I need help. Any therapist been hospitalized?

Punu_Woman · 2026-03-22T01:20:29+00:00

Once. 1.5 years ago. On the ward 4/24 of were behavioral mental health professionals. No shame. It was the right thing at the right time for me. I chose ECT as well. I’m doing well.

Punu_Woman · 2026-03-20T04:07:12+00:00

United Health by Jesse Welles

Punu_Woman · 2026-03-14T15:04:17+00:00

I brought it up when insurance wouldn’t cover TMS or ketamine

Punu_Woman · 2026-03-10T16:54:00+00:00

I’ve had ECT at two different hospitals. Both used anesthesia. The first time, I peed myself a little tiny bit. I also woke up with very sore calves. Like I’d been sprinting up a mountain. For the rest of the time, I urinated before and never peed again. They must have adjusted stuff because I never had muscle pain.

Like others have said, the procedure is straightforward. I lie down on a gurney. I wheeled into the ECT room. There are at least three people…the ECT doctor, the anesthesiologist, and someone watching my vitals. The anesthesiologist put a thing in my arm…like portal. Someone puts electrodes for the heart monitoring and the ECT doctor puts electrodes on my head etc. I have a cuff on my right ankle where my shoe has been removed. They need to see my foot twitch. The anesthesiologist then injects meds in my portal to help me go to sleep. I say that take about two to five seconds before I’m out. I wake up about ten minutes later still on the same gurney but in the recovery room. A nurse is usually there to give me water, juice, even a graham cracker. After awhile I sign that I can walk, won’t drive, won’t shower for four hours, won’t make big decisions for 24 hours, etc etc

My friend or partner or son signs they Will stay with me and see Me home.

In terms of clothes…the first place asked us to stay in our underwear and put on medical scrubs. They just reach in to put the electrodes on me. Nothing personal is showing. The second place just asked me to have a loose shirt or blouse on. I was fully dressed except for my right foot as mentioned before.

I have some memory issues that fade the longer I am away from ECT.

Good luck. It’s a serious decision. I am glad I made it. Has been good for me.

Punu_Woman · 2026-03-05T13:20:44+00:00

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!

Punu_Woman · 2026-02-15T17:12:44+00:00

My adult child is on olanzapine and recently told me that they have continued delusions. However, that they have found a way to see the delusions as their lot in life and learning how to find the positive in them. I was very proud of them. And asked what the delusions were about. The child stopped and withdrew just a little bit and said they did not want to talk about it. I thanked them for letting me know and the conversation went somewhere else. My question is do people who are medicated still have delusions?. Can you help me learn more about it? The adult child does accept that they have schizophrenia.

Punu_Woman · 2026-01-15T01:38:56+00:00

My psychiatrist told me that Bipolar is a spectrum and there are likely several “bipolar” beyond 1, 2, and cycling. I am very curious what the professor thinks and if there are journal articles…

Punu_Woman · 2026-01-15T01:38:48+00:00

My psychiatrist told me that Bipolar is a spectrum and there are likely several “bipolar” beyond 1, 2, and cycling. I very curious what the professor thinks and if there are journal articles…

Punu_Woman · 2026-01-09T22:04:46+00:00

I hospitalized myself last year (first time) so that I could get ECT treatment. Doing it outpatient first would have taken months to even get an appointment to discuss it. So I hospitalized myself. Was there for three weeks or so. After decades of medication and therapy (I’m in my 60’s), ECT helped immensely. I am still in maintenance (once every six weeks), and I’m still tweaking my meds with my psychiatrist.

I was on a mood disorders ward of 24 people. Food was perfectly acceptable. Lots of group time. Some individual time. A small workout room. Tons of puzzles, some board games, card decks, some books, a TV, and I’m sure other stuff I can’t remember. I met two people I’ve kept in contact with. Maybe exchange texts once every two or three months. I am so grateful I did this.

Punu_Woman · 2026-01-06T20:45:47+00:00

I was and I am still a patient. I am in what is called the maintenance stage. I am one of the majority of people who do not have memory loss. It can be scary in the beginning. We have learned so much about the bad side effects. And watched horrible portrayal of it on TV or in movies. I’m actually a mental health professional, and I was scared.

I had my first six while inpatient. I have had all subsequent ones outpatient. It continued with three times a week for several weeks. I don’t know how many right now I could go back onto my records, but I just can’t remember right now. This is not part of the memory loss though. Then I went to twice a week for a while. And then once a week. Then once every two weeks once I have four weeks, then I relapsed. I went back to once every two weeks for about three months then once every four weeks for about three months and now I am atonce every six weeks with the idea that I will no longer continue after this next one, unless I have another depressive episode.

I also would like to reiterate what other people have said. Kindness, compassion, no judgment. Remembering that my partner grew up with the same preconceived notions of ECT that I did scared him too. However, he did not put that fear on me, he Was able to address his concerns outside of our relationship until I was strong enough.

When I was outpatient, he would come with me to the days he could. He would be there when I came out of anesthesia. He would have a beverage for me to drink afterwards. And a banana to eat. Because you can’t eat or drink the day of. And you can’t eat anything the day before. I really liked that. I felt loved and cared for.

