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RE: Confession and Emotional Health - 1/20/2005 10:37:40 AM   
MizSuz


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beth,

I am very gratified to know that you have found the path that works best for you. I am disheartened to hear that you had a tough time finding it.

I would not argue that there are alternative therapies that are effective, but to vilify an entire industry based on your own experience makes no sense to me and, to some degree, negates your argument (in my mind).

Does your experience also come from having worked in the pharmaceutical industry or only from feeling (or being) victimized by it? Granted, I have only worked in one company of many in the industry - but I have not experienced the disregard for humanity that you allege, nor have I seen a willingness to compromise people's health for the sake of profit. In fact, I've seen MANY very good deeds done for communities and individuals that had nothing to do with PR or spin. Most of them were done quietly with the intent only to do what is right.

From where I stand it's simply a difference of perspective. I get so frustrated with someone who comes home with a script and says only "the doctor says I have a chemical imbalance," but it's not the doctor or the industry I get frustrated with. It's the person who cares no more about their health than to blindly accept a simple statement, not push for a diagnosis, and who doesn't care to educate themself about what is happening to their bodies. These are the people who have no sense of personal responsibility in their health care - and they are the most likely to be hurt by a misdiagnosis. They are also the people who are most likely to sue (and YES, defending against frivolous lawsuits and insurance costs DO drive up the cost of pharmaceuticals, regardless of what the current spin on that topic is).

I do not begrudge you what has worked for you. I am quite serious when I say that I am tickled that you found what works for you. What worked for you, however, DIDN'T work for me (and I spent a considerable number of years trying). Because non-pharmaceutical remedies alone did not work for me, does that mean that I should vilify all of them as being quack clap-trap? Obviously not. I am disheartened, however, when I think of how long alternative remedies WERE vilified by 'conventional wisdom.' The only thing that keeps that alive now is the aforementioned propensity of people to HEAR a doctor as a god. For me, when I meet a doctor who thinks he's a god I look for another doctor. I look for someone who understands that he's a consultant and not a diety.

One is not black while the other is white. The answers are usually in the middle. The POINT, however, is that the individual must step up to the plate and take responsibility for their own health care. The days of doctors being body-gods are long past and people who do not wish to step up to the plate and take what is their responsibility will ALWAYS be walking victims; and perhaps that is because there is a lesson in it for them just as there were lessons in it for you and for me. I'd even venture to say that the lessons you and I learned weren't the same lessons. It's all good - you got what you needed and so did I.

But I can not say that the entire pharmaceutical industry is at fault. That has not been my experience.

_____________________________

“The more you love, the more you can love—and the more intensely you love. Nor is there any limit on how many you can love. If a person had time enough, he could love all of that majority who are decent and just.”
- Robert Heinlein

(in reply to Mercnbeth)
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RE: Confession and Emotional Health - 1/20/2005 1:18:15 PM   
Atavist


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Obviously you've formed very strong opinions and aren't willing (it appears) to consider alternate points of view. So be it.

Does schizophrenia exist in your opinion? Or is it as Szasz opines, just a state of mind...and a choice?

If your first answer is yes, would you limit individuals with this very serious affliction to "alternate" remedies only? Can you give some examples of alternate remedies that have been proven to be effective in the treatment of schizophrenia?

If your answer is no to the first question (or if you deny the existance of schizophrenia), do you seriously believe that people choose to hear voices, are convinced that they are Jesus Christ/Elvis/Gumby, or believe that the CIA is transmitting clandestine messages to aliens via their molars? I only ask because this is what Szasz believes. How about you?



< Message edited by Atavist -- 1/20/2005 1:21:15 PM >

(in reply to Mercnbeth)
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RE: Confession and Emotional Health - 1/20/2005 1:27:48 PM   
ruffnecksbabygir


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mercnbeth,

i usually agree with your opinions on just about every topic in this forum, since both of you are very bright and seem to have what too many lack, (not here, but in general) common sense.....anyhow, as far as medications and mental illness though i agree that it is definately overly abused, and yes, everything now a days is a "disorder" however you can't compare someones sexual preference to a mental illness, there are real mental illnesses out there, it's not just a figment of our imagination.... and no one should have to live life with a mental illness if there is some form of help for them, whatever it is, medication, confession, therapy, religion, etc.... whatever get's you through the night.

