Posted by yxibow on August 31, 2005, at 5:29:43
In reply to Re: Yes, of course, posted by TheMagicPill on August 31, 2005, at 1:51:27
When I first started neuroleptics (needed for Dopamine D2 reduction) for a rare type of somatiform disorder (visual aberrations) that started close to 4 years ago, I was petrified of TD, to the point where being so probably negated part of the effect of the neuroleptic and other medications I was on.
Admittedly Risperdal gave me a (as yet) permanent very slight twich on my right index finger and Zyprexa gave me pseudoparkinsonism (which has probably abated over time).
Still given all of this by the time I came to Seroquel, my own research on likelihoods of problems and experience with the medication finally gave through and although I still worry about TD in the back of my mind, its not there constantly through the day.
In the end, one either follows to the best of their comfort of what 2005 has given us in modern medicine, or we abandon what is "modern". This isn't to say that if you start experiencing unusual, uncomfortable, or alarming side effects you shouldn't notify your doctor as soon as possible -- everyone is different no matter what a Phase III trial of 4000 people can indicate.
My mother has permanent angioedema allergies contracted from the use of an ACE inhibitor. But medicine has changed since those 2 or so decades greatly. Its a matter of what one feels risk versus benefit and state of manageable, good health. If one is facing down a path of extreme suicidal thoughts, a quick acting antidepressant or neuroleptic should be indicated no matter what. The unknown is a scary path, but at the end of the day, even with stories of Vioxx and all the rest of it, modern medicine saves lives. And I speak from a personal perspective -- I have no heartstrings for pharmaceutical companies and profits, yet I guess I do believe in the sense of "better living through chemistry".
Life, and the length of it, has changed in the past century, to the tune of 30 years more on the average, in the US at least. Politics aside (or not), this next century will define medicine in an even greater way provided genetic and stem cell research is allowed to progress to the point where medications may even be specifically tailored. I'll leave that comment at that as I'm sure everyone has different political opinions there. Hope comes from within.
poster:yxibow
thread:548861
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050827/msgs/549088.html