Posted by linkadge on February 10, 2007, at 11:44:50
In reply to Re: low dose risperdal -- Dinah, posted by munificentexegete on February 9, 2007, at 15:03:42
>they don't fix an imbalance
They do and they don't. In the case of a medication which can say, ameliorate an overactive HPA axis, improve sleeping patterns, or improve social function, one is likely to see subsequent improvements in other aspects of brain health. Some studies suggest that treatment with certain agents can prevent hippocampal volume loss associated with mood disorders.
It is hard to say that the drug doesn't get to the root cause, when nobody really knows what the root cause is.
>they do result in permanent damage to brain >structure and indeed every organ in one's body
That is simply not true. The verdict is not in on the newer antipsychotics yet. While they may cause symptomatic movement problems, there is not much conclusive evidence that they cause irreversable brain dammage, let alone dammage to every organ in the body.
There are risks involved in treatment of course, just as there are risks involved in lack of treatment.
It is fair to say that a patient should be fully informed about risks, but unfair to blow risks out of proportion.
Linkadge
poster:linkadge
thread:730044
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070207/msgs/731589.html