Inpatient treatment didn't work out as well as I thought....

[vanilla1969]

Well I'm back from a 5 day stay at the inpatient treatment and I feel worse, they put me on Wellbutrin and Risperdal and I feel like I'm in a "blank state of consciousness" I just feel over all not right, I have no emotions right now, not feeling sad or happy just know that medicine has something not right. I didn't feel this way until today but didn't say anything because I had to get home to my kids, my daughter is going back to college and there wasn't going to be anybody to watch them if I would have stayed longer. The Risperdal did help me sleep but this feeling is not worth it. I just don't know what to do I feel so alone in all of this and feel there is no help. I have no support to help me get where I need to be, I don't want to end up like some of those people there who are in and out all the time because their issues are so bad the drugs do nothing. Sometimes I would rather this be physical that way I know it's something really wrong.

Didn't get to look up the Risperdal until I got home and found out it was for Schizophrenia, Bi-Polar and Anti Psychotic. That really scared me, it has tampered down my anxiety a little bit but I still get it but not as bad. When I started the medicine I noticed my hands kept falling asleep when I was asleep and one night both of my ring fingers on each hand drew up in my sleep like I was pulling my fingers inward. I wasn't doing that, the other night one ring finger drew up and the pinky finger went outward, I woke up like this as well. I just want to be back normal.

[LindaRK]

I'm not sure what you were looking for as far as inpatient goes ..... are you following up with a physician or therapist?  Or psychiatrist?

Being a facilitator of a support group, I know lots of people that have been hospitalized for mood disorders.  A good friend was just released on Tuesday - but she had a psychotic break and was hearing voices and having other issiues.  This was the first hospitalization for her and she is completely traumatized.

I think it's important to understand that you're coming out of a very stressful experience being inpatient.  You've been put on new meds or perhaps a changed prescription.  I'd suggest giving this some time - going inpatient for 5 days isn't going to "cure" your depression or anxiety.  What other treatment are you participating in?  CBT perhaps?  Are you in a support group?

My biggest frustration with hospitalizations is that personnel changes seem to cause alot of problems - from docs during the week to docs on the weekend, med changes .... plus, it's almost like a clearing house for people having emotional issues and all they want to do is get you on a med, stabilize you and put you out. As you can see, from where I sit, I don't have a very good opinion on all of this.

I'm sorry you had to go through it - if you don't have family members that you can talk to, I highly suggest finding a support group, along with physician/pdoc/therapist follow-up.

[vanilla1969]

I do have a therapist but I don't see her until Monday, I have a regular psychiatrist (not the one who treated me inpatient) and I told him about the risperdal making my muscles tense and he said to stop and said I was having EPS or something like that. It was making me have neck muscle spasms. Never had my fingers get rigid in a position while sleep.

[vanilla1969]

I was looking to come out with my panic and anxiety issues dealt with a little, not come out with no emotions or  feeling like I'm not in reality.

[oregoncoastlady]

It seems like the only way to deal with panic and anxiety in five days is with medication. That's pretty much what happened. Risperdal is a pretty heavy duty drug. If you are having these side effects and your doctor said to stop the drug, then you should listen. Did you stop the drug? I think you will make more progress with your therapist.

[sassparella]

Medication can take a while to work and can make you feel crappy while you're getting used to it. I was put on an antipsychotic and an SSRI when I was an inpatient and it took a while. I take it you stopped the drug that the doctor told you to stop, the antipsychotic may be the one that is making you feel zombi-like so you may feel a bit better having stopped that. As Linda said you can't cure anxiety with medication alone, you need therapy to go with it. Hopefully, once you're used to the wellbutrin and with the help of your therapist, you'll overcome this.

[vanilla1969]

Yes I did stop the drug, scared of those rigid muscles.the side effects of that stuff can be pretty serious.

[marc]

I was told by a client of mine who is a psychiatrist that when you are admitted as a psychiatric inpatient
their first goal is to stabilize you with medication.

[sixpack]

in patient for 5 days is to stabilize.  part of the  heavy duty fixing is long term psychological care usually as an out patient.  psychiatrists don't do therapy.  they prescribe meds.  psychologists do the therapy.

my son was inpatient Jan '12 for a week or 5 days.  that only kept him "safe" for the week.  We didn't enjoy or find a lot GREAT about the intreatment.  what the hospitalization really did for him was wake him UP that he needed to get serious about helping himself. AND who helped him a lot was seeing a psychologist bi-weekly then weekly now he is monthly.  .


and as far as risperdol goes... yes it is used for the things you said.   but also for anxiety and behavior issues too.  my daughter (eldest) is on 1.5 mg for behavior stuff.  Meds are used for mulitple issues all of the time.

whether you should have quit the med or not, I couldn't say.  But I do know that we anxious peeps often are afraid of meds and will find a lot of reasons why we "can't" take them and give up on them before they can help.  Is that what you did?  IDK but it happens.

[vanilla1969]

The part that scared me was it made me have intrusive thoughts, I didn't have those before I went in there. To feel no emotion toward being home or being emotionless is not in me, that is not me. I drove myself home cause I drove myself there and the drive home seemed surreal to me, I almost ran into be back of people s few times. I rather be nervous and panicking then feeling like that.

[trainwreck]

risperdol is used off label in far lower dosages than a schizophrenic would get.  Just as klonopin was a seizure drug and for years used off label for anxiety.  The difference is that those with seizure disorder were typically taking 10x the dosage effective for anxiety. 

And inpatient is not meant to cure you.  It is to get you past a crisis and get you prepared for getting better.