_____________________________

~hugs~
Babygirl

:Disclaimer: The above is only this slave's opinion:

"And Those Who Danced Were Thought To Be Quite Insane By Those Who Could Not Hear The Music" -- Angela Monet

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RE: Confession and Emotional Health - 1/20/2005 1:37:36 PM   
MizSuz


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This thread is taking a bit of a religious zealot's tone, isn't it?

For those that believe no explanation is necessary and for those that don't believe none is good enough.

Pity, it had the potential to be very informative and to remove a bit of stigma, even if only in a small corner of the world.




_____________________________

“The more you love, the more you can love—and the more intensely you love. Nor is there any limit on how many you can love. If a person had time enough, he could love all of that majority who are decent and just.”
- Robert Heinlein

(in reply to Atavist)
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RE: Confession and Emotional Health - 1/20/2005 2:46:07 PM   
Mercnbeth


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To the Group at Large....

...I interrupt to ask your indulgence.

In the future I would, with your permission, like to point to this thread as being evidence to all the following questions, received privately and general thread inquiries:

Does beth really exist?

Is a slave able to have an opinion?

Can a slave think?

Does being a slave make you an automaton?

Is personal belief stifled when you are a slave?

Do Masters permit independent thought?

Does a Master & slave have to agree on EVERYTHING?

Just a sidebar....I now return you to your regularly scheduled argument.....

Merc

PS - If I was to address the subject. I don't believe anyone has been speaking in absolutes. My precious beth is just using her experience to point out that Doctors are not gods, and Pharmaceutical companies are not alchemists, turning bad health into good with the addition of outside chemicals into the internal chemistry and biology of your body.

Medicine is a practice. 50% of the graduating Doctors graduated below 'average'. If you are in an HMO, know that you are using opinions and treatments given with the goal of corporate profits in mind. Some/many of those profits are derived by the contributions of the pharmaceutical companies making the pills that are prescribed.

Does a doctor ever ask you if you have a prescription plan prior to determining a treatment method? Ask him why? Is there a legitimate reason? There may be, but at least ask; the drug is going into you - you should know why, what it does, and why an option even exists. Is it because Drug A earns the Doctor a free trip to the Bahamas and Drug B only meets semi-regularly in Cleveland? Drugs are made here and cost less in Canada and Mexico - why?

Your BEST Doctor is you. Make sure you question, seek outside references, seek outside and perhaps divergent opinions. Opinions that you don't necessarily agree with, but worthy of exploring.

No offense has been taken by anything posted here. I hope that's true with what beth has posted. Never doubt that anything beth posted or posts come from any source other then truth, albeit her truth.

Great if you found your magic pill, great if the magic pill is still working for you. I hope that disagreement does not generate disdain. But if so....we promise not to go crying into the night.

< Message edited by Mercnbeth -- 1/20/2005 3:22:51 PM >

(in reply to MizSuz)
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RE: Confession and Emotional Health - 1/20/2005 5:08:38 PM   
Atavist


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I would hope that nothing in this forum comes from anything but each individuals own truth, so we're all on an even playing field there.

None of this is taken personally by me, its an interesting discussion and I enjoy a good healthy debate now and then. I've noticed they're not hard to find in online forum's.

Doctors generally do ask if you have insurance in my experience (its right there on that form they ask you to fill out). I don't think it has to do with trips to the Bahama's, my guess its more to do with simply wanting to get PAID. Yes, we live in a free enterprise society and until national health comes along we'll have to live the fact that doctors want to (and do) make a good living.

I don't see much difference in taking an antibiotic if you have an infection vs. taking some of the other drugs that people in this forum have mentioned for other real health problems.

