Failure in mental health services impatient ward

[Trigpoint]

OMG I honestly don't know where to start. I'm continually posting presently due to this horrendous situation I find myself in time and time again.
My husband has been detained under section 3 since 31st March, prior to that he was on a section 2 started 6th March. When admitted he was on Quitiapine and Sertraline. Sertraline stopped immediately due to elated presentatio, Quitiapine increased almost imimmediately. Since then nothing has changed. My husband continues to be grandeous and elated with lack of insight and all nurses spoken to think meds changed paramount to improvement. He was overlooked at ward round following Easter, apologies were received and yesterday offered another slot in ward round however, due to being so ill, he refused to stay. No medication has changed other than due to highly agitated state offered Benzodiazapine (if any of you are familiar with this group drugs, they include Valium which is a highly addictive form of a "Chemical straight jacket .) He's been offered no appropriate treatment for his scizoaffective disorder other than Quitiapine and I'm massively concerned about long term implications of ttreatment.
I'm distraught spent most yesterday in trance like state. My husband is so ill and he's not been treated correctly to get better. Sorry rant just desperately needing advice.

[jenny lucas]

So sorry that you have yet another source of worry to contend with.

Obviously I can't make any comment about the actual meds, as I know nothing about them, but from your own knowledge what do you think the options are for him in terms of pharmaceutical treatment?

Breaking the problem down -

- what meds might be more suitable?
- do you know who to ask if you yourself aren't sure?
- when can you ask them? (given that it's the weekend now)
- when does a doctor next see your husband? (given that it's the weekend...)
- when is the soonest his meds could be changed?

One good thing though, surely, has to be that your husband is still in section, and so is in a safe place (or at least, safer than if he were at home), and also that YOU are therefore 'safer' because he is not at home.

I would also say, as a matter of general principle, that EVEN IF some meds may be addictive in themselves, it MAY BE that 'addiction' is a price that it is better he pay for better quality of life for both him and you, if the addictive med significantly helps in his treatment????. BUT, that said, there is, of course, the issue of 'long term risk' in being committed to an addictive med, which also has to be taken into account.

Overall, do you think it likely that he is ever going to be able to live 'med-free' at some point (or for significant portions of his life, eg, between 'relapses'), as this, too, will weigh in the decisions about whether to take the risk of addiction to gain the benefit of a particular drug?

Finally, and please, I am not attempting to be 'trivial' or 'flippant' here, but I do think it may be a point worth making - at least, currently, your husband is in an (albeit 'unnatural') elated frame of mind, rather than in a depressed one, so his 'day by day' quality of life is, surely for him, not as 'grim' as it would be if he were weighed down in depressive state of mind? (Not saying that makes it easier for anyone else, mind you, let alone yourself.)

I do hope you are able to make contact with a psychiatrist over the weekend and ensure your husband's meds are better tailored to his current condition.

Kind wishes, at such a worrying time, Jenny.

PS - just a thought, but would it give you a better handle on the situation if you consulted forums designed for partners of those with similar mental health issues, as other partners may have trodden this painful road, and have helpful experiences of their own for you?

[purge11]

You know, I think its fine to rant out on this forum. No problem at all. I am also caring for a close relative suffering similar symptoms, but the illness would not be so difficult for us if we could just get the standard support, which is ok at times and then at times the support is almost non-existent and you find you are battling the system.

Has a care plan been drafted up for him? Make sure they use the form and include you in the care plan. The motto is "Carers included!"