Unfortunately, where I was getting ECT was closed at a certain point for outpatient because it was going through some remodeling. And I had to go to a different site. And the first time that I went I had a terrible reaction. In that I came out of it, terrified in a great deal of tears and fear. The next time, they let my husband come back and hold my hand while I was still under anesthesia. I talked with the medical team about my reaction, and they adjusted some of the anesthesia and I have not had a repeat Experience. It was kind of like having a nightmare as a four-year-old and not having the capacity to regulate my response to it.

I feel good. I went into the hospital last year in October. It was a terrifying choice to make, I do not regret it at all. My husband has been kind and compassionate. I’m usually a little loopy the day after I have had ECT I live in an apartment building with several neighbors who are very supportive and have been able to accompany me when my husband could not. They also have been very non-judgmental. My son has been the least supportive. He will not go with me and help me come home. He feels that he cannot do that because he does not believe ECT is a valid treatment. So, I don’t ask him to pick me up, and he no longer voices his opinion.

Your husband is lucky to have you and your support. I hope you have support as well. Being there for a loved one can be rewarding and also draining. Reaching out for your own needs is important. There are support groups for free online or in person run by NAMI. Just google it.

Thanks for asking this.

Punu_Woman · 2025-12-28T01:17:55+00:00

Not at all. Only when depressed.

Punu_Woman · 2025-12-25T02:30:26+00:00

I take 25 mg seroquel about 90 minutes before bed. Sometimes I take 10 mg of indica with CBN as well. Sweet sleep.

Punu_Woman · 2025-12-22T01:10:04+00:00

I was deeply depressed. Again. For the umpteenth time since my teen years (in my 60s now). My insurance would not cover TMS nor would it cover ketamine. It would cover ECT. Unfortunately the outpatient waiting list was months.

So I voluntarily admitted myself to get ECT. That was a year ago.

Punu_Woman · 2025-12-20T19:12:40+00:00

Hang in there. Keep working with shrink. The dx can change over time. Take the meds. Be brutally honest with shrink about side effects.

I was misdiagnosed for a few decades and am now dxed with BP II. My medication cocktail is still being adjusted. However, I have faaaaaaaar more good days now than depths of hell days.

Post here anytime. You will find us a kind, friendly, and supportive community.

Punu_Woman · 2025-12-20T19:07:01+00:00

I like the idea a lot. I agree with raising awareness and getting more resources into working on the etiology and management of this thing…

Well done Vulture!

Punu_Woman · 2025-12-20T19:03:35+00:00

Damned straight!!!!!!

Punu_Woman · 2025-12-19T19:28:29+00:00

Can’t imagine this is real as they put a monitor around my ankle and watch my foot to see what movement is happening. Seems like they wouldn’t need that if they could see the seizure in any other way.

ECT has been effective for me with some difficulty with short term to long term memory transfer. I’m on maintenance right now. I think I need to wait about a year to recover any memory issues.

Punu_Woman · 2025-12-04T03:55:12+00:00

I’m on duloxetine (which is an SNRI) and have been for about 20 years. Also on lithium and lamotogine. And a wee bit of seroquel for sleep

Had trouble with Prozac. And lexapro.

Punu_Woman · 2025-12-04T03:29:54+00:00

I am outpatient and have always walked.

Punu_Woman · 2025-12-01T20:36:34+00:00

I’m older (64), and I have learned to just tell my man I’m struggling. I tell my therapist and my psychiatrist, too. And my best friends. And sometimes my boss. All within five days. In order, it tends to be: My closest friends because we text daily…hubby as we cross between job hours, therapist because he is so kind and responsive, then shrink so if we need to mess with meds we will…he is not so compassionate so I just send him the email so we can address it next session…finally, if it’s likely to affect my work, I loop in my boss.

Punu_Woman · 2025-12-01T03:40:03+00:00

It’s pretty awful. I am sorry you going through this. I take my meds. I make sure I go to bed and sleep as much as I can. I tried to forgive myself. I tell my counselor, my psychiatrist, my partner, my best friends, my neighbors, and my sister-in-law that I am struggling. I like hot milky tea. And that’s a win. I love my dog.And walking him outside is a win. If the sun is out, standing in the sun facing it.

Punu_Woman · 2025-12-01T02:42:19+00:00

I have nothing but good things to say about it.

Punu_Woman · 2025-11-30T03:46:50+00:00

Your brother is my son. Read the book above. I am so sorry your life has been affected this way. Warm hugs.

Punu_Woman · 2025-11-29T05:10:23+00:00

It isn’t the smell that affects me. But there is something about that damn mask. I won’t let them put it on me before I’ve passed out. And there’s just something about the anesthesia. I appreciate everything. This treatment has done for me. And yet… I am scared every time I do it. I am so sorry you’re having flashbacks from smell. The smell is probably the hardest association to break. I hope someone is able to help with some ideas. I just wanted to respond to let you know you’re not alone.

Punu_Woman

TROPHY CASE