(in reply to ruffnecksbabygir)
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RE: Confession and Emotional Health - 1/20/2005 8:31:27 PM   
MizSuz


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Merc:

For the record, I think your lady has a fine head on her shoulders, whether I entirely agree with her or not. I also recognize that passion often springs from experience and it's disheartening to realize that her kind of passion in this must have sprung from some significant experience, I fear not all good.

It's quite possible that I come across as pro-pill pushing simply because I am attempting to advocate that sometimes it really does work out well to take that pill. Perhaps I'm simply too sensitive BECAUSE I take those pills, so there may be some defensiveness in my delivery. It's not intentional nor is it meant to diminish what beth has to contribute.

I will, however, stand up when I see someone suggesting that another way isn't good if it's just not good for them (and perhaps many people that they know). I do not mean to negate the validity of their experience, I mean simply to validate my own (and that of many I know).

I've said it all along, the answer is in the middle and it becomes a question of realizing where we stand individually on the continuum.

As for doctors getting paid trips from pharmas for writing scripts...that's a MAJOR no-no. Any company that does that places themself at very high risk. Now, I know of medical equipment suppliers that do such things, but it's my (limited) understanding that they are not bound by the same rules as pharmacology. For every instance someone reads about such things happening they should check the FDA and the DEA websites, and the website of their state's medical board. Discplinary action is PUBLIC and usually is placed on at least one of those sites. Be that as it may, we've still said the same thing - the individual should ASK about their health and about the care that is being recommended to them - and they should educate themself to be able to recognize unscrupulous and/ or unethical behavior when they see it. It's out there, that's for sure. We are ALL empowered to not have to participate, however, if we take that power.

My point here is that I have never and will never question the validity of your slave as such or her ability to think for herself. For me it's a given, a bottom line assumption until you as her dominant tell me otherwise. I realize not all people think this way, but it is my preferred default. I have seen from her contributions that she is exceptional, that's all I need to know.

<smile> But I don't always agree with her - and I'd bet that we're ALL ok with that.

_____________________________

“The more you love, the more you can love—and the more intensely you love. Nor is there any limit on how many you can love. If a person had time enough, he could love all of that majority who are decent and just.”
- Robert Heinlein

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RE: Confession and Emotional Health - 1/21/2005 1:24:29 AM   
harmony3709


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< Message edited by harmony3709 -- 1/22/2005 2:28:59 AM >

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RE: Confession and Emotional Health - 1/21/2005 11:42:42 AM   
Mercnbeth


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quote:

Doctors generally do ask if you have insurance in my experience (its right there on that form they ask you to fill out).


I'm not a regular Doctor goer by any means, maybe 5 times in the last 5 years. I'm not referring to the forms, but the physician has asked prior to prescribing for cold treatment if I had a PRESCRIPTION plan. It's the drug companies that offer the trips.

As far as comparing an antibiotic to psychotic medications, placebos rarely work against infections, they often work when used in psychotic drug trials. In many cases their success rates are the same.

I don't know ANY doctor who will see you if you can't prove the ability to pay, either with a credit card or medical plan. BEFORE you get to see 'god' payment ability is already confirmed.

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RE: Confession and Emotional Health - 1/21/2005 12:01:05 PM   
Atavist


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Seems alot of other issues regarding doctors, insurance, Gods, etc. are getting mixed into the original discussion which I thought concerned the efficacy of pharmaceuticals in treating various health problems, including mental health problems.

quote:


Does schizophrenia exist in your opinion? Or is it as Szasz opines, just a state of mind...and a choice?

If your first answer is yes, would you limit individuals with this very serious affliction to "alternate" remedies only? Can you give some examples of alternate remedies that have been proven to be effective in the treatment of schizophrenia?

If your answer is no to the first question (or if you deny the existance of schizophrenia), do you seriously believe that people choose to hear voices, are convinced that they are Jesus Christ/Elvis/Gumby, or believe that the CIA is transmitting clandestine messages to aliens via their molars? I only ask because this is what Szasz believes. How about you?


Any response?

