Stonewater is no question helping a lot of boys: several five-star reviews. I hope this will help…read moresomeone that could benefit from this information.
I talked to Elizabeth Fikes during a stressful time where my 17-year old had just relapsed. She was kind, helpful. During the intake process I explained that my son was still weening off buprenorphine ("bup", an opioid withdrawal medication), and Bridget got back to me, stating Dr. Edney, an expert in this area, was fine with this and he would continue with the taper.
Like others, it was the most difficult decision to send him to Stonewater and the hardest thing I've done. But I did it.
The day after my son was admitted, Dana informed me that they would ween my son off 6 mg of bup in 10 days. I was surprised. Based on my conversations with my son's treating psychiatrist, this was an aggressive taper and would lead to intense physical pain and withdrawal symptoms. But I trusted Stonewater.
Within the first 10 days that he was there, I was allowed to talk to him once for 5 minutes. I worried and sure enough, my mom instincts and concerns were not wrong.
In short, after that 10-day period, my son was admitted to the ER at Baptist Memorial Hospital four times in a matter of eight days, and he ended up at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis. He experienced withdrawals, anxiety, horrible insomnia and panic attacks, and at least 12 psychogenic seizures.
Here is the short version: After the first ER visit, I received little info and during his second ER visit, I called the ER and the treating doctor explained my son was going through severe bup withdrawals. He also told me that Stonewater had recommended he go to OCEANS, a behavioral hospital in Tupelo. Totally surprised with this news, I told this doctor that I did not consent to sending him there and he returned to Stonewater.
The next day, Bryan Fikes and Dr. Edney called me and told me that they are experts in bup tapers and they have handled this dozens of times and I should trust them. I asked if they would consult with my son's treating psychiatrist, which they declined.
A few days later I received a call from a sheriff to ensure I was aware my son was headed to the ER again. This time it was for seizures. Dana recommended Keppra.
The following morning I received a call from Dana at 5:00 am to get to Memphis as soon as possible because my son had been admitted to the ER again (fourth time) and the treating physician recommended an EEG scan at the Memphis hospital. On the same day, en route to Memphis, I received a letter from Stonewater wherein they recommended he not return unless he could get a doctor's note stating he could safely return.
I got to the hospital that day and saw my son go through several seizures, which was excruciating. He has never had a seizure before Stonewater. The EEG scan revealed his seizures were psychogenic cased by severe stress to the body (side note: Keppra would do nothing). My son told the doctors that he had not slept for four days and he was punished (points "traded" and he was put on "slow down") because of his lack of participation, when he was just physically a mess. The punishments included not being able to speak to anyone for three days. The treating psychiatrist and pediatrician tried to talk to Dr. Edney; he was "unavailable."
My son never once met or spoke with Dr. Edney.
Ultimately, the psychiatrist and pediatrician at the hospital recommended that my son not return to Stonewater.
Flying home with my son after three weeks felt like whiplash, and what hurts the most is that since he has been home for five weeks, not a single person has followed up to see how he is doing.
Also, FYI - Stonewater gets payment upfront. I prepaid 30 days and my son was there for 20 days. While PJ sent an email explaining that we would receive a refund, that has not happened and my follow-up emails have been ignored.
There are some great people at Stonewater: Rebecca, Farmer, Houston, Courtney, Abigail, Jacob, Jacoby. THANK YOU! Stonewater's medical team is entirely lacking.
