Posted by estorianna on November 13, 2003, at 18:55:10
Dear John and Linkadge
Thank you both so much for your very explicit, coherent - yet subjectively-based replies. You have helped me understand a great deal from your perspective. My brother lived alone. Died alone. After caring for our mother for years day and night, on and on, his life required a total rehash after she died. He did this so successfully (it seemed). I do not feel that a GP is equipped enough in knowledge - nor is provided with enough time in the UK NHS system (I think a patient is allowed 7 minutes) to speak about the intricacies of depression. But pills are cheap. Sadly, it seems on the NHS life is cheap. My brother also had some of his bowel successfully removed twenty years earlier because of Crohn's Disease (spelling!) which I think would have affected a speedier metabolism. He was also very light and was not eating well. He also walked miles each day (as a postman) and then walked friends' dogs for miles in his spare time (his dog had relatively recently died). I was at the time studying for my MSC (Consciousness studies would you believe!) and was online a great deal which took up the phoneline. He couldn't have contacted me easily and like one of you said, it isn't so easy for a man to open up. But he would have with me, he knew I loved him. I feel angry I wasn't available for him. I feel angry that the doctor was so dismissive. I don't think he even had a leaflet in the Effexor box to explain the side effects.
I would like to see it made illegal for someone without support (especially who lives alone like my brother) to be provided with strong medication before social support and counselling has been explored - or to have counselling with the medication. Doctors in UK are hard to see in the large cities and they too are stressed so many are unsympathetic towards stress conditions.
What I can't understand is, if you all know these things and when people transfer medications because they do not suit, this is an extremely important feedback area which may never be heard by the pharmaceutical companies. It's OK that psychiatrists become informed but what about the drug companies? I believe that suicides are also under-reported because doctors are ashamed to admit a patient of theirs has committed suicide. In the UK the Home Office collects statistics but this informationis not passed to the drug companies. I have yet to find out how to report my brother's suicide to the pharmeceutical company. Who cares enough? All these side effects that many of you undergo are awful. You all sound so eloquent - so why do you seem to have no voice?
How does one get your eloquent voices heard? How can good come out of your pains and those who are no longer around to speak them?
When my brother died and several other things all happened at once, I ran away to a Buddhist Centre. I was away for five days. I found some semblance of peace. Would anyone be prepared to try meditation and relaxation techniques? They do work. With fMRI scans, it can now be demonstrated that these methods work, that these techniques have a beneficial effect on the Amygdala. It is not an easy route. Learning to discipline oneself to daily quiet time. But, with support, it really works and there are no side effects.
I didn't even know my brother was on medication. He never told me. He only went to the doctors once to get the medication. Never went back. Died two weeks later. He was such a wonderful man, so kind. My daughter's only Uncle.
I feel side effects are under-reported and the dangers of drugs under-reported. Some drugs are unsuitable in certain conditions. They need to be made known. If the side effects because more widely known there would be more respect in their use. Hopefully.
Thanks for your support. If you can add anything about anything, I'd be grateful.I really admire you all. Please keep on...
Love
Estorianna
poster:estorianna
thread:279518
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031111/msgs/279518.html