Self Caring with Sz

[Geronimo]

Hi Everybody,

I have lived with medication for Sz for over 30 years now and looking back I think I most likely had mental health issues from about the age of 15 or 16, at least in the last two years of high school you could say I was depressed somewhat. The depression continued after high school until by the time I was 19 or 20 I had a psychotic episode for which I sought no treatment because I was ignorant and thought that I would be just locked up and the key thrown away???? At the age of about 23 I had another psychotic episode and this time felt compelled to commit myself to a public psych hospital in Sydney since it was the ANZAC Day long weekend and no private psychiatrists offices were open. Had it been a weekday and I had been able to see a private psychiatrist, I might not have needed to be admitted to a psych hospital at all. I was initially overmedicated in psych hospital as seems to be standard practice on first admission to a psych facility. Within a day or two I had a severe dystonic reaction in my neck muscles on one side and couldn't straighten my head up, it was just locked over on one side. The doctor on call gave me an injection of an anti-cholinergic drug and the dystonic reaction cleared up in about 5 minutes and they also reduced my dosage of anti-psychotic drug at the same time. I went into psych hospital on the Saturday after ANZAC Day and was released the following Wednesday although I was still a bit psychotic and delusional but since I had been a voluntary admission, they couldn't detain me if I simply wanted to go home. I'll continue this story if there are positive replies and people express an interest in me continuing my story, Bye for now!!!!

[NikNik]

Hi Geronimo,

Thanks for an insight into your story. It sounds like you have been through alot.

I know we're all new to this forum, so I know that it's likely you were unaware that the mention of the name of a  medication in a post is against forum guidelines, which you can find here http://www.saneforums.org/t5/About-the-Carers-Forum-including/Forum-Guidelines/td-p/1

As it's early days here in the saneforums, it would be great if you could test out the editing function on the forums and see if you can edit your comment.

Just also to flag that the forum hours are 9:30am - 5:30pm - so if your edits do not come up straight away, they will appear after 9:30am tomorrow.

Let us know how you go!!!

NikNik

[coffeegirl]

Hey Geronimo,

That really sucks that you had such a bad experience in hospital.

In my experience I've know of people who have needed some time to adjust to their medication when they have been hospitalised. It can take time for doctors to figure out medication. It was tough and trying, but in the long run it was worth it.

CG

[Geronimo]

Hi NikNik, Editing function worked fine for me. Hope what I re-wrote is OK, Thanks!!!!

[Geronimo]

Hi Coffeegirl, It wasn't as bad as it sounds in print and I was more terrified of the other patients than anything else. I have never feared doctors or thought they were intending to harm me!!!!

[NikNik]

Awesome! Thanks for letting us know!