A Week in Hell

My 20 year old daughter (who has NEVER had any "issues of any kind) had 4 wisdom teeth pulled. 2 days later she went back to college in Wisconsin, along with her prescription Vicodin & Motrin. Unbeknownst to us, she developed insomnia, and was not eating because of the extractions. About 10 days later, we got a call that she was having a "breakdown" so we went to the school.

We were advised to take her to the local hospital for evaluation, because she was obviously not herself. She told us she hadn't slept since the extraction, and was having visions, hearing voices, etc. At the hospital we were told that it would be best to admit her for observation, which we of course agreed to. It wasn't until we went to her "room" that we realized that she had been placed in the mental ward.

The psychiatrist interviewed her the first day, (while she was in a drugged stupor) and decided that she was bi-polar, and psychotic! When I reminded him about the insomnia, and the vicodin which has the exact side effects she was presenting with, he ignored it. So over the next 7 days, she was subjected to the most horrendously powerful psychotic meds, which did not seem to do much to improve her condition, if anything making it worse!

After 7 days she was stable, and insisted on leaving (which we supported). However, while agreeing to discharge her, the Psychiatrist wrote on the report that it was against his advice! (This of course caused the school to not allow her back to class.)

The first night home, she took her lithium, which again caused her to have visions, etc. during the night. When she calmed down she said that this had happened to her every time she had been given this drug, and she never wanted to take it again. She never did, and during the next week or so, completely recovered!

We had already had an appointment set up with a therapist which we kept, and explained all that had occured. The therapist agreed that in all probability she had been been suffering from sleep deprivation, and lack of food intake. She managed to get us in to see a psychiatrist in her group on an emergency basis, who concluded that she is neither psychotic, nor a danger to anyone. Based on his letter, she has been readmitted to the school.

Because of a misdiagnoses and admission to a mental health ward, she is now saddled with this stigma for the rest of her life! If ever asked, about being treated for a mental condition, she would technically have to answer yes, (or lie) although it was not really the case. This may affect her future career, job opportunities, jury duty, ability to obtain health or life insurance, etc, etc.