Psychiatrists don’t understand brain chemistry - no one does.
What is the correct level of each of your brain chemicals ? Can they pinpoint it like they can with diabetes, for example ?
No, they can’t. All they can talk about is an “imbalance”. Ask them precisely which chemical(s) are out of balance and what are the proper numbers sometime. They don’t know.
Epilepsy is a physical illness, treatable by a neurologist.
The problems you have with the antidepressants clearly (as stated on the labels) are side effects of the drugs themselves. Go look up the side effects of Wellbutrin, for example.
Epilepsy is a physical illness, as is a brain illness, that is treated with medications. Doctors do not know the correct level of tegretol or depakote to give to a patient with epilepsy, it varies by patient and how the illness presents itself. To say, if you don’t know the amount of medication the treatment doesn’t work, is wrong.
Ever have a headache and two asprin didn’t work? Did you chuck the bottle or did you take another? Is not an headache a physical ailment that is treated with medication? Why is the physical ailment of bipoplar depression, triggered by decreased seratonin, any less of an illness?
Correct level of brain chemicals in bipolar disorder varies from patient to patient and it also varies depending on the severity of the symptoms. A bipolar patients’ need for medications does fluctuate. One person who needed heavier medications one year may find that with lessening symptoms, less medication is necessary the following year. This is a normal practice in medicine. This too is common in many illnesses.
Not every bipolar patient is an ECT candidate, many find relief through medications. But, those that don’t can be ECT candidates. Just because one treatment is prescribed for one set of patients does not mean it is called for with others. ECT is often administered by a NEUROPSYCHIATRIST. That you dismiss this shows how little you know about the physician and the treatment. I have been under the care of a neuropsychiatrist for years and not had a serious recurrance. His treatment is highly effective.
Side effects of medications? Have you ever read the side effects that are possible with ALL medications that you’ve ingested? You can complain about Wellbutrin, but you obviously haven’t been reading the small print on other well known medications as well. EVERY medication prescribed in American comes with pages of information for the patient, listing possible side effects.
Viagra comes to mind, and yet every day men go to their urologist and ask for the prescription. Those pages that you as a patient are supposed to read are for your education, and I’m all for it. But to say only Wellbutrin may come with side effects is false.
I have had NO problem with the side effects of Wellbutrin. Clearly you know nothing about my prescriptions or my doctor’s treatment. Saying otherwise is clearly deceptive and I wish you would stop.
Your arguments ring hollow, and I don’t buy into your philosophy.