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How soon to visit after Section?

4 replies

StripeyChina · 17/03/2019 08:42

I have a good friend of many years standing, I knew from the start he had some MH issues. 3 years ago he explained he had been dx as paranoid schizophrenic / bipolar at various points. He is mostly depressed, always completely non-violent but has been sectioned about 6 times in total. I love him no less, in fact, more for his honesty.

I have now come to understand his presentation better. During his recent manic phase he called me and we spoke for hours each night (he wasn't sleeping) and I was receiving hundreds of texts during the day. I had a much clearer picture of what happens to him, pre Section.
I live a long way away and could not get there but told him to take his meds and contact his team (he will only take his meds when he 'feels he needs to' and by that point, his judgement on that is impaired).
This is the 2nd time in a year he has been sectioned.
He gets manic, with a religious focus, and tends to bother various high standing Religious people eventually drawing enough attention to be arrested I believe.

I'd like to visit him. He was sectioned around 10 days ago. It is a long journey for me. Last time he was on Olanzipine (not sure if anything else?) I visited about 4 weeks in and he was very doped up and still asking me to' intervene with the Archbishop'. I suppose I am wondering if it is 'too soon' this time? I guess I feel much closer now having gone through a fair amount of it with him?

Obviously, I need to do what is best for him but I'd really like to visit and am wondering if anyone has experience with Olanzipine?

OP posts:
darkriver19886 · 17/03/2019 17:21

Hi OP,
I was wondering if it's worth ringing the hospital and finding out.

SprinklesandDust · 17/03/2019 18:18

Hi OP, olanzapine can also be given as a fortnightly injection.

StripeyChina · 17/03/2019 18:18

I tried but they won't say much (I'm not family).
I am not in touch with his one family member so can't ask them

OP posts:
SprinklesandDust · 18/03/2019 13:09

Oh that's a shame. I can see your worry about going all the way there. Are you allowed to pass on a message to him that you would like to visit and your phone number? Then if he is well enough to call you he can? Hospitals can be really dreary places and he may appreciate the contact. When I visited my brother in hospital I found it helpful to play cards and board games. It can take weeks and months to get the negative and positive symptoms of schizophrenia under control.

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