![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ricker on August 4, 2008, at 21:39:15
Information, that is.
I was reading through threads...opinions on various A/D's and I couldn't help but wonder just how valid one's opinion is to another?
Certainly not in a malious way, rather, just how level is the playing field.
Has ones opinion dicouraged a potential trial for another? Or has it given too much false hope?If I were to ask for opinions on a certain automobile I was considering to purchase, such as fuel economy, head room, handling etc, I'm sure the replies would vary.... that is unless the feedback was from identical twins??
So I wonder just how much people read into A/D reviews? I would venture to guess many negative reviews are directed towards the A/D in question without mention of the other 2,3 or 4 meds in the cocktail that may be affecting the review?
Someone may get great gas mileage in the automobile I'm intersting in buying. Another claims the mileage is terrible?
The guy with great mileage never speeds, lives in the praires and drives alone.
The complainer is heavy on the gas, lives in a mountainous region and carpools with 3 overwieght individuals.Just a though I'd like to share. Maybe silly, but maybe serious. I guess that depends on who's reading it? :)
Regards, Rick
Posted by Jay_Bravest_Face on August 4, 2008, at 22:41:59
In reply to Too much or not enough??, posted by ricker on August 4, 2008, at 21:39:15
> Information, that is.
>
> I was reading through threads...opinions on various A/D's and I couldn't help but wonder just how valid one's opinion is to another?
>
> Certainly not in a malious way, rather, just how level is the playing field.
> Has ones opinion dicouraged a potential trial for another? Or has it given too much false hope?
>
> If I were to ask for opinions on a certain automobile I was considering to purchase, such as fuel economy, head room, handling etc, I'm sure the replies would vary.... that is unless the feedback was from identical twins??
>
> So I wonder just how much people read into A/D reviews? I would venture to guess many negative reviews are directed towards the A/D in question without mention of the other 2,3 or 4 meds in the cocktail that may be affecting the review?
>
> Someone may get great gas mileage in the automobile I'm intersting in buying. Another claims the mileage is terrible?
>
> The guy with great mileage never speeds, lives in the praires and drives alone.
> The complainer is heavy on the gas, lives in a mountainous region and carpools with 3 overwieght individuals.
>
> Just a though I'd like to share. Maybe silly, but maybe serious. I guess that depends on who's reading it? :)
>
> Regards, RickI think mostly it is YMMV. The medications involve so many interactions in our bodies, especially a lot of individual genetic factors, that I think we must keep this in mind. They could be altering genetic switches or such in ways we dont even understand. Not that *that* is a bad thing. Just explains why two people may react differently to a drug or drugs. Also, the experience I had with a drug just a few years ago often is different if I take that drug now. This may be part of the alleged poop-out. But, interestingly this is much, much rarer with benzos then with antidepressants in particular. (For me anyways.)
Jay
Posted by Phillipa on August 5, 2008, at 0:26:34
In reply to Re: Too much or not enough?? » ricker, posted by Jay_Bravest_Face on August 4, 2008, at 22:41:59
Jay I think as you age your chemistry changes as now benzos make me tired and used to give me energy. Too many cocktails I think. But that's just me. How are you sorry to divert thread but I agree mileage varies. Phillipa
Posted by Hygieia's Bowl on August 5, 2008, at 5:53:52
In reply to Too much or not enough??, posted by ricker on August 4, 2008, at 21:39:15
It's only in hindsight have I realized being overly-informed, overly-analytical and overly-influenced was an issue for me. Figuring out the difference between educated and smart can be problematic especially when one is ill and has the influences of disorders also in play.
I think most folks, after the first "search the net" or so rodeo, do get a handle for how all this goes and while sharing, finding sharing and such is interesting, being discerning is really important.
I have seen a few folks who appear to be all-or-nothing thinkers per their writings who seize on all findings negative. That fact used to concern me then I realized if one is going to seek out info from such sources, one should learn how to utilize it as it applies to their individual situations.
I now don't look at message boards, specifically, as reinventing the wheel. I have come to realize the themes of such venues may be more to lamentations than to any lauding of great news.
That's my thoughts....
Posted by Racer on August 5, 2008, at 12:09:02
In reply to Too much or not enough??, posted by ricker on August 4, 2008, at 21:39:15
I know that my view of antidepressants and their ability to improve the quality of my life varies a great deal depending on -- well, on my depression. When I'm profoundly depressed, I think about going on, say, an SSRI and think it's not worth it. That the side effects I get from them would impair the quality of my life too much to be worth it. And it's true that I experience side effects I have a very low tolerance for, and that those side effects do impair the quality of my life. It's also true that the quality of my life when NOT on antidepressants -- hell, the quality of my life even on many antidepressants -- is impaired.
No matter what level of depression I'm experiencing, I try to keep in mind that depression does affect my view of antidepressants, and that what I experience is very different from what others experience. When I post here on Babble -- the only mental health related board I visit, and which I visit largely because of my position as a deputy -- I make an effort to present information as neutrally as possible, and when I do offer up my own experiences, I try to be fair and to emphasize my own part in it all.
And I do play a part in all this. In some cases, my anxiety is so high that it leads to hypervigilance about side effects, which has at times led to premature discontinuation. Other times, the initial side effects scare me off, or I'm so depressed I give up because I can't see any hope that a full trial is worth it. And sometimes I will discontinue something because I just don't find the resulting quality of life acceptable. Those are all either personal quirks -- the hypervigilance, the depressive view of potential improvements -- or personal choices -- whether or not the improvement in my condition outweighs the side effects for me. None of those will apply to anyone else.
Those are good points you made in your original post, and I do hope that many people who come here will be able to benefit from your perspective.
Posted by bleauberry on August 5, 2008, at 17:52:02
In reply to Too much or not enough??, posted by ricker on August 4, 2008, at 21:39:15
The idea is to share information and support each other. Everyone here is fully aware mileage varies dramatically. It is ultimately up to the reader to make a personal decision and due diligence based on any particular post or group of posts. I do not believe any decision should be made based on pbabble alone. Personal research, personal reflection, and doctor input should all be intertwined with whatever information someone gathers from pbabble.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.