***Violently MANIC!***

Bipolar
#1

My brother is in ICU because he went totally manic and harmed himself.  He's never been violent and was just recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder.  They put him on Zoloft and Prozac.  They have him strapped down in ICU now after checking himself in the mental ward of the VA hospital earlier Thursday.  Late that night he became violent and was shadow boxing, kicking & punching the walls and banging his head up against the wall a few times.  They said he took a few good falls.  I visited him yesterday, and he is bruised and cut up all over his body.  There was blood in his hair, too. 

The ICU doc said it took 5-6 doctors to get control of him and hold him down long enough to shoot a heavy duty sedative into his neck.  They strapped him down and have kept him highly sedated since then.  They suspect he may have kidney damage, possible head injuries and other things.  He's going to be going thru some intensive procedures to find out what's going on.  HE HAS NEVER BEEN VIOLENT in his life!! 

I'm SO worried and anxiety stricken with this.  Has anyone ever done this sort of thing before?  Any insight??  Any thoughts on what may have happened to him/his mind??  Thanks!

#2

So sorry to hear about your brother. 

I have had a somewhat similar experience...I was living with my two son's and my lovely little dog in a rented house, I had lived there for 6 years and loved the house. I returned to education and got my honours degree in social science and was due to do my MA in social work. 

I had periods of depression..I was diagnosed bipolar in 1994..due to a manic/psychotic episode. Nine years on....I cannot explain what 'triggered' me but I suddenly began to believe I had been sexually abused when I was a child (I don't BELIEVE I was) but I was convinced I had been.

It all becomes vague, confusing and 'fast' (like a video was fast forwarding) from this point..I was definately manic for awhile.

I then started hearing things and seeing things that were not there. I had a car then and I was driving around fast and furious to churchyards and other 'strange' places.

My behaviour was alarming enough, by this point, for my youngest son to contact the mental health services, they attended but I appparently sounded reasonable to them (god knows how)..my son persisted and they sent a psychiatrist..who prescribed olanzapine ( I so wish they had sectioned me at this point, saved a lot of heartbreak).I took the olanzapine (was your brother given any drugs before his violent outburst?) I 'lost it completely' after taking the olanzapine.....I began damaging my own belongings..things that meant so much to me..I then smashed two windows in the kitchen and threw various foodstuffs around! 

My son's 'left' and I totally trashed the house and smashed more windows..apparently when the police came I was sat on the wall at the front of the property with a red top on with the hood up 'chanting'.

I remember very little of all this only through others can I piece this much together..I only remember the 'speed' feeling, everything was moving so fast...totally out of control.

Your brother it sounds to me was going through something similar although he hurt himself and not property. It would be interesting to know what drugs,if any, he was given earlier on that day.

I was told mine was psychosis..although I feel I lost all control after taking the olanzapine... and  to be totally honest I still don't feel anyone has adequately explained to me just what went wrong with my mind..perhaps they can't!

What I would say is be strong in your quest to find out what its all about....listen to your brother when he is lucid....insist the mental health services are thorough and that your brother is given the right medication BEFORE he leaves the hospital..your brother needs assurances that the chances of it happening again are minimal and that, when discharged,he is given adequate and continued support in the community.

I know SSRI's can cause mania when given to ppl with bipolar..I would check that out on-line.

I was left with hardly any support off the mental health services when I was discharged (so no-one saw what was happening)..my meds were not right...and I ended up on 'the streets' for almost a year.

4 years on my life is still 'mixed up' and due to all thats happened I feel I cannot be 'assertive' with the mental health services (they do not appear to take me seriously).. they get defensive (if challenged by me regarding meds) and I feel they do not give a damn about my welfare...I am not on a 'mood stabalizer' because my current psychiatrist believes I do "not need one" unless I go 'manic' ermmmmm last time that happened I eventually lost everything and I was totally unaware I was going 'manic'!

I am not a violent person I had never 'destroyed' property before..I shuddder at what I did still! 

I hope your brothers 'episode' is a one-off...but never be complacent..use any support you can get for him and if the meds work 'stay on them' I was taken off lithium prior to my last episode because the pyschiatrist I had then believed it was making my 'arthritis' worse...I wish I had insisted I stayed on it..the physical pain is nothing compared to the mental pain of my last 4 years.

I hope the physical injuries are not too bad and he does not have any serious damage.

My thoughts are with you both....keep us posted..if you want to ask me any questions please feel free.

take care

emptysoul

 

 

#3

Empty soul your story had me in tears,i hope things are a little bit better now.I had my first manic episode in February,it was scary.