(in reply to Mercnbeth)
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RE: Confession and Emotional Health - 1/21/2005 12:38:59 PM   
Mercnbeth


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quote:

Seems alot of other issues regarding doctors, insurance, Gods, etc. are getting mixed into the original discussion which I thought concerned the efficacy of pharmaceuticals in treating various health problems, including mental health problems.


This was the original post.....
quote:

All too often, in our culture is EMOTIONAL HEALTH overlooked. The exceptions, may be your local psychiatrist or the diagnosed, who has been told they have a 'chemical imbalance' and 'need treatment' and have come to a realization that they need some kind of change. I do not believe that chemical treatment is the only answer for an aleged chemical 'problem'.

Fuck psychiatrists and their thoughtless, impersonal, cold and systematic treatment of poor, suffered souls.

I have had enough of hearing "well, I need to take this medication because I have [plug in condemning, stigmatic diagnosis label here] and without it, I will completely lose it. "


It seems that posts, especially the recent ones were on the original topic and to point. You interjected the specifics regarding the treatment of schizophrenia.

However, since you solicited a response, my answer is I accept the possibility that schizophrenia doesn't exist. Was Joan of Arc (the historic reference NOT the TV show) a Saint or schizophrenic? After all she, as well as many Biblical and religious icons claimed to hear voices. Are all our religious beliefs based on schizophrenics?!! After all it's only been 'alien' voices recently - before it was god or the devil. Is there such a thing as a 'functional' schizophrenic? Is it paranoia or is the world really against you?

If it does exist a cure can take many forms, chemical, behavior modification, diet, environment, among them. Do you believe this? If you do there is your answer to alternative remedies.

And finally - correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't all psychotic drugs designed to address disease symptoms and NOT the disease? By definition then they are NOT cures, just mental / emotional manipulators. So, what's the difference between them and ANY alternative treatment - answer - the AMA 'approval'. Track the approval process, follow the money, and the distinction of 'acceptable' to 'unacceptable' treatment is apparent.

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RE: Confession and Emotional Health - 1/21/2005 2:04:43 PM   
Atavist


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I don't see anything about Doctor "Gods" or trips to the bahamas in the orignal post. Correct me if I missed them.

quote:


If it does exist a cure can take many forms, chemical, behavior modification, diet, environment, among them. Do you believe this? If you do there is your answer to alternative remedies.


You haven't provided any evidence that any "alternate" therapies are proven effective in the treatment of schizophrenia. Perhaps because there isn't any. In addition, a number of people have said all along that alternate therapies are perfectly acceptable when they work, but so are appropriately applied drug therapies. That is the crux of our disagreement.

quote:


I accept the possibility that schizophrenia doesn't exist


The introduction of schizophrenia into the discussion was simply to focus on one example of a mental illness that you apparently question exists. Again, correct me if I'm wrong. If an illness doesn't exist, no treatment is required.

I wonder if you've ever spoken to someone with a serious mental illness. A psychotic illness. Are you actually saying that these people are mentally unimpaired, healthy individuals? About 25% of the homeless people in America suffer from severe mental illness. Do you think they choose to sleep in cardboard boxes and eat out of dumpsters? Are they all Joan of Arc? Seriously. Because I'm beginning to believe you really do.

quote:


And finally - correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't all psychotic drugs designed to address disease symptoms and NOT the disease?


I'm not a physician so I won't pretend to know the answer. In any event, if symptom reduction/removal is accomplished, thats a very good thing for millions of people.

quote:


By definition then they are NOT cures, just mental / emotional manipulators. So, what's the difference between them and ANY alternative treatment - answer - the AMA 'approval'.


Thats just silly. There are thousands of emperical studies that prove the effectiveness of many classes of drugs. I'd like to see the same standards of evidence for all treatments, including alternative therapies. You can deny the emperical evidence, you can say its all an AMA conspiracy if you wish. Personally I'd feel more comfortable with a treatment approved by the AMA than say, Morganna the neighborhood soothsayer.

But thats the great thing about America, each to his/her own.



