Psych meds drove my son crazy

Salon.com ^ | May 18, 2007 | Ann Bauer

[nmh]

Perhaps.

Personally, I wouldn’t take ANY of them.

If I get “depressed” I talk to God, my spouse or someone that I know cares about me. I have yet to meet anyone that really needed this crap. The ugly truth is, drum roll, something is troubling their soul. A pill is just a bandage. It’s artificial “relief” that causes chemical changes in your brain that are NOT good.

[cva66snipe]

It's standing in the front yard wearing nothing but torn underwear and trying to control the thoughts of people who drive by. It's saying yes to every question, no matter what the real answer. It's drinking compulsively, straight from the faucet, then spewing a stream of clear-water vomit like a geyser.

The Blasted Shrinks needed to pick up a PDR and read a Medical Journal once in a while. SEROTONIN SYNDROME!! A chemical of which under normal conditions 98% located in the stomach. It promotes digestion. If the serotonin migrates from the stomach to the brain it is basically the same as giving someone LSD.

My family went through our own Hell Week thanks to some doctors who prescribed SSRI's to a patient with severe neurological problems. They did this not once mind you but twice.

Some long ago discussions here in FR and prayer led me to do a search on the meds +adverse reactions. The medications were Trazadone and Zoloft. Ironically the person these were given to was being treated for PTSD from a previous medication reaction a dentist prescribed for a simple extraction.

Shrinks are bad for not wanting to listen to patients nor doing good medical histories to determine other more likely causes of disorders like anxiety etc.

Shrinks fail to educate themselves, their patients, and families to the possibilities of severe adverse reaction. A severe adverse reaction to antidepressants can mean death. Serotonin Syndrome is nothing to play around withand saddly the doctors mistake the rreaction for pyschotic illnesses and make matters worse by increasing the level of the offending medication.

I am also one who can not take these type of medications due to neurological sensory impairment as well as my wife who is a quadriplegic whom this happened to. I about flipped out on it but I stopped taking it and demanded the doctors use Xanax. They cringe at the mention of that medication yet do not bat an eye giving SSRI's. No one in medical history has developed Serotonin Syndrome caused by Benzo's as they are the counter acting medication to such a reaction.

[ca centered]

My pleasure

[personalaccts]

www.deplin.com

[nmh]

NONE of these drugs are good for you.

Doctors don’t fully understand what they do to the brain. We are learning the hard way through suicides and chemically altered moods that are not addressing the ROOT problem for ANY depression.

[baa39]

That is true, that is good advice. But that is what the people in this article did do...kept searching until they found the Mayo Clinic could help. But how many depressed or psychotic people (especially if they are alone and don’t have “four parents” to help them?) have the time, resources or knowledge to do that? And even while one is searching for the “right” treatment, look at the suffering caused in the meantime by the arrogance of doctors who insisted they knew what was best.

I feel much of the responsibility of patient care is not taken on adequately by their doctors. But what is the solution?

[wideminded]

We were given a prescription for a brand-new antipsychotic medication with the inspiring name Abilify

I have a relative who absolutely must take anti-psychotic medication, but when her doctor put her on Abilify for a short time, it was a big disaster.

[Pedrobud]

A lot of you people hear a story about a patient who had a side effect taking a medication. Do these meds have some side effects, sure, but many patients lives are greatly improved. Until you see patients with schizophrenia, you cannot believe their lives are devastated.
A little bit of knowledge is scary. Look at all the patients with depression who live normal lives after being so depressed they were suicidal, are put on an antidepressant, and improve. Americans expect perfection from medications and everything and when a small number of patients have a side effect, the media paints a broad picture and speak to an idiot with virtually no knowledge about the subject and make claims that these meds are dangerous. If you do not want to take a medication, don’t, but don’t scare others away from meds that can help them live normal lives.

[mockingbyrd]

Prozac saved my life in college. It saved my marriage a few years later.

The fact is that sometimes the chemicals in your brain can be out of whack, not unlike insulin in your body. No one blames the diabetic for some sin that is bothering them, yet so many assume that depression is caused by some unresolved sin. I am certain that in many case in this country, simply making yourself right with God IS what the patient needs, but certainly not in all cases.

[Pedrobud]

OK BAA, what are the root cause of depression. It is a chemical imbalance in many patients, How would you treat that ?

[Sonny M]

I had something similiar in High School where my doctor wanted me to take anti-depressents.

My problem was that I was sleeping to much and feeling tired and fatigued.

Doc thought I was depressed, me arguing saying I wasn't depressed was actually taken as a sign of depression.

I refused to go meds, and went to another doctor who actually did work, and figured that I just had a virus, needed some rest, relaxation and some anti-biotics, they worked and I was fine.

It amazed me and my parents how quick the first doctor was to just push some pills down my throat for something I didn't even have.

[Scutter]

My dad teaches and researches neurophysiology at Emory University. If I’ve learned one thing from him, it’s that the human brain is the most complex machine in the world. These drugs are large, clumsy devices, that can change the overall chemical balance in the brain. They are not subtle instruments. They may do wonders for a patient, but they might just as likely cause problems.

I’m not suggesting that all of these drugs are bad, or that people should ignore the advice of physicians. I think the moral of the story is not just to blindly accept the advice of a physician. Get a second, or third, opinion; research it for yourself. The Internet is a great tool that can be used to reach out to others who may have the same problem. Do your homework.

[baa39]

I can agree with everything you say. The statistic generally accepted now, for depression (not more serious “mental” disorders), is that 65% are helped by medication. Some argue 60%, some say as much as 75%, so yes, you are right these meds can improve or even save lives.

