Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) returned to the Senate on Monday, two months after he sought treatment for clinical depression at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Congress reconvened on Monday after a two-week recess. The freshman Democrat from Pennsylvannia mostly avoided reporters as he returned to the Senate chamber on Monday, dressed down in a hoodie and basketball shorts.
As he made his way inside from a car, he paused briefly to say: “It’s great to be back. Thank you.” He had previously indicated that he would be back in the Senate when the recess ended.
Fetterman was discharged from Walter Reed on March 31 and returned to his home in Braddock, Pennsylvania. He had checked himself in on Feb. 15.
His chief of staff offered an explanation on Feb. 16, saying Fetterman has experienced depression on and off throughout his life, and it had become “severe in recent weeks.” According to the staffer, Fetterman’s evaluating doctor recommended inpatient care.
This came a week after Fetterman had been discharged from George Washington University Hospital, where he was under observation for several days after experiencing lightheadedness on Feb. 8 during a Senate Democrat retreat.
Fetterman has struggled with health issues, having previously suffered a stroke while on the campaign trail the weekend before the May 2022 primary.
After being treated in Walter Reed’s neuropsychiatry unit and released on March 31, his doctor, Dr. David Williamson, said in a statement that Fetterman’s depression was in remission.
Medical Notes
According to the senator’s medical notes, Fetterman voluntarily admitted himself in February with severe symptoms, including low energy and motivation, minimal speech, poor sleep, slowed thinking, slowed movement, and feelings of guilt and worthlessness. However, he had no suicidal thoughts.In the eight weeks leading up to admission, his condition had progressively worsened, and he had stopped eating and taking fluids, leading to low blood pressure that could have potentially affected brain circulation.
The neuropsychiatry team at Walter Reed, in collaboration with cardiology and neurology, evaluated and treated Fetterman. The team reviewed his medical records and imaging studies from other hospitals and performed additional tests. No new stroke was detected, and his neurological exam was stable compared to previous assessments, according to the report.
Fetterman’s cardiac echocardiogram showed improvement from last year, and there were no blood clots in his heart. Fetterman’s depression was managed with medication therapies while the cardiology team carefully changed his medicines and reduced dosages.
Over the subsequent weeks, his mood steadily improved, his sleep was restored, he ate well, and he rehydrated. Fetterman’s auditory processing abilities were evaluated and identified as mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss, both right and left. He was fitted with hearing aids and worked with speech-language specialists.
“With improvement in his depression, improvement in the patient’s speech abilities was noticeable and we believe that significant continued improvement is likely with continued outpatient rehabilitation,” the report reads. “Fetterman has expressed a firm commitment to engaging in this rehabilitation process. His depression, now resolved, may have been a barrier to engagement.”