I am still suffering from psycosis,which is alarming me,so far i have had allergies to the two drugs prescribed to me !!

I have yet to be diagnosed by my psychiatrist,i hope it is soon as i hate not having a name for what i am feeling.

I hope you stay well.

Finn. 

#4

Dear Finn,

I have shed so many tears over what happened and its so very hard to 'come back' from it.....I hope I will get over it eventually but must admit to feeling as though I just 'exist' now.

I read your story and you say you feel 'scared and anxious as to what lies ahead'...I understand that and would say..DEMAND you are given a diagnosis (this is a matter of urgency) you need to know what you are dealing with, to be able to get the 'correct' treatment.

I'm not sure what drugs you are allergic to..are they anti-psychotics? Whatever, you NEED to be on a mood stabalizer and an anti-psychotic..you should not allow the psychosis to continue!

I get so angry about the mental health services..they appear to be unable to respond quickly and accurately to ppls needs. The bottom line is it is our quality of life that is at stake and you need to be pro-active in the quest to get medication that works. When you do..please..please..keep taking it. I read on so many forums ppl who are 'coming off' meds and I wonder if they have any idea of what the implications could be! 

Please try not to be too alarmed by my story..it is extreme...and so many ppl with bipolar are able to lead relatively normal lives with the correct drug combo. I did for nine years after being diagnosed it was only after 'coming off' lithium that things went so wrong.

Take care

emptysoul

 

#5

He is bipolar and they put him on Prozac AND Zoloft? I am horrified and in shock. I’m not even a doctor and I KNOW what a dangerous drug Zoloft is for BP and Prozac is even worse. It sounds to me like you and your brother need to talk to a LAWYER. The only time someone with Bipolar should be on either those is if they are on Mood stabilizers first.

What is wrong with mental health professionals???

#6

Wow, emptysoul it took guts to be so open and honest like that. That must have been an incredibly difficult time. I pray that things are going better for you. Fredhead, I am so sorry about your brother I will also keep him and you in my prayers.

#7

FANCI… I totally agree! The health care professional these days got their degree based on the “grading on the curve” method. Perhaps they just buy their degrees now?? Idiots. I’m on Prozac but also Lamictal, which is awesome and helping a lot. Both had to be increased very little at a time!

Yes, as far as I know, there’s no mood stabilizer but I’ll find out for certain tomorrow when I go up to the hospital. It’s about 2 hours away. I will be there a couple of days and will definitely get to the bottom of this! He’s coming off the breathing tube tomorrow and will possibly move from ICU to the mental floor. This is all messed up!

#8

FANCI… I totally agree! The health care professional these days got their degree based on the “grading on the curve” method. Perhaps they just buy their degrees now?? Idiots. I’m on Prozac but also Lamictal, which is awesome and helping a lot. Both had to be increased very little at a time!

Yes, as far as I know, there’s no mood stabilizer but I’ll find out for certain tomorrow when I go up to the hospital. It’s about 2 hours away. I will be there a couple of days and will definitely get to the bottom of this! He’s coming off the breathing tube tomorrow and will possibly move from ICU to the mental floor. This is all messed up!

#9

mood stabalizers are a must when bipolar!!!
What is it with these doc’s… They did the same thing to me… Only giving me Welbrutin which made me a crazy person… Sent me in the worse tail spin ever…

How many people have to go through this before they figure it out!!! And we are the ones with problems…
They need to learn thier jobs. I think we know far more about our illness than they do and the scarey part is they are writting the RX…

 Diana
#10

Shauni,

What had happened to bedheads bro ‘rang a bell’ and I will gladly share my story if I think someone could be heading for the same experience.
It helped me also because advising bedhead to demand the right treatment for her bro…made me realise I also had to do this.

Today I went harmed with research off the internet and assertively explained to my CPN and GP that I wanted to try olanzpine with my anti-depressant (it is being hailed the ‘new’ drug combo to treat major depression)…and they AGREED…wow…so fingers crossed.
Plus an appointment was made to see my psychiatrist re-mood stabalizer…cannot believe I’m not on one and think I may look into some legal redress for the way I have been treated…or not treated!

I kind of blamed olanzapine for what took me over the edge when I lost my home (but despite extensive research I cannot find any that suggests it could do this)… I have been so far down I’m willing to try anything…my friend is here with me so hopefully if I have an adverse reaction things will be ok.

Take care all

emptysoul

#11

Hope all goes well for you and hope the new drugs help.

