Comments on: My Mom’s Psychotic Break and the Doctor’s Bedside Manner http://dancingwithpain.com/a-doctors-attitude-can-make-or-break-a-situation/ Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:03:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Dave http://dancingwithpain.com/a-doctors-attitude-can-make-or-break-a-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-25878 Dave Wed, 27 Jul 2011 14:40:46 +0000 http://dancingwithpain.com/a-doctors-attitude-can-make-or-break-a-situation/#comment-25878 My Mother in Law was diagnosed with sarcoma less than a year ago in her knee. It metasticized to her lungs in the spring. She refused to consider chemo but agreed to move into our home so my wife could help care for her. In general her health was good no pain or other symptoms other than she said she was more fatigued than usual. She left our home and flew back to hers to wrap up some loose ends and get her clothes etc... to move back in with us. Trip was to take 2 weeks. In the interim she had seen a doctor at her home and he prescribed xanax. She took 32 of them in less than a week. She was hospitalized when we arrived to get her she was paranoid and delusional. The internalist agreed to release her to us. Suggested that she stay off of anti depressants and see if her mood and behavior returned to normal.   It hasn't she has become increasing paranoid and delusional. She talks to the walls, think our house is bugged. She constantly says they are coming to get her today. Claims that smoke enters her room at night and puts a spell on her. We have had to install deadbolts that key lock from the inside as she wanders out the door with a packed bag. Any way you get the picture.   We are taking her to her oncologist today hopefully he can prescribe something. He thinks it is a psychotic break and classic bipolar disorder. We are very fearful that the drugs will be strong and have their own side effects. Just 3 1/2 weeks ago this woman was as sane as anyone now she is just flipped out delusional, halucinating, she is constantly confessing her sins to the wall in our spare bedroom. Afraid to shower because they have emptied our hot water tanks and put something else in them.   Help. My Mother in Law was diagnosed with sarcoma less than a year ago in her knee. It metasticized to her lungs in the spring. She refused to consider chemo but agreed to move into our home so my wife could help care for her. In general her health was good no pain or other symptoms other than she said she was more fatigued than usual. She left our home and flew back to hers to wrap up some loose ends and get her clothes etc… to move back in with us. Trip was to take 2 weeks. In the interim she had seen a doctor at her home and he prescribed xanax. She took 32 of them in less than a week. She was hospitalized when we arrived to get her she was paranoid and delusional. The internalist agreed to release her to us. Suggested that she stay off of anti depressants and see if her mood and behavior returned to normal.
 
It hasn’t she has become increasing paranoid and delusional. She talks to the walls, think our house is bugged. She constantly says they are coming to get her today. Claims that smoke enters her room at night and puts a spell on her. We have had to install deadbolts that key lock from the inside as she wanders out the door with a packed bag. Any way you get the picture.
 
We are taking her to her oncologist today hopefully he can prescribe something. He thinks it is a psychotic break and classic bipolar disorder. We are very fearful that the drugs will be strong and have their own side effects. Just 3 1/2 weeks ago this woman was as sane as anyone now she is just flipped out delusional, halucinating, she is constantly confessing her sins to the wall in our spare bedroom. Afraid to shower because they have emptied our hot water tanks and put something else in them.
 
Help.