(in reply to Mercnbeth)
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RE: Confession and Emotional Health - 1/21/2005 3:15:45 PM   
Mercnbeth


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quote:

quote:

By definition then they are NOT cures, just mental / emotional manipulators. So, what's the difference between them and ANY alternative treatment - answer - the AMA 'approval'.

Thats just silly.


Why?

quote:

Personally I'd feel more comfortable with a treatment approved by the AMA than say, Morganna the neighborhood soothsayer.


I'm glad to see in using this example in your comparison you realize there is little difference between the two.


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RE: Confession and Emotional Health - 1/21/2005 3:23:31 PM   
Atavist


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Why? Smile.

I'll repeat it in case you missed it, Emperical evidence. Non of which you've produced to argue your point I might add.

quote:


I'm glad to see in using this example in your comparison you realize there is little difference between the two.


A huge difference, a world of difference, eons. I won't bother to explain again since you're an intelligent person and already know.

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RE: Confession and Emotional Health - 1/21/2005 7:51:43 PM   
Mercnbeth


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quote:

Non of which you've produced to argue your point I might add.


how about quoting the DSM???

"The American Psychiatric Association's (APA's) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Second Edition), also known as DSM-II, published in 1968, defined schizophrenia as "characteristic disturbances of thinking, mood, or behavior" (p. 33). A difficulty with such a definition is it is so broad just about anything people dislike or consider abnormal, i.e., any so-called mental illness, can fit within it. In the Foreword to DSM-II, Ernest M. Gruenberg, M.D., D.P.H., Chairman of the American Psychiatric Association's Committee on Nomenclature, said: "Consider, for example, the mental disorder labeled in the Manual as 'schizophrenia,' ... Even if it had tried, the Committee could not establish agreement about what this disorder is" (p. ix). The third edition of the APA's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published in 1980, commonly called DSM-III, was also quite candid about the vagueness of the term. It said: "The limits of the concept of Schizophrenia are unclear" (p. 181). The revision published in 1987, DSM-III-R, contains a similar statement: "It should be noted that no single feature is invariably present or seen only in Schizophrenia" (p. 188). DSM-III-R also says this about a related diagnosis, Schizoaffective Disorder: "The term Schizoaffective Disorder has been used in many different ways since it was first introduced as a subtype of Schizophrenia, and represents one of the most confusing and controversial concepts in psychiatric nosology" (p. 208).

Even the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (fourth edition) of the American Psychiatric Association (1994), states plainly: "No laboratory findings have been identified that are diagnostic of schizophrenia" (p. 280). This statement highlights that the "brain disease" hypothesis stands or falls on simple criteria. A true brain disease must be identified and confirmed by laboratory tests. No blood chemistry, neurological, or brain scan test (or any other test) independently evaluated by a neurologist, biochemist, or pathologist who knows nothing about the patient's clinical symptoms is able to reliably discriminate between a person experiencing a first episode of schizophrenia and someone who is not (Andreason, 1997). However, such a test might well identify someone who has been taking neuroleptic medications for many years."

Or observations of medical researchers?

"There is no accepted etiology of schizophrenia although there have been many theories. ... The unfortunate truth is that we don't know what causes schizophrenia or even what the illness is."
Edward Drummond, M.D., Associate Medical Director at Seacoast Mental Health Center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in his book The Complete Guide to Psychiatric Drugs (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 2000), pages 11-12. Dr. Drummond graduated from Tufts University School of Medicine and was trained in psychiatry at Harvard University."

In the Epilogue of their book Schizophrenia - Medical Diagnosis or Moral Verdict?, Theodore R. Sarbin, Ph.D., a psychology professor at the University of California at Santa Cruz who spent three years working in mental hospitals, and James C. Mancuso, Ph.D., a psychology professor at the State University of New York at Albany, say: "We have come to the end of our journey. Among other things, we have tried to establish that the schizophrenia model of unwanted conduct lacks credibility. The analysis directs us ineluctably to the conclusion that schizophrenia is a myth" (Pergamon Press, 1980, p. 221)."