#12

Just an update on my brother. He was in ICU from Thursday nite until Wednesday. He was still in the hospital with IVs & all, but today they took all the oxygen and everything else off. He was up, took his own shower, shaved and walked outside the hospital with me. He looks and acts SO much better and remembers NOTHING of his episode.

His pdoc came in today and told him what most likely happened. With the meds he was prescribed by her (Seroquel, high blood pressure med, Paxil and Ativan) and the meds given to him by another doc for sleep (amitriptyline - or noratriptyline?? and ambien) caused a chemical reaction which sent him into psychosis. He was hallucinating and hurting himself. He looked like he’d been in a car wreck. So, the ADs caused mania to the max!!!

The ICU docs originally suspected him of taking PCP or cocaine - a LOT which made him go wild. After the drug screening, they realized that it was a high dosage of the ami- or nora-triptyline (I can’t remember which) – which was given by the VA Hospital and shouldn’t be given to people with bipolar disorder!!!

Anyway, he’s going to be okay and monitored VERY closely on his meds and what they are giving him. This is really WILD … the docs in ICU said the whole psychotic episode where he was shadow boxing, kicking the walls and punching his head and hands against the wall (made two holes in the wall) was all VIDEO-taped and ask him if he’d like to see it!!! Damn… those people are nutso. He told them, “Hell no! Why would I want to watch that?” I’m going to write my Congressman! That VA is fkd up!

Thanks all for your support & prayers. Hugs, Tonya

#13

bedhead, so glad to hear that your brother is better.

#14

Bedhead,

So pleased your bro is ok…please pass on my best wishes to him.

emptysoul

#15

Hi. Thanks for your message. Things have become quite hectic and I may not be able to read my mail as often as I’d like. I hope to be back soon.

Chuck

#16

Thanks, everyone. I talked to my brother this evening and he sounds WONDERFUL. Thank God! He even quit smoking and had to wash every one of his clothes. After 5 days in ICU and a few days in the hospital, he was detoxed and ready to give it up. Miracles do happen!!!

I appreciate your support and prayers. I don’t know what I’d do without you all. Hugs, Tonya :wink:

#17

Hi this is ellebay

Just read this forum after not being on line for a while. And emptysoul i am sorry to hear all that you have been thru sounds like you have been to hell and back with all those experiences. I was diagnosed with bp in 2000 and as soon as i was put on a mood stabilizer my quality of life improve immensely and I am so happy I was refered to the pychiatrist that I was referred to. I do not see her anymore as I am very healthy and happy on this drug and do not have an problems or any apparent side effects from the drug. I was put on zolof prior to being diagnosed and did many silly things such as going to bars and getting drunk all the time and being flirtatous with men i didnt know from a bar of soap. Spent over 5 thousand Austrialian dollar on my credit card when I was manic as all I cared about was making myself look as attractive as I could by spending money on clothes, alochol and laser surgery to laser a few horrible skin blemishes off my face. Spent that next 12months paying off the debt and feeling stressed, anxious and depressed the whole time till the debt was paid then feeling I was a bad person and feeling guilty about feeling guilty and wondering why I felt bad about myself all the time after a manic episode. Feeling bad about feeling bad and wondering why I always seemed to put this extra pressure on myself its not work all the pain after the manic episode as it last for such a short time and you feel great at the time but the severe major depression that follows is just not worth it. I would rather take my mood stabilizers every day and just feel normal like the rest of society out there and not level off such extreme highs and lows I would had to see what would happen to me if I took iclicit drugs such as ice, eastacy, cocaine or speed I would be totally out of control then. But lucky from me I have had the will power never to even try any of these hardcore drugs because as a person with bipolar I do not believe it is worth tempting any extra extreme mood experiences.

Cheers
Lisa

#18

Thanks again e1! Brother is recovering and has a whole new outlook on life!

ellebay, I had similar experiences with Zoloft. It got me into trouble as well. Like you, I spent wayyyy too much money, buying expensive things, going on exotic vacations, buying clothes, obsessing with my body & working out like a mad woman (and more), drinking and hanging out too much and got myself owing $9,000 in debt to the IRS in one year! I lost my job suddenly after going off on a manager and went into a downward spiral - to the bottom. I ended up filing bankruptcy (after having perfect credit all my life) and sold my house to pay the IRS and rid myself of my car payments.

After eliminating the Zoloft and being put on Lamictal (moods), Prozac (depression) and Trazodone (sleep), I am finally on the right cocktail and feel like a normal person again! I hope it lasts! Thanks for your input and congrats on your normal life now… :slight_smile: