hospitalized last summer for MDD/suicidal brink, I was kept under close surveillance while they not only changed my meds, but I spent a lot of time with internal medical docs checking out ALL systems as I have some blood and other abnormalities (other than in my brain) that contribute to my MDD.

My Ativan dose was DECREASED in the hospital, which I thought sucked and was unecessary, but once you're there...you're at their mercy. They confiscate any drugs you take with you btw. You get them back when you leave, but you can't have them while you're there. For obvious reasons.

Best,

S9

[Amethyst]

I just got out of the hospital actually. When I went in I was depressed, suicidal, paranoid and psychotic. I had been off meds for a day or two. Bad news so what do they do. They don't give me my meds which I would think would be the first thing to do. No, not until I saw the on call pdoc the next day (it was a weekend). When I saw the "actual doctor I was assigned to" on Monday she did nothing by Tuesday or Wednesday she said the AD was making me manic so she DECREASED the AD. I went in for depression in the first place?! And she added lamictal. I wasn't really manic I was mixed, so I in fact needed that anti depressant and the first thing I did out of hospital was increase my AD back to where it should be. They also messed with my clonazepam for some reason

[myrkkyhammas]

all i remember from the hospital is that we manic folks hated the depressed people. they were boring and never left their rooms.

also, amethyst, i hope 90% of that DX list is past diagnoses. if you really had that many concurrent disorders (some of which are blatantly contradictory), you would be catatonic or dead.

[Guest Skittle unlogged]

I was in hospital a few weeks back after sliding from a manic phase into a horrible depression, combined nicely with suicidal thoughts and a need to hurt myself.  What they did:  assign a nurse everyday to keep an eye on me (which was actually bloody irritating; couldn't sleep during the day without them constantly waking me up), subjected me to a couple of searches to make sure I hadn't managed to smuggle in blades or extra sleeping pills etc.  As far as meds went, they added Wellbutrin to my cocktail (Trileptal, Lamictal, Thorazine, Valium).  I thought they'd back off on the Valium b/c of its depressive effects, but they just left it at 15mg/day - I think to cut down (pun intended) on the self-injury thoughts.

[ncc1701]

Heya lemonflavor,

Not as much as you'd think.

For mania there's a slew of acute-management things, like antipsychotics.

For depression, short-term, it's about suicide watch every 15 minutes.

Longer-term, trying to get some kind of antidepressant to work.

Plus therapy, groups, whatnot.

Mostly geared towards getting the right community supports in place so people can go home.

Or, group home,or long-term care, but that's (in my experience) a rarely-used option.

--ncc--

[celestia]

all i remember from the hospital is that we manic folks hated the depressed people. they were boring and never left their rooms.

also, amethyst, i hope 90% of that DX list is past diagnoses. if you really had that many concurrent disorders (some of which are blatantly contradictory), you would be catatonic or dead.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm not sure if you are aware of this or not, but your posts to loserlady and to amethyst come across as rude and obnoxious.

Yes, opening myself up for attack, but is this necessary?

Calling loser lady a "grim motherfucker"

Judging Amethyst's dx's?

Depressed people are boring?

What's up with all that?

Do you need to go back in the hospital?

PM me if you like, I truly am curious as to why you are so offensive in writing. Do you really feel this way?

S9

[Thomas]

It is so weird, when I was in the hospital (all 3 times) with a single exception at each place, all the patients not only got along well, but were actually helpful to each other.

Tommy

[celestia]

It is so weird, when I was in the hospital (all 3 times) with a single exception at each place, all the patients not only got along well, but were actually helpful to each other.

Tommy

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Likewise, I learned so much about bi-polar disorder from some people, one of whom I'm still friends with. And I was one of those *boring* depressed persons who wouldn't come out of my room--because I was paralyzed and couldn't move for one thing, but scared as hell too.

Thank god for the gal I'll call Sally, she brought me out of my catatonia and we became fast friends. She was very nurturing to me, as she was bi-polar, she knew how low a low could go.