"If all the medicine in the world were thrown into the sea, it would be bad for the fish and good for humanity." O.W. Holmes, (Prof. of Medicine Harvard University)

"The necessity of teaching mankind not to take drugs and medicines, is a duty incumbent upon all who know their uncertainty and injurious effects"
Charles Armbruster, M.D.

"Ismail, Cantor-Grace, & McNeil (1998) found that when schizophrenic patients had certain neurological abnormalities, their siblings without clinical signs of schizophrenia had very similar abnormalities. Andreasen (1995) found that a few people without symptoms of schizophrenia have brain abnormalities similar to those of some schizophrenic subjects. According to Lewine (1998), "there is no brain abnormality in schizophrenia that characterizes more than 20-33% of any given sample. The brains of the majority of individuals with schizophrenia are normal as far as researchers can tell at present" (p. 499). In addition, rarely do studies with positive findings control for the effects prolonged use of neuroleptics and other drugs."

"Many therapists have reported observing full recovery from schizophrenia with psychotherapy and/or milieu therapy (Artiss, 1962; Colbert, 1996; Fromm-Reichman, 1950; Harding, 1995; Jung, 1961; Karon, 1998; Laing, 1967; Mosher, 1999; Perry, 1974; Sechehaye, 1951; Siebert, in press; Sullivan, 1962). In the Soteria studies, young adults diagnosed as acutely schizophrenic were stabilized with no medication and non-professional helpers just as well and quickly as a similar group sent to a psychiatric hospital (Mosher & Menn, 1978). Many individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia have recovered on their own without medications or psychotherapy (Brody, 1952; French & Kasonin, 1941; Hoffman, 1985; Rubins, 1969)."

" A schizophrenic experience may in some cases have a beneficial effect on those diagnosed, leading to favorable changes in personality and psychological growth (Arieti, 1979; Bernheim & Lewine, 1979; Bleuler, 1950; Bowers, 1979; Cancro, 1974; French & Kasonin, 1941; Jung, 1961; Menninger, 1963; Perry, 1974; Pickering, 1976; Rubins, 1969; Silverman, 1970; Sullivan, 1962; Warner, 1994). John Weir Perry (1999) reported that 85 percent of the clients (all met DSM criteria for schizophrenia and were "severely psychotic") treated at Diabasis, "not only improved, without medication, but most went on growing after leaving" (p. 147)."

"Responsible, scientifically accurate statements to the media about schizophrenia might be expressed as follows:

"A person diagnosed as having schizophrenia is expressing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors very disturbing to others and usually, but not necessarily, disturbing to the person expressing them. Research suggests that a few people diagnosed with a schizophrenia have neurological complications, but many people with the same neurological profile do not develop a schizophrenia. There is no known cure for schizophrenia. Some people benefit from medications that control their undesirable symptoms, some people are harmed by the medications, and other people do better without medications. About one person in ten never recovers from the original disturbed or disturbing experience and the effects of repeated hospitalizations, but five or six out of ten can be expected to fully recover or significantly improve. At present we cannot predict who will develop schizophrenia or why, who will recover or who will not. Further, we cannot explain why some people recover within weeks or months while others take from 5 to 20 years to recover......Al Siebert, Ph.D."




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RE: Confession and Emotional Health - 1/21/2005 10:50:15 PM   
SherriA


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quote:

ORIGINAL: Mercnbeth
I'm not referring to the forms, but the physician has asked prior to prescribing for cold treatment if I had a PRESCRIPTION plan. It's the drug companies that offer the trips.


I've had doctors ask about my prescription plan, but certainly not so that they can earn "free trips" or other perks. Some of the medications I take are extremely expensive, and without a good prescription plan I'd be hard pressed to be able to afford them. I've had doctors decide on a prescription and then ask the office staff to ensure that it was covered by the plan, so that I didn't go to the pharmacy and get startled by a $400 charge for one script.

