New Medications for DH

Palmetto Peg

My DH has been in the hospital in the geri-psych unit for a week now due to extreme agitation and aggression. Previously he was on Seroquel, Trazadone, and Lexapro. Due to the affects on his heart, Long QT, the doctor has changed his meds to Abilify and Zoloft. Do you think these will tamp down the aggression and agitation enough for him to be able to be transferred to the memory care unit in the CCRC where we live? They are hesitant to take him because they aren't really set up to handle very aggressive patients, and he is also a big, strong guy who is still quite physically fit. The hospital wants to discharge him next Tuesday, and again, our unit here is hesitant because they don't think he will have reached therapeutic levels in a week. Thank you for all of your combined wisdom and advice!

M1

peg are there clear behavioral goals? If not, ask about them,, and ask why they are in such a rush for discharge. Don’t agree to anything that doesn’t feel right. If they push you, push back.

​fesk

Also, it can take weeks for those medications to reach their full effect. I agree - why the rush to discharge?

Palmetto Peg

I have not been told of any behavioral goals. I am wondering if some of the rush has to do with my insurance company wanting him discharged. I am going to visit him tomorrow, which I thought was unusual, too, since most places don't want you there. He is in Temple Hospital, which has a great reputation, but I am going to ask to speak to his doctor on Monday and try to find out why they want to discharge him so soon. I will ask if this is a safe discharge, as he is going to a memory care where there are many older, frail people who he could really hurt if his behaviors aren't under control yet. Thanks for the advice - I am definitely going to take it!

Dio

Sadly, the reality has much to do with when insurance stops paying. The same thing happened to my DH.

clarinetist

Peg, I had the same issue with several Geri-psych units this past summer. The first unit wanted to discharge my DH with aggression problems after a week. I got them to keep him another week. But four days after he returned to his memory care, he got aggressive again and had to go to a different Geri psych unit. He stayed there two weeks. Back in memory care, he lasted two weeks until another aggressive incident sent him to a third Geri psych unit. Luckily this one didn’t discharge too early; he was in that hospital for six weeks. He’s back in memory care now; still not out of the woods, but he’s better.

All this to say that you have to advocate for your husband to get the treatment he needs. If your hospital has a patient advocate contact him or her, and express your concerns: you don’t want your husband to endure a revolving door of Geri psych stays, you’re afraid your husband’s placement could be endangered if he’s released too son, and whatever else you’re concerned about.

I started out being a nice guy and doing what the Geri psych unit recommended, but by the end I got much more forceful. I wish I had started stronger so my husband wouldn’t have had to spend the summer locked up and traumatized.

BTW, Medicare and our supplemental insurance covered all the hospital stays.