Re: fwd from Tracee guineapig2long@...

December 11, 2006

Welcome to the group. Shall we call you or " Guinea " ? (You know, a la

" Glitter " ) LOL

Seriously, I realize that you are new to the group, but I would like to offer

another thought for you to ponder...

My son was prescribed Effexor XR by a licensed psychiatrist at an outpatient

mental health facility following (and during) couselling. The " specialists " he

was treated by were just as oblivious as any GP I've heard of about these drugs.

When I contacted them with concerns about how B.J. was acting, they told me it

was none of my business (B.J. was 21 years old, therefore an adult) and to call

the cops if I thought he was a danger to anyone, like I was supposed to know

more than they did. They told B.J. that " It takes awhile for your body to get

used to this type of medication; " and " You are still in the process of reaching

you ideal dosage; sometimes there are short-term side effects while we find the

right dose. Take this sleeping pill for your insomnia; " and We may need to try

several different combinations before we find the right mix for you. " Within

severn weeks, my son had lost about 25 lbs (from 5'10 " , 155 lbs to 130 lbs),

looked awful, and was rapidly jumping

from having the world by the tail to being utterly despondent to being

visciously mean and hateful. Changes could take place in minutes, moods could

last for minutes, hours, or a day. He spoke of nightmares where he murdered us.

He couldn't sleep, had no appetite.

My point? These drugs are poison to many people. They should not be prescribed

for anyone, ever. If this is the best we can do with all of our scientific and

medical advances, then we need to go back to the drawing board.

Terry

bryce_j_j <jeremybryce1953@...> wrote:

From: Scheve

Date: 10/12/2006 01:50:31

SSRI medications Moderator

Subject: Re: File - Understanding Our Mission

I am very happy to be accepted as a member of the group. After

reading your e-mail, I have gained a better understanding of the

mission. In reading through the documentation presented, I see the

opinion of the group, accountability from all, is the same belief

that I share. Being 'professionally polluted' by SSRI's myself , I

am able to relate to the issues discussed below. Not only do I

believe that antidepressants should be prescribed strictly by the

psychiatric community, it should also be mandatory for the prescriber

to incorporate skills that the patient can pull from and apply to

daily living ie: talk therapy, meditation, relaxation. The latest

trend: medicate and numb, a quick fix and cost effective because it

fits nicely into the 15 minutes allowed for each patient. The down

side to the trend: long term effects of these medicines that will in

the end cost lives and extensive medical intervention.

I appreciate your group and am committed to the cause.

guineapig2long@...

" ...There are certain things in our nation and in the world about which I am

proud to be maladjusted and about which I hope all men of good-will will be

maladjusted...Through such maladjustment, I believe that we will be able to

emerge from the bleak and desolate midnight of man's inhumanity to man into the

bright and glittering daybreak of freedom and justice. " - Dr. Luther

King, Jr. - December 18, 1963

---------------------------------

Any questions? Get answers on any topic at Answers. Try it now.

December 13, 2006

Good Morning Terry;

You may call me , although I answer to most anything. LOL!

The point you are trying to make is well taken: These drugs are

poisons to many people. I am in total agreeance with your opinion,

however, if these high powered poisons can NOT be totally removed from

our society, I feel the psychiatric community should be held

accountable for their use, hence, making it easier to manage and

change the protocol of their use. NO use is the BEST use, as I think

we agree!

Some hindsight into my situation: My original diagnosis came from my

GP. I felt someone better versed in the mental health area should be

in charge of such things, therefore, I decided to be seen by a

psychiatrist, of which I became a patient for the past 4 years.

Initially seeking treatment for my 'grumpiness' (being a single mother

of 3, this kind of behavior was not working in our family), I was

immediately diagnosed with anxiety and depression, a diagnosis that I

have debated for years. Anxiety, perhaps, depression - no way! I was

in no way sad, hopeless, suicidal, etc. just grumpy by my measurement.

Instead of giving me tools to try to overcome my sudden onset of

anxiety/depression, I was given a happy pill. A pill that ended up

causing abnormal heart rhythms and countless hours of sleeplessness -

I am speaking of Effexor XR. I was taken off of this medication 3

weeks into treatment, however, was still experiencing symptoms of

anxiety/depression, far worse than what I initially sought treatment

for. Over the next 4 years, I would be given 'cocktails' to counter

balance the effects of the medicine. NO my psychiatrist did NOT

recognize my symptoms as 'side effects' and being under the influence

of a brain altering drug and a professional, I allowed myself to

become a 'guinea pig' in hopes of reconnecting with my original self.

Although I am no longer taking any SSRI's or any of their

counterparts, I find daily life, to say the least, challenging! Less

than one year ago I was a full time student at a community college but

had to drop out due to the complications of being on these medicines.

Today, memory doesn't work well, developed GI issues, which I am told

is directly related to the meds I was taking, confusion, and the list

goes on. Do I feel the psychiatric community is anymore educated on

these drugs than a GP, NO WAY! I do feel that by keeping them in this

community, we will be better able to point fingers and make changes

more quickly and more effectively, after all, there are thousands

currently on these medications, as they will have to depend on someone

to wean them off! Educate the psychiatric community NOW so that these

people will be protected during withdrawal.

Have a nice day and I look forward to a response.

guineapig2long@...

> From: Scheve

> Date: 10/12/2006 01:50:31

> SSRI medications Moderator

> Subject: Re: File - Understanding Our Mission

>

> I am very happy to be accepted as a member of the group. After

> reading your e-mail, I have gained a better understanding of the

> mission. In reading through the documentation presented, I see the

> opinion of the group, accountability from all, is the same belief

> that I share. Being 'professionally polluted' by SSRI's myself , I

> am able to relate to the issues discussed below. Not only do I

> believe that antidepressants should be prescribed strictly by the

> psychiatric community, it should also be mandatory for the prescriber

> to incorporate skills that the patient can pull from and apply to

> daily living ie: talk therapy, meditation, relaxation. The latest

> trend: medicate and numb, a quick fix and cost effective because it

> fits nicely into the 15 minutes allowed for each patient. The down

> side to the trend: long term effects of these medicines that will in

> the end cost lives and extensive medical intervention.

>

> I appreciate your group and am committed to the cause.

>

> guineapig2long@...

>

> " ...There are certain things in our nation and in the world about

which I am proud to be maladjusted and about which I hope all men of

good-will will be maladjusted...Through such maladjustment, I believe

that we will be able to emerge from the bleak and desolate midnight of

man's inhumanity to man into the bright and glittering daybreak of

freedom and justice. " - Dr. Luther King, Jr. - December 18, 1963

>

> ---------------------------------

> Any questions? Get answers on any topic at Answers. Try it now.

>

December 13, 2006