I don't think that's unreasonable at all. They decide what they believe will be the best course of treatment, then want to ensure that the patient will be able to follow it without undue hardship. It's much the same way when we discuss other modalities of treatment - does my insurance cover physical therapy? massage? chiropractic? Let's discuss the options that I'm entitled to, before we consider putting me into significant debt for ones that aren't covered. As an informed patient, I appreciate them going that extra step to ensure that I won't have unneeded stress simply to follow a course of treatment.

My dentist does the same thing - my insurance won't cover implants (which is the preferred treatment for my issue), but it will cover crowns. Guess what? He did a crown, because I didn't want to have to pay for an implant. That doesn't mean he gets perks for doing one or the other. It's his educated opinion about my options along with my input about what will or won't cause financial hardship.

There's no test that "proves" FMS definitively, but that doesn't mean that I don't have it. I have sero-negative RA too, and had a hard time getting a diagnosis because I don't have the test results that are expected for that disease. These are physical ailments, so no one questions whether or not the treatments prescribed (including pharmaceuticals) are valid. It's a pity that mental health issues don't get the same respect. It's really unfair to those who suffer from them.

FWIW, as an educated participant in my own health care, I always discuss alternative treatments with my health care professionals, and seek out those who are knowledgable in that area as well as allopathic treatments. As a consumer, it's my responsibility to find health care providers that can best serve me, so I interview my doctors before I agree to become their patient. I want access to ALL the options, not just one limited school of thought, whether that be alternative, holistic, or allopathic treatments.

_____________________________

-- Sherri

Fighting for peace is like fucking for virginity.

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RE: Confession and Emotional Health - 1/22/2005 3:17:15 AM   
Atavist


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Beth, I've said all I'm going to say. I respect your opinion although I completely disagree with you. I'll leave it to others to comment on your posts.

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RE: Confession and Emotional Health - 1/22/2005 6:27:16 AM   
MizSuz


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I bet we could all tell war stories regarding the health care system.

In the late 80s I suffered from what was considered to be a cluster migraine. This migraine lasted 5 months and never broke once during that time. It was debilitating. I actually gave a business away because I couldn't negotiate the contracts that were due to renew and didn't want my 42 subcontractors to be without work.

I took every drug known. I would get knocked out by intramuscular injections of stadol and awake with the same damned headache. I had severe nausea and vomiting, vision problems, and I even experienced a grand mal seizure (much to my then 10ish son's alarm, as he was the only one home with me at the time). I had every conventional diagnostic known, MRI, EEG, CAT with and without contrast, neurological response tests, conventional therapies...I could go on. I endured being treated like a junkie looking for a fix at emergency rooms and being given horrid times for tests (3:00 a.m. MRIs on an outpatient basis) by the HMO we had (and did not keep - I will NEVER advocate an HMO to someone).

Then one day I went to a neurologist that did something akin to kurlian photography (I can't for the life of me remember what it was called). This guy was an M.D. who specialized in headache and pain management. A neurologist. My insurance didn't cover his services (at 250 a visit in the late 80s). While I was sitting there getting these pictures of my head taken and looking at the back of the computer monitor, with the tech sitting at the keyboard and the neurologist standing behind her, the doc said to me "Without touching your head, point to the areas that are giving you pain" so I did. He then said "come look" and when I looked at that picture I saw that (in addition to the eyes that show as black) the photo of my head was full of color except for the places where I hurt. The places that hurt were black. No color at all. He looked at me and said "suz, this is clear evidence that you are not making this up, even though we can't find the cause." I cried and cried, just to be validated. The medications he gave me, however, didn't help.

What broke that headache? Daily meditation (often multiple times a day), yoga, chiropractic (which until that time I had scoffed as quackary), deep tissue neuro-muscular message 3x a week, polarity therapy, and reiki. I can still remember the exact moment the muscle under my right shoulder blade actually relaxed completely and my headache just STOPPED (as did the tingling numbness in my right arm). It was nothing short of an epiphany for me. I was meditating at the time. I had some residual "tenderness" in my head for a few days after that, but that headache never came back.

