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Chicaиαry

Madness

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8 Comments
by
Chicaиαry
, 11-06-13 at 06:47 PM (1196 Views)
  
So I come from a family where mental illness is prevalent. My maternal Aunt is currently in a psychiatric hospital. She was hospitalized the first week of September for depression. She tried out patient therapy, it didn't work. She tried medication. It didn't work. Despite surrounding herself with friends and family, and the loving support of her husband, she wasn't getting better.

It's been about two months since she went in and she feels she has no other options. She is considering ECT (electroconvulsive therapy). The hospital has deemed her incapable of making he choice for herself so they have asked the next of kin (her husband).

He called my mother and I, because when I was younger she wanted me to have ECT. He does not want my aunt to have ECT. However, for the past 2 years they have tried everything. EVERYTHING! Nothing has worked. Well, they've tried all but one thing. Moving. Aunt Barb was doing so much better when she was here in PA surrounded by friends and family. It could very well be a case of homesickness. (They moved to Chicago because He got a promotion that took him there.)

Ultimately I don't think shell go through with this. The earliest she an anticipate the treatment is 2 weeks, pending they fill out all the necessary paperwork and go over the counseling necessary prior to the procedure.

I spoke to my Aunt over the phone. She's indifferent, listless, and to say the least: not herself. We talked about the time she came to take me on a trip because my mother wanted to kill me. We went to Six Flags everyday for like 4 days, stayed at a hotel. She told me that the world was full of idiots and not to get my panties in a bunch over any of them. I remember the time she "bricked" my sperm donor. Over the phone, she didn't seem to are about any of those monumental events.

I told her if she gets ECT there's a chance she won't remember them. She said she wants to live and like living. Considering what's happened to her already as a result of some of the other treatments she's tried, maybe ECT isn't so bad. No. It's that bad.

Life sucks.

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Updated 11-06-13 at 11:42 PM by Chicaиαry

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Comments

  1. skyler flameye's Avatar
    it sound like u are have a really hard time , i wish i could say i know how u feel but i dont as i have never had it that bad. i hope things get better for u and your aunt. if you ever need to talk u can always message me ( a random stranger ) cause i like to help others when there down or need to talk to someone so feel free to message me. i guess you just need to say to yourself there has to be a storm to create a rainbow ( means there has to be **** before there can be joy )
  2. Tenken's Avatar
    Damn, hopefully things get better for your aunt without the electro shock therapy.
  3. Chicaиαry's Avatar
    Well. It would seem this is truly a last resort from a medical standpoint. It is covered by his (her husband's) medical. My aunt's physical health has deteriorated from he side effects of other treatments attempted. Over the past 6 years she's willingly admitted herself into a psychiatric hospital, taken damn near every anti depressant invented, lost her hair, has ulcers, can't exercise anymore because of extreme fatigue, has intense suicidal thoughts, paranoia, has developed night terrors, almost completely refuses to bathe... it's bad.

    She is scheduled to begin treatment no later than the 18th. I'd slap her husband if I could.
  4. Kuze the Devil's Avatar
    Two roads diverge in a yellow wood. You have to choose one. That's the way of life. My sympathies go to your aunt, though sympathies are mere sympathies and fail to heal anything.
  5. Chicaиαry's Avatar
    Update:
    ECT has come a long way in recent years since they have begun using anesthesia and varying techniques depending on severity. There's unilateral ECT (where they send electric current in one half of your brain) and bilateral ECT (where they send electric current in both halves of the brain at the same time). Obviously bilateral ECT carries the most risk and my aunt goes through she'll want unilateral but if that isn't successful in a period of 4 unilateral ECT treatments doctors say 2 rounds of bilateral ECT could do the trick (cause she'll have already had at least 3 recent ECT treatments)

    I still don't think she should do it. But I'm less weary about her doing it now that I know more.
  6. cberg's Avatar
    Has she went to other doctors for a second opinion? If she's experiencing paranoia, I might suspect she has another underlying mental illness than just depression. Paranoia is not typical of depression, but is for other mental illnesses.

    diagnosing mental illness isn't a one stop shop, it takes time. For example, it took over 2 years and multiple doctors to finally come to the correct diagnosis of my sister's mental illness.

    I wish the best for your family.
  7. Chicaиαry's Avatar
    She's been hospitalized at least 12 times over the past 5 years. Paranoia was one of the side effects of her medication. Well one of the adverse side effects not listed on the label but reported by a small percentage of the patient who took it. She's seen a doctor in VA, PA, and Illinois (where she resides).

    On the flipside, there are multiple treatments available beyond therapy, medication, ect - but they're either experimental/not approved by the FDA, carry far more risk, and or are not covered by her health insurance. ECT is fully covered by most healthcare plans. Not every medication is covered by her healthcare insurance. There is a limit to how much mental health treatment (in patient care and out patient care) that is covered by her health insurance.
  8. vessicator's Avatar
    this realtalk blog trumps pretty much all others. i feel for you chic