Posted by ARR on February 25, 2001, at 18:27:20
In reply to Re: Sarafem=Prozac(np), posted by Marchelle on February 22, 2001, at 1:37:46
Dear Marcelle
Try not to be discouraged. I believe that there is hope. Many times the natural solutions fail because the changes that people make are not comprehensive enough. PMS is not a seratonin deficiency. It is often the expression of many imbalances in the bodies hormonal biochemistry and trying to alter one small part of that may not be sufficient.
(Let's take the example of B6: B6 supplementation will often fail if magnesium is lacking, and even B6 and magnesium are is only a small part of the picture}
I've recently attended a presented by Dr. Jeffry Bland that is currently being give to hundreds of nutritionally oriented physicians around the country. This seminar presented an overview of many factors that can contribute to hormone imbalance associated with PMS. It also presented a research study done on a nutritional product called Estrobalance which addresses a broad spectrum of the imbalances that leads to PMS. This includes therapeutic levels of B6, folic acid, magnesium, zinc, flax, and a blend of isoflavones provided in a rice based protein/carbohydrate balanced medical food. The study that was performed with this medical food showed dramatic and statistically significant results in women who followed the program a two month period of time.
If you are interested in finding someone who can help you with this, go to Metagenics.com and you can be directed to a list of practitioners in your area who would be familiar with it.
I think that this represents a tremendous clinical breakthrough and that it will offer many women true hope rather than the false hope that I feel the Prozac family of drugs offers. On that note, I would highly recommend reading the book Prozac Backlash. This was writtten by a Harvard psychiatrist who used these medications for many years and began finding alarming symptoms that lead him to research the scientific literature on these drugs. What he turned up is nothing short of terrifying. Anyone who is on or who is considering taking any of these drugs must read this book.
I hope this helps, and don't give up hope. There are viable alternatives that do work. The fact that these are so little known is indirectly explained in this book. The Prozac family of drugs generates more than $4,000,000,000 is sales per year. The lack of research and news concerning effective natural solutions is not an accident.
ARR
> > > Sarafem=Prozac, I believe
> >
> > Yes, for history of the drug, see article http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0049/spartos.shtml
>
> Good article. I definitely agree with the article that this new push for the PMDD diagnosis and an anti-depressent to treat it reinforces a negative stigma associated with women's mentrual cycles. I mentioned earlier that I was given a Sarafem Rx after talking to a doctor about my symptons for five minutes. It was the first time I was in to see this "hormone specialist" and had to make an appointmet a month in advance. No mention of a daily diary was made. This article calls attention to the intentions of the makers of Sarafem. All this suggests revalutation of the PMDD diagnosis and ways to go about handeling women's suffering other than taking Sarafem. How discouraging for those who have tried all the natural ways without succes...
poster:ARR
thread:3315
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010221/msgs/54820.html