That's just one of a number of stories I have about how allopathic medicines weren't effective for me, but alternative therapies were.

In the early 80s when I crushed my right shoulder it was allopathic medicine and surgery that gave me my arm back (literally). But the spasm under my right shoulder blade was (and is) a by product of that incident and that inevitably took me to the headache situation in the late 80s. I'm VERY glad to still have my right arm and grateful that the surgeon was willing to accept me without insurance. He didn't have to, he wasn't on call at the time. My mother asked that he be called because she was a nurse and knew his work, but neither she nor I knew him. He spent six hours in surgery putting my arm back together. They closed me up and while they were transferring me to recovery it all fell apart and he had to open me up and put it back together again. I was under his care for 2 years and I never paid him a dime. I did apply for medicaid so he ended up getting about 3 cents on the dollar for his time. I agreed that he could use my case as an example in a study he was doing but he didn't ask me about that until long after the worst of the work was done.

As for my bi polar disorder - the medications work where nothing else did. They are not the only thing that keeps me in balance but they are an integral part of it.

I bet many of us have stories akin to these.

_____________________________

“The more you love, the more you can love—and the more intensely you love. Nor is there any limit on how many you can love. If a person had time enough, he could love all of that majority who are decent and just.”
- Robert Heinlein

(in reply to SherriA)
Profile   Post #: 78
RE: Confession and Emotional Health - 1/29/2005 1:40:39 PM   
domtimothy46176


Posts: 670
Joined: 12/25/2004
From: Dayton, Ohio area
Status: offline
This has been an extremely interesting thread for me. I've seen both the good and bad in American medicine, which is my only point of reference. My girl has had 27 surgeries since 1997. More will be occuring in the next couple of years.
On the subject of modern medicine, in general, I am of the opinion, based on my own reading, as well as anecdotal evidence, that we, as indidivuals, need to be more proactive in our health management. Modern medicine is generally geared toward relief of symptoms, IMO, although I do see the beginning of a shift towards preventative medicine, much of which can be accredited to the influence of HMOs and other profit-based enterprises. This is, I believe, a logical progression from the "well baby" programs instituted in obstetrics care and ,more than likely, a trend that will extend into the future as medical care continues to evolve to meet consumer demand. As diagnostic capability continues to improve and consumers continue to inform themselves I think individuals will take increasing responsibility for managing their own care. I do think there is a large amount of misunderstanding, however, about the myriad conditions for for which there is no actual cure available. Broken bones can be reset but a lot of conditions can only be managed.
The issue of over-medication is, I think, closely tied to the demand, on the part of consumers, for doctors to "do something" however effective it may or may not be. The creation of new, ever more specialized medications is a natural response to the consumer demand. Some doctors routinely prescribe antibiotics in the absence of confirmed bacterial infections simply because uninformed patients believe a pill should cure what ails them. The solution, IMO, requires action on both sides of the stethascope. Doctors need to be more willing to firmly refuse to prescribe medications that are not clearly needed. Patients need to take responsibility for informing themselves on their conditions and understand that not everything can be cured with a pill.
My views on the subject of mental illness have been covered here already and many more references brought to bear than I have at hand. It will suffice to say that while I believe there are legitimate quantifiable abnormalities in the brain that may cause distinct behaviors, much appears to be based on observed behavioral patterns that do not correspond to quantifiable medical defects. Methods of diagnosis are, in many cases, purely subjective observation.
Those who work in the hard sciences might be better equipped to explain the deficiencies in evidentiary procedure used in efficacy trials and empirical studies prior to the approval of new drugs designed to alleviate symptoms associated with mental illness. One can't deny that some drugs have an observably beneficial effect for some people. I, personally, can't ignore the fact that it is not possible to verify under standards of scientific methodology a causal relationship between drug and relief of symptoms in many cases.
While it's been an interesting discussion, how you approach matters of your health is ultimately a personal decision. However you choose, I hope you all do your homework in advance.
Timothy

(in reply to MizSuz)
Profile   Post #: 79
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