]]> By: lucy sometimes http://dancingwithpain.com/a-doctors-attitude-can-make-or-break-a-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-22266 lucy sometimes Thu, 09 Sep 2010 18:21:09 +0000 http://dancingwithpain.com/a-doctors-attitude-can-make-or-break-a-situation/#comment-22266 I left town with my younger sister for a few days. I'd noticed a change in my mom's behavior on the day I left. and well a fewdays before I left, she was not sleeping. I thought it was a reaction to going off of her ant-depressants and then going back on them again. I thought she would probably become cranky with my dad, then finally fall asleep and feel better once she woke up. I could not be more wrong! My sister and I were on our way back from our road trip when I'd decided to call and let them know. My mom answered the phone. She knew who I was but began to talk as if she was having a conversation with someone else at the same time. She mentioned a guy that she'd had an affair with. And then she would change from that emotion to anger and hang up the phone.  I called again and the conversation was so strange and incoherent that I reacted with anger this time. Finally my dad calls me back and tells me how, over the weekend, she had began acting strange and saying things that made no since. While he was trying to explain these things to me, I could hear her in the background repeating everything he said. It sounded insane. It sounded unbelievable. I thought it was a joke right away. then I thought she was acting like this on purpose to get attention but knew instantly that no one could possibly do that like she did.  My dad had been dealing with it for two days, but I didn't understand how he could deal with it for two minutes without calling an ambulance. It seriously sounded to me as if she'd maybe somehow managed to bust her head and she was talking nonstop incoherently. I was so angry with him for not calling a doctor. He'd "emailed" her psychiatrist her symptoms. But her psychiatrist could not see her til Tuesday. I finally arrived in town, not knowing what to expect. Her behavoir was the most impossible thing I imagined. I had no idea a person could go that far out of their head. It was like her brain was sleeping and she was speaking every thought she had. I waited for her voice to give out..... I couldn't see how it did not. I couldn't understand how her brain didn't rupture from constantly reeling. She had all this energy and you could see the sort of "loop" in her brain playing over and over. It is very difficult to explain all this and frustrating because you can't explain it really. I have filmed her with my camera but am so freaked out by it that I can't even watch it. Online, the only symptoms that came close was a "psychotic break". But I still haven't found anything that is exactly what she was doing.  Anyway, It's Thursday now and she is "better" after we gave her the anti-psychotic called "geodon" and she finally fell asleep for longer than two or three hours. I can't believe how difficult it was to find anyone caring or sympathetic when it came to trying to get some medical help. And when it came to admitting her into a Charter Vista here, she had to sign a paper but she flat out refused. The only logical thing she could do was refuse to sign the damn paper that said that we could get her inpatient care for three days so they can check her medication intake, etc. So here my father is, who is worried out of his mind, about to have a stroke and needs to go back to work so we can keep our house, here he is trying to figure out how to get legal guardianship over my mom so we can sign for her.  I guess my question is, IS this what people mean when they non-chalantly say "I had a mental breakdown the other day..." Or "my mom is going through a nervous breakdown" ?! I will never toss the word "crazy" around in a joking manner after this experience. Has anyone ever gone through this or known anyone that has acted this way?? Please let me know because I am having so much trouble trying to find information about it and what to do to make it better. She must be so frightened right now.... I left town with my younger sister for a few days. I’d noticed a change in my mom’s behavior on the day I left. and well a fewdays before I left, she was not sleeping. I thought it was a reaction to going off of her ant-depressants and then going back on them again. I thought she would probably become cranky with my dad, then finally fall asleep and feel better once she woke up. I could not be more wrong!
My sister and I were on our way back from our road trip when I’d decided to call and let them know. My mom answered the phone. She knew who I was but began to talk as if she was having a conversation with someone else at the same time. She mentioned a guy that she’d had an affair with. And then she would change from that emotion to anger and hang up the phone.  I called again and the conversation was so strange and incoherent that I reacted with anger this time. Finally my dad calls me back and tells me how, over the weekend, she had began acting strange and saying things that made no since. While he was trying to explain these things to me, I could hear her in the background repeating everything he said. It sounded insane. It sounded unbelievable. I thought it was a joke right away. then I thought she was acting like this on purpose to get attention but knew instantly that no one could possibly do that like she did.  My dad had been dealing with it for two days, but I didn’t understand how he could deal with it for two minutes without calling an ambulance. It seriously sounded to me as if she’d maybe somehow managed to bust her head and she was talking nonstop incoherently. I was so angry with him for not calling a doctor. He’d “emailed” her psychiatrist her symptoms. But her psychiatrist could not see her til Tuesday. I finally arrived in town, not knowing what to expect. Her behavoir was the most impossible thing I imagined. I had no idea a person could go that far out of their head. It was like her brain was sleeping and she was speaking every thought she had. I waited for her voice to give out….. I couldn’t see how it did not. I couldn’t understand how her brain didn’t rupture from constantly reeling. She had all this energy and you could see the sort of “loop” in her brain playing over and over. It is very difficult to explain all this and frustrating because you can’t explain it really. I have filmed her with my camera but am so freaked out by it that I can’t even watch it. Online, the only symptoms that came close was a “psychotic break”. But I still haven’t found anything that is exactly what she was doing. 