HOWEVER, the other 35% of people who are not helped by meds are still to be considered.

Also, the fact that many people are helped does not mean that there are not extremely dangerous side-effects. The problem is when doctors do not inform patients of the side-effects, or monitor them closely enough to prevent tragedies.

I am not anti-medication. I’m against the casual and unprofessional way it’s administered.

[TBall]

I think these medications should only be used as a last resort with intensive supervision. I know that is not a very profitable way to think, but I’m sure that the drug companies and powers that be are looking out for the people’s best interest.

[cva66snipe]

You might want to read post 22. A first hand account. Here is a highly reliable report. The one I found on the computer that likely saved my wife's life. Ironically she was in that same University Hospital in another city across the state. Serotonin Syndrome Six doctors including two shrinks missed it. BTW ever see anyone pyschotic {true mental illness} go Comatose? She did yet that still didn't make them think. They refused bloodwork, a CAT Scan and an MRI of the brain which a week later done on my demanding revealed a recent bleeder. Likely from the medication reaction.

[Scutter]

(She’s also going on her first over-night trip without me on Monday, and I’m so worried about how she is going to do.)

It sounds like an important step in her development. I hope everything goes well.

The brain is an amazing thing, and even though we can't replace dead neurons, it does have the ability, over time to form new connections and in some cases regain lost function. It sounds like she still has the most important thing, which is a loving parent.

[sweetiepiezer]

Thanks for the post, good read.
Doctors are prescribing antidepressants for everything.
They prescribe it for bed wetting, nail biting, hormonal problems and for the depressed elderly. They prescribe them for everything.
I think if they are anti-depressants then only qualified doctors who deal with depression should prescribe them.

Studies have shown that the elderly rate of suicides are up.

Four years ago we lost a close family member to suicide, she was on a antidepressant. Six months after her passing a black box warning came out for children up to 18 could become suicidal on these drugs. Two weeks ago they raised the black box warning to age 24.
The warning should be for all ages, these drugs send the wrong signals to the brain for some people no matter what the age.
A couple of yeas ago parents of college kids who were committing suicide went before Congress and told their stories how their young adult children were not suicidal before taking these drugs. I think that is why the age was raised.

Too many in Congress get money from these drug companies.
Check this out:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-05-10-senators-drug-bill_N.htm

With the oxycoton story this past week,the company knowingly sold the drug since 1995 without releasing how addictive it was, the company was fined 643 million and the head of the company pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor. What a joke.......
Merck makes 4 billion a year on one anti-depressant, effexor.
Here is another reason why anit-depressants shouldn't be prescibed like candy.

http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com/casualties.htm
http://www.erichufschmid.net/Columbine/Columbine-Bollyn.html
http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com/introduction.htm
http://www.globalserialkillers.co.uk/

Can’t someone put 2 and 2 together.

Oh yes, and Andrea Yates was on 2 different anti-depressants, one being effexor.
I believe that the poor woman did not know what she was doing. So sad.

[smith288]

My wife had some issues with reacting in the opposite direction of what an anti-depressant is supposed to correct. She has what I guess they call and chemical imbalance.

Before we got together, she was a wild college chick who was spiraling out of control. She ended up dropping out, losing her scholarship and going from one bad relationship to another. Ultimately ending up with an attempt on her life.

After I met her, she thought what was missing was a person who cared for her like I do. Unfortunately, she started becoming volatile again. Lows and highs were extreme.

I decided to sit her down and tell her that her chemical imbalance is not anything to fight. Just like people with asthma, heart disease or diabetes, it must be treated to continue a normal life. I told her that its important because its not just her its effecting but me and our kids.

She agreed to seek some more help and to find a medication that works. We saw many people have issues with various medications as they all arent the same.

We watched for any warning signs that would indicate adverse effects and stop it and try another drug.

We found that wellbutrin was the key to her lock. It works like a charm and has kept her within that high-low range that you want.

I wouldnt be so quick to slam all anti-depressants. Some work better than others and its all dependant on a good idea of all side effects. The main thing is to educate yourself about all medications.

[Mamzelle]

Well, maybe it was the meds. But a lot of psychosis starts in young adults (and late teens)—

[Scutter]

My neighbor was a bit depressed. She didn’t have autisim just going through some hard times. Her doctor recommended an antidepressant. She reluctantly filled it and read ALL the fine print - especially the side effects. Sure enough after an hour of taking it she had this thought that wouldn’t go away. She described as like having a pie in the oven and needing to get up and turn the oven off to avoid burning the pie. The thing is, her thought was not about a burning pie but the word SUICIDE kept creeping into her mind.

A few years ago, before moving to a different county, I was a volunteer firefighter. One night I responded, along with the police, to a report of a car in a ditch in a field. The car was still running, but the driver wasn't in the vehicle. When we looked we found clothes strewn about in a path away from the vehicle. Eventually we heard a rustling in some bushes. The Deputy drew his sidearm and issued a verbal command for the person to come out with hands up. Out walks this stark naked young man. The guy was completely disoriented and (at least claimed he) had no idea how he got there. And no, there wasn't a naked young woman hiding in the bushes nearby.

So this guy was on one of those anti-depressant medications, and had recently gone off of it. I forget which one it is, but I remember one of the paramedics telling me that strange behavior was not uncommon with this particular medication -- particularly if you were on it and suddenly stopped.

I'm not saying these drugs aren't without their valid uses, just that they are a very powerful medication and that we don't really have a good picture how they will impact every individual, especially in a non-clinical setting.