S9

[Amethyst]

I too found the other patients helpful, more helpful than the staff anyway.

And to the one who questions my dx's, I don't know what to say. I'm just fucked. But yes I receieved them all at different times with a few exceptions. Depression, BPD, OCD,GAD and panic disorder were all given at one time. And I took no offence to that statement.

Ameth

It is so weird, when I was in the hospital (all 3 times) with a single exception at each place, all the patients not only got along well, but were actually helpful to each other.

Tommy

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[chinacat]

I was, twice, in a really cool private funny farm in Atlanta, years ago, which was helpful and actually theraputic.  I was there for depression, and actually got thereapy and meds, along with activities, group, and a lot of good stuff.

I was in an HCA loony bin here in Fla about 2 months ago and it was a complete joke.  I saw a doc for 27 seconds every AM at 6AM, saw a therapist once, we never had any of the theraputic activities they had posted, the staff all stayed in the nursing room, writing up all the fake stuff they were doing with us.  There was no "suicide prevention", no medications except my old ones, no food I could eat, no activities, NO NOTHING.  One nurse spoke to me one time in 4 days.

I am not kidding, and I am not making this up.  Your mileage may definately vary with hospitals--been there,done that.  this most recent sojourn was a complete waste, and I have asked for an itimized bill, as I thik they over=charged me and the ins. by hundreds of $$--but then, thats how Bill Frist got rich, huh?

Be careful, be very very careful--

china, who won't do that trick again, no matter what--

[Loon-A-TiK]

I've been in the hospital 5 times, 3 of those this year alone. (No wonder I do my own meds now!).

Twice was for depression, twice for mixed, and once for mania/psychosis.

In all states, they first did searches of me and my belongings. Then they did all these tests to rule out other causes of my mood disturbences. After that I got interviewed by either a nurse or MD. They then decided an initial DX (reason for admission) and went from there.

Each hospital I was in had different protocols about therapy, teaching, and approaches to treatment in general.

Most of the time, the other patients were really great and supportive. They were usually very good sources of information about our various disorders. There were a lot of BP people there.

As for the specific treatments for my depressive episodes, they always prescribed or changed my mood stabilizer. The first time I took Depakote and the second (for depression, not for the other stuff) they changed it to Lamictal. I also got ADs. Paxil both times. The first time they INCREASED IT TO 60MG and the second time LOWERED IT TO 10MG. This was years apart, so don't panic for me! I was already down to 20mg when they took it down to 10mg. So that was in depression when they lowered my Paxil. I got Xanax the first time and Klonopin the second time. I only got Paxil the first time and the second time, Seroquel and Wellbutrin were added. That second time was much more hard-core. I guess they figured it was my 3rd hospitalization for BP and they should take more action. Anyway, I ended up on Lamictal, Klonopin, Paxil, Wellbutrin, and Seroquel at that time.

After the 4th time, which was for a mixed episode that was very depressive, they assigned me a visiting nurse and upped my Lamictal and Klonopin.

Usually in the hospital they've made sure that there wasn't some other cause for the illness, figured out what the illness was, and treated according to that hospital's guidelines and resources. Some had a lot of educational classes and therapy, and some had us playing cards all day in the lounge (actually great therapy! lots of rest!).

Upping the mood stabilizer and/or changing it is the only common thing in my experiences in being treated for depression. Oh yeah, and also I was given a benzo each time, at a higher dose than what I had been taking before. They all had different ideas about raising or lowering or adding more ADs. The last time, he brough out the Seroquel, and in my forth hospitalization for that mixed episode, I asked to bring it back to be my second mood stabilizer. Expect that if you're in the hospital or really messed up that they will bring out an AAP or another mood stabilizer.

As you can tell, I've had lots of hospital experience! lol. 5 different hospitals for various issues.

For the mania/psychosis I had an antipsychotic IV and was drugged up with Zyprexa until I came down. That's pretty standard I think. Then I went mixed and was treated like I described in the mixed section.