Mom back from Hospital on 1,000 new Meds.

[jess1866]

Good morning, sorry for the long post but I am very new to this topic and have so many questions and concerns.

My Mom was admitted to the hospital a little over a week ago after she tried to kill herself by swallowing 30 ambiens. On top of the fact that she tried to commit suicide she is also an alcoholic- has been for years.

She did pretty well at the Hospital. Her primary language is Russian but she does speak and understand English- just not extremely well. She saw a Psychiatrist, therapist, went to meetings, and did arts and crafts while she was there.

She suffers from addiction, depression, and anxiety attacks and she tells me the only thing that has ever helped the latter 2 was drinking. She told me the Dr. said to always have paper bags in the house for the anxiety attacks (which I thought was a myth but apparently it isn't).

Anyway, we picked her up last night and I moved in with her to be with her because she obviously can't live alone. The Dr. prescribed sooo many medications that I can't remember them all: lexapro, lithium, and some other ones (I'm at work and don't have the names). She's been sleepy and so out of it since we picked her up from the Hospital. Is this normal? This "out of it" state scares me because it's a lot like the way she acts when she drinks.

She told me it takes awhile to get use to all the AD and anti anxiety drugs. She is also in an outpatient program which provides transportation (she doesnt drive) for her 3 times a week to attend 3 50 minute meetings each day she goes there which is about from 9am-12pm which she starts Friday. In addition to this program my brother and I want to go on some AA meetings as well, he's taking her to one tonight.

I guess I just want to share all of this with people that are actually going through it or also have a family member going through it. I know I'm going to have more questions- especially when I have the names of all her meds. I welcome any advice, things I can do, medication hints, etc.

P.S. She takes medication 3x a day, are there pill boxes that accommodate that? I seem to only remember seeing ones that are just based on the days of the week. For today I went ahead and just labeled 3 zip-lock bags with the corresponding times and medications that should be in there.

[jujubeez725]

Originally Posted by jess1866

Good morning, sorry for the long post but I am very new to this topic and have so many questions and concerns.

My Mom was admitted to the hospital a little over a week ago after she tried to kill herself by swallowing 30 ambiens. On top of the fact that she tried to commit suicide she is also an alcoholic- has been for years.

She did pretty well at the Hospital. Her primary language is Russian but she does speak and understand English- just not extremely well. She saw a Psychiatrist, therapist, went to meetings, and did arts and crafts while she was there.

She suffers from addiction, depression, and anxiety attacks and she tells me the only thing that has ever helped the latter 2 was drinking. She told me the Dr. said to always have paper bags in the house for the anxiety attacks (which I thought was a myth but apparently it isn't).

Anyway, we picked her up last night and I moved in with her to be with her because she obviously can't live alone. The Dr. prescribed sooo many medications that I can't remember them all: lexapro, lithium, and some other ones (I'm at work and don't have the names). She's been sleepy and so out of it since we picked her up from the Hospital. Is this normal? This "out of it" state scares me because it's a lot like the way she acts when she drinks.

She told me it takes awhile to get use to all the AD and anti anxiety drugs. She is also in an outpatient program which provides transportation (she doesnt drive) for her 3 times a week to attend 3 50 minute meetings each day she goes there which is about from 9am-12pm which she starts Friday. In addition to this program my brother and I want to go on some AA meetings as well, he's taking her to one tonight.

I guess I just want to share all of this with people that are actually going through it or also have a family member going through it. I know I'm going to have more questions- especially when I have the names of all her meds. I welcome any advice, things I can do, medication hints, etc.

P.S. She takes medication 3x a day, are there pill boxes that accommodate that? I seem to only remember seeing ones that are just based on the days of the week. For today I went ahead and just labeled 3 zip-lock bags with the corresponding times and medications that should be in there.

I'm sooo sorry to hear that about your mom, Jess.

You know, depression, addictions and such are so hard; but when alcohol is added to that mix, it's a monster.
Sorry she didn't get any help before this happened.

That sleepy/dopey-ness she's experience is more than likely a side-effect of the medicines she's been taking. She'll adjust to it once she gets used to the medicine and it's in her system like the doctor wants.

You & your brother should keep going to those meetings with her. You'll be amazed at how it will affect her recovery. She will make better progress knowing that she has the support of her children.

You can get "pill boxes"--or medication dispensers--at your local pharmacist.
They have them for a reasonable price, and you can keep track of your mom's medications.

[trg247]

Hi: This probaly is going to be all over the place so bear with me

- A little over a week is a pretty short time for a suicide attempt, mind you I really do not understand how the US health system works.
- Did someone find her when she made her attempt? Or did she call someone? Believe it or not its a huge difference.
- Unfortunately a lot of doctors take the quick approach by over medicating the patient. The patient says they feel better when usually they do not feel anything. I take 3 antidepressants, 1 mood stabilizer, 1 sleeping and a couple of digestion aids so a high number of pills is definatly not unheard of.
-It takes the body awhile to adjust to the meds, usually four to six weeks, before a person can really determine whether or not they are the right meds for them
-If one consumes alcohol it really messes with the meds. The side effects get more severe. It use to take me twelve beers or so to get drunk now it is under three and you really pay for it the next day.
- The outpatient care sounds good, a lot more than you usually hear about. If a person accepts it AA is a very good program.
- Pill dispensers - I get my meds in something called Dispill which seperates all of my meds for me I am unsure if it is available for three times a day though. Like the other poster said a dispenser is easy to find

hope this helps
take care
trg247

[jules3]

wow whats your moms age?

[jess1866]

Originally Posted by trg247

Hi: This probaly is going to be all over the place so bear with me

- A little over a week is a pretty short time for a suicide attempt, mind you I really do not understand how the US health system works.
- Did someone find her when she made her attempt? Or did she call someone? Believe it or not its a huge difference.

******My brother and I couldn't get in touch with her for a whole day. She told me, she told me that she wanted to do it again the next day too. She wants to get better, she wants us to help her.

- Unfortunately a lot of doctors take the quick approach by over medicating the patient. The patient says they feel better when usually they do not feel anything. I take 3 antidepressants, 1 mood stabilizer, 1 sleeping and a couple of digestion aids so a high number of pills is definatly not unheard of.
-It takes the body awhile to adjust to the meds, usually four to six weeks, before a person can really determine whether or not they are the right meds for them
-If one consumes alcohol it really messes with the meds. The side effects get more severe. It use to take me twelve beers or so to get drunk now it is under three and you really pay for it the next day.

******Our biggest focus is the alcohol because that is what spins her into suicidal thoughts, etc.

- The outpatient care sounds good, a lot more than you usually hear about. If a person accepts it AA is a very good program.

******Her insurance is covering that forever too. I was so happy to find that out. In addition to that my brother and I are planning to take her to at least 2 AA meetings a week as well.

- Pill dispensers - I get my meds in something called Dispill which seperates all of my meds for me I am unsure if it is available for three times a day though. Like the other poster said a dispenser is easy to find

******They are! She takes her meds 3x a day and all I found were 2x and 4x. I went ahead and bought the 4x because it has removable days so she doesn't have to lug around the whole pill box with her.

hope this helps
take care
trg247

I replied in the quote.
it did, and thank you