Posted by mashogr8 on September 7, 2002, at 21:32:32
In reply to please need help with Mclean hospital/clinical , posted by reese1 on September 7, 2002, at 12:01:31
I spent six weeks at McLean about 22 years ago. My last contact with that facility was when they stopped the wellbutrin trials. I had been allowed to take it as an investigational drug on an outpatient basis during and following my hospitalization. At the time, it worked wonders for me. Then the seizure link showed up with too many deaths and the trial was stopped(No hardship or human compassion response was allowed by the FDA). There was no real reason to use McLean anymore since the referring pdoc gave up on me. She said she couldn't maintain her cool when I was with her. (I had to find a pdoc much, much closer to home).
Anyway, Jonathan Cole, MD and Alan Schatzburg, MD were the gurus there at that time. They were doing studies with xanax, all sorts of cortisol research, wellbutrin, etc. It was definitely the place to go while I was in the desperate state with no relief from any TCA, lithium, thyroid meds, etc.
My stay was a a huge relief and not necessarily a horrible one (with a few exceptions). But I was there of my own volition where I was kept away from my husband and two young children for three weeks which was just what I needed at the time. It was a haven (except for weekends especially those with Patriot's day attached to them). The only thing that really PO'd me was that I had been told I would probably be part of a differrent drug study program. I was all set to sign the papers when someone realized I had only one week left of insurance coverage. All of a sudden, I no longer qualified.
Because it was the first time I had been hospitalized at a psychiatric institution and not a pscyh floor at the local hospital, I was definitely unprepared for the "here's your hat. go get well. call if you need us." There was no preparation for that the abrupt discharge was coming. While I had thought the people cared, I was really just a dollar sign and one to bring more research dollars in.
The hall I was housed in is no longer used for an inpatient floor. You had to walk up three flights of reasonably narrow stairs. There was a creepy elevator as I recall. The rooms were huge. some single, most doubles, and at least two solitary bat your head against the padded walls rooms but there was a lot of personal space. The ceilings seemed to be twenty feet high. That was probably my fear and insecurities playing tricks on me. The dining area where all patients with grounds' passes ate was decent, not too noisy, not too big as I remember. In addition, staff, visitors and patients ate together with pretty decent food. It was good enough to help me start eating again.
There is a book out called "Under Observation" (I don't remember the author) which details what it was like to be an inpatient at McLean Hospital on the depression, mood disorders floor. I think that book was written fifteen to twenty years ago so that might not help you.
I took it that when you said Oakland, you meant California. If so, I know that Alan Schatzberg has been director of the affective disorders clinic, or something like that, at Stanford University. If tht turns out to be close to where you will be and since the August break month has come and gone by, perhaps you might be able to get an appointment to find out what he thinks of McLean as it is today. He may even have a referral name for you.
I don't think it would really be helpful to tell you my opinion of the staff. They invariably are all different now. Basically, you have the good and bad, and in my case I was a ssigned to a psychiatric nurse who was fired while I was there for insubordination, dereliction of duties and arriving drunk at one of the shifts she did not want to work and they wouldn't change her schedule. I think almost any institution has similar problems. The biggest change, I feel, has been caused by insurance companies. They, even more than the hospitals have their eyes on the money issue.
Bottom line, McLean kept me alive to see my daughters grow up. Insurance and the FDA kept me from reaching an acceptable level of improvement.
I'm afraid this didn't provide much of an answer. What I would say was most helpful for me, was knowing Dr. Schatzberg as a consultant pdoc (prior to my hospitalization) in an effort to medicate me as an outpatient. I feel I got a littel better treatment than someone from upstate New York who was referred to McLean as a "give-up" case (my terms and observation) and told toshow up when there was a bed open.
Should there be any questions I might be able to answer, just ask. I think I know how you feel wanting to get better or at least live when there seems to be nothing available.
Good luck. You're in my thoughts.
MA
poster:mashogr8
thread:93100
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020906/msgs/119244.html