Anyway, It’s Thursday now and she is “better” after we gave her the anti-psychotic called “geodon” and she finally fell asleep for longer than two or three hours. I can’t believe how difficult it was to find anyone caring or sympathetic when it came to trying to get some medical help. And when it came to admitting her into a Charter Vista here, she had to sign a paper but she flat out refused. The only logical thing she could do was refuse to sign the damn paper that said that we could get her inpatient care for three days so they can check her medication intake, etc. So here my father is, who is worried out of his mind, about to have a stroke and needs to go back to work so we can keep our house, here he is trying to figure out how to get legal guardianship over my mom so we can sign for her.  I guess my question is, IS this what people mean when they non-chalantly say “I had a mental breakdown the other day…” Or “my mom is going through a nervous breakdown” ?! I will never toss the word “crazy” around in a joking manner after this experience. Has anyone ever gone through this or known anyone that has acted this way?? Please let me know because I am having so much trouble trying to find information about it and what to do to make it better. She must be so frightened right now….

]]> By: Angela http://dancingwithpain.com/a-doctors-attitude-can-make-or-break-a-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-7546 Angela Fri, 31 Jul 2009 01:44:55 +0000 http://dancingwithpain.com/a-doctors-attitude-can-make-or-break-a-situation/#comment-7546 I swear this is my mother's situation.  Sunday, went to hospital with a badley broken knee.  Started to see a change in behavior on Tuesday night.  She could describe what she wanted done.  She is bed bound awaiting for clearance for surgery as of tonight.  Anyway, on Weds., I go up to hospital at 10:30 a.m. and she is drugged, sound asleep.  Lunch comes and she opens eyes stares at ceiling, closes eye.  I speak loudly to her to rouse her and begin to complain to staff.  Apparently, during the previous evening she had a rough night and they gave the Dilaudin every 3 to 4 hours upon request.  Doctor order to give upon patient request every 3 to 4 hours.  So, Wed. morning, lovely nurse give her another dose of 2mg of this stuff to keep her from pain when she went for chest cat scan.  Mom started to come around at night, but was definitely still drugged.  She awoke saying she thinks she had a stroke because she is having difficulty speaking correctly and expressing herself using the right words.  So they sent for a scan of brain.  Today, I go up to see her and she has pigtails.....  She was much more coherent, but still having some difficulty expressing herself with correct words.  She did recognize family.  So, I skip out of hospital thinking all is well for 2 hours.  Go back tonight and she is unable to have a coherent conversation.  Very agitated and uncomfortable.  Nurse mentioned Sundown Syndrome and mom seems to be classic.  This happens in a matter of 4 days from a healthy woman?  So I am searching the net and found your posting.  I am convinced it is the drugs.  I ordered doctors, no more Dilaudid, Percoset is ok, because she has used it in the past, but now I am checking on this one.  I don't know this woman who has regressed to a little girl.....I just don't know where to turn. Angela I swear this is my mother’s situation.  Sunday, went to hospital with a badley broken knee.  Started to see a change in behavior on Tuesday night.  She could describe what she wanted done.  She is bed bound awaiting for clearance for surgery as of tonight.  Anyway, on Weds., I go up to hospital at 10:30 a.m. and she is drugged, sound asleep.  Lunch comes and she opens eyes stares at ceiling, closes eye.  I speak loudly to her to rouse her and begin to complain to staff.  Apparently, during the previous evening she had a rough night and they gave the Dilaudin every 3 to 4 hours upon request.  Doctor order to give upon patient request every 3 to 4 hours.  So, Wed. morning, lovely nurse give her another dose of 2mg of this stuff to keep her from pain when she went for chest cat scan.  Mom started to come around at night, but was definitely still drugged.  She awoke saying she thinks she had a stroke because she is having difficulty speaking correctly and expressing herself using the right words.  So they sent for a scan of brain.  Today, I go up to see her and she has pigtails…..  She was much more coherent, but still having some difficulty expressing herself with correct words.  She did recognize family.  So, I skip out of hospital thinking all is well for 2 hours.  Go back tonight and she is unable to have a coherent conversation.  Very agitated and uncomfortable.  Nurse mentioned Sundown Syndrome and mom seems to be classic.  This happens in a matter of 4 days from a healthy woman?  So I am searching the net and found your posting.  I am convinced it is the drugs.  I ordered doctors, no more Dilaudid, Percoset is ok, because she has used it in the past, but now I am checking on this one.  I don’t know this woman who has regressed to a little girl…..I just don’t know where to turn.

