Posted by yardena on August 1, 1999, at 9:37:51
In reply to Re: The Effexor Lie, posted by Toby on July 29, 1999, at 14:23:01
A couple of thoughts about what I have read here:
Regarding "off-label" uses of meds: The MDs who treat many many patients have informal discussions about combinations of meds used for "off-label" problems, ie, not for what the FDA approved the med for. In order to get FDA approval, someone has to do a large scientific study which costs a lot of money. Usually the only entities that are motivated to spend that kind of money are the drug companies that see it as an investment. So, for example, the drug Ritalin has been around a while, approved for ADD in kids. There is ample anectodal evidence of its use as an effective antidepressant augmentation medicine, but since it is relatively safe, and no one would stand to profit from funding a huge study, it does not get funding to be studied. All the doctors, and plenty of patients know it is an appropriate usage, but it is not officially FDA approved for this use. SO, the insurance companies often deny coverage of the prescription because it is an "off label" use.
Regarding varying competence,responsiveness of doctors: As in every profession, each medical doctor has his or her strenghts and weaknesses. And, the doctor-patient interaction is often a mysterious matter of interpersonal chemistry, so to speak. IF you are not comfortable with your doctor, you might be able to find another more suited to your needs. There may even be a psychiatrist out there who incorporates your religious perspectives into his work with you, which you will likely find comforting.
Regarding Richard's wholesale dismissal of antidepressants and psychiatry: Are you sure that you have to give up this source of caring for yourself in order to pursue your religious goals? Forgive me for being so forward, but there is a quality to what you have written that gives me the sense that you are approaching your religious rebirth in much the same way you approached everything before it--addictively. You sound like someone who tends to throw himself entirely into something in order to cope with the discomfort of life. The way you have coped with your frustration about the failure of effexxor to help you, seems much like the way someone might drown him or herself in any other addictive thing, like drugs or alcohol. For you, right now, it is the hope that your religious faith will SAVE you, will make all the frustrating things in life go away. I am not opposed to religion. If anything, I am very much in support of it. It can and most likely will be good for you. But don't expect it to do everything. I believe that there is no ONE answer to everything. Use your religion as a base, but don't eliminate all the other helpful things that exist in the world. If you throw yourself too hard into this illusion of religion solving everything, you are bound to become painfully disillusioned at some point. Find a doctor who is knowledgable about your religion and is willing to integrate it into the therapy.
I hope I have not been too forward in my comments. Best wishes. I know how frustrating the "dart board" of finding the right medicaiton can be. I am in the midst of a medication shift myself, because every few years, the "cocktail" I am using stops being effective, or starts producing more side effects. It is EXTREMELY frustating. But I don't believe it is a lie. It is a young and immature science/art that hopefully, will get more on target.
Good luck.
poster:yardena
thread:8909
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19990814/msgs/9467.html