Mental Health Best Psychiatric Hospital For My Needs?

[ThePharmacist4925]

I'll try and keep this as short as possible. I am prescribed Vyvanse 50mg, Modafinil 200mg, Propranolol 10mg 3x Daily, Intuniv 3mg, Gabapentin 300mg 3x daily, Lithium 1350mg, Seroquel XR 400mg, Seroquel IR 50mg, Nexium 40mg. It's way too much medication in my opinion. I'm always tired and feeling shitty. Been alcohol and drug free for about a year. I would like to go to a top psychiatric hospital and be taken off my medication and then have thorough psychoanalytic testing before been placed on new and/or less medication. I've been to the Menninger clinic before and the outcome was being overmedicated. They also did the psych testing while I was on a ton of sedatives and wasn't on the vyvanse, so it may have been a wash and its conclusions invalid. I'm just sick and tired of being sick and tired, also I can't think very clearly with so many chemicals clouding my brain. This isn't living, I'm essentially a zombie in many regards. So my question is whether any of ya'll know anything about top psychiatric hospitals that would be willing to take my case, given taking me off most or all of my medications may be too much to ask even in a locked hospital setting. There is always risk in making drastic medication changes, a risk some hospitals may be unwilling to take. I'm most interested in Austen Riggs currently, but they aren't lockdown facility so the odds of them being willing to make major medication changes seems unlikely. Money is a non-issue, I have financial backing that can cover the cost of any of these facilities. If anyone has been to a great psychiatric hospital or is knowledgable when it comes to mental health facilities i would greatly appreciate your opinion on the matter. Thanks so much, ThePharmacist4925

I hope I placed this in the correct area of bluelight.

 

[checktest]

There are more specialized programs depending on particular conditions, such as the OCD Institute at McLean. Probably can't go wrong with MGH, Johns Hopkins, or McLean. I wouldn't expect many places to take you off all your medication and do repeat comprehensive psychiatric testing if you are relatively stable and on the tired side of things. Not sure quite why you don't want to just speak with a psychiatrist and reduce some of the medications as an outpatient-> plenty of psychiatric hospitals have relatively limited space and aim to stabilize and deliver to outpatient. Rapid change while relatively stable, especially with mood stabilizers, isn't likely the approach a hospital will take unless there is a pressing or odd issue. Not that it can't happen, but depending on your conditions and set of medications, I'm not sure quite what you you might expect.

I'd be wary of comparative mental states if you've had periods of hypomania to mania as well- a good bipolar friend of mine obsesses over being slow and not thinking quite right, and is endlessly non-compliant. With flexible communication with her psychiatrist though, they keep her at a reasonable level of medication as the situation dictates...if she doesn't decide that she wants to be hypomanic as that is her "real" state. Sort of an expectation/perfectionism thing going on there that her therapist won't touch. (Perhaps because she left her last 5 therapists who did mention it.) Idealization of another state is tough.

On the other hand, I can see what you mean. I was put on way too high a dose of lithium by a covering doctor in the past, and certainly was over-medicated. I don't even have bipolar II as my diagnosis anymore, just depression. That being said, I regret coming off the lithium too quickly -> it is one of the ones that tends to not act the same way if you suddenly stop and start it. It was helpful with suicidal depression, and then it wasn't. Just suggesting to not come off your medications before the hospital or anything like that.

As for experience, I had a friend improve with the OCD Institute at McLean. I think she actually was a case study of odd neurobiology- I would ask her the journal, but I think that probably wouldn't be for the best. She seems to be getting by, which is a remarkable change. I'll also attest for McLean as an inpatient, though I was not at any particular program. Not in the area anymore, but I imagine it still has a strong reputation.

But really, maybe try to speak with your psychiatrist and cut down on some things as an outpatient. I don't think you'll get a full reset or anything like that. I had all my medication changed...but then again I wasn't intending/choosing to go to the hospital. Managing as an outpatient can give you some opportunities to cover things outside of the world of hospitals, and won't require the titration periods again. But you probably have heard all these things before. Good luck, nonetheless.

 

[ThePharmacist4925]

Thank you soooooooo much for your post. I will talk with my psychiatrist about lowering or changing some medication as an outpatient. My father however is obsessed with the idea of putting me in an inpatient setting at a top psychiatric hospital. I will say that I always enjoy my hospitalizations for whatever reason I find the wards comfortable and safe. I will surely look into Johns Hopkins and McLean. I understand that most hospitals will not want shuffle my medications, that's probably okay because I'd say the Lithium and Seroquel are the primary culprits, and Vyvanse and Modafinil are the secondary culprits. Carefully lowering these medications should improve my cognitive abilities once I'm adjusted. I'm no doctor so I'll leave the decision making up to them, but although I could likely handle this situation as an outpatient like you suggested, to please my father I'll likely have to go to a top psychiatric hospital for a month or two or three. Idk why he's obsessed with it, maybe it's just an excuse for him to spend a lot of money. He rarely spends a lot of money on anything except vacations, I guess you could call my hospital trip a vacation haha, Idk what his deal is, he won't even buy a car he likes, but he'll spend enough money to buy an AMG Benz on a vacation. I hear you loud and clear, and I'll definitely open a dialogue with my psychiatrist about careful lowering medication. That being said I'll end up in a top psychiatric hospital anyway, I've got to please the father if I want financial support until I can support myself.... oh how I wish for that day when I don't have to do everything my family wants me to do.... it'll be okay though and there's a good chance my situation will improve

 

[herbavore]

I value the work of a guy named Will Hall. Check him out and maybe even do a phone consult before making a decision?

Your father probably wants what every parent wants: happiness and peace for their offspring. Still, parents can be very misguided in how they attempt to foster this. You should only enter a program if you really believe this is what will help you. (I take it you are not yet 18?)