Angela

]]> By: Joan Carthan http://dancingwithpain.com/a-doctors-attitude-can-make-or-break-a-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-3753 Joan Carthan Wed, 04 Feb 2009 02:56:16 +0000 http://dancingwithpain.com/a-doctors-attitude-can-make-or-break-a-situation/#comment-3753 I can't begin to count the times my doctors or psychiatrist told me it's not possible for the medication to cause whatever side effect I was experiencing at the time. Then as time goes by guess what FDA takes the exact same med. off the market or there are a mass of lawsuits suing the manufacturer. I'm am so furious with those who should know better shrugging off the very people they should be taking seriously. I've learned, I am not crazy. Neither are you. I'm grateful your mother has such a loving and caring daughter. Always trust your instincts! I can’t begin to count the times my doctors or psychiatrist told me it’s not possible for the medication to cause whatever side effect I was experiencing at the time. Then as time goes by guess what FDA takes the exact same med. off the market or there are a mass of lawsuits suing the manufacturer. I’m am so furious with those who should know better shrugging off the very people they should be taking seriously. I’ve learned, I am not crazy. Neither are you. I’m grateful your mother has such a loving and caring daughter. Always trust your instincts!

]]> By: cathy http://dancingwithpain.com/a-doctors-attitude-can-make-or-break-a-situation/comment-page-1/#comment-3520 cathy Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:14:47 +0000 http://dancingwithpain.com/a-doctors-attitude-can-make-or-break-a-situation/#comment-3520 I am going through a similar situation with my mother. I think the hospital staff is horrendous. She is now in rehab with a mending hip. She stopped taking perkoset for the pain and I hope she comes out of her hospital psychosis. She is 82 and my father, died about 6 months ago. I can't be there every minute but we hired aides to help out. She hates everyone right now and is blaming me for some reason. Its best to try to step away for a while and regain your mental health. As far as the hospitals and doctors go,...just forget it. They are in it for the money only. Just pray alot and maybe God will help out. Its better than asking the Doctors, they will just be more trouble than you can imagine. The nurses and hospital staff are horrible and I always wonder why they want to be nurses. They really don't help when it comes to end of life issues. Hope you mom gets better and I hope my mom gets better. Its all a matter of fate. Don't go down the tubes with her. Just do all you can do, so you never have regrets and let it go. Cathy I am going through a similar situation with my mother. I think the hospital staff is horrendous. She is now in rehab with a mending hip. She stopped taking perkoset for the pain and I hope she comes out of her hospital psychosis. She is 82 and my father, died about 6 months ago. I can’t be there every minute but we hired aides to help out. She hates everyone right now and is blaming me for some reason. Its best to try to step away for a while and regain your mental health.

As far as the hospitals and doctors go,…just forget it. They are in it for the money only. Just pray alot and maybe God will help out. Its better than asking the Doctors, they will just be more trouble than you can imagine. The nurses and hospital staff are horrible and I always wonder why they want to be nurses. They really don’t help when it comes to end of life issues.

Hope you mom gets better and I hope my mom gets better. Its all a matter of fate. Don’t go down the tubes with her. Just do all you can do, so you never have regrets and let it go.

Cathy

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