Teen Screen and mental health drugs

[Magrus]

I mentioned what I've decided to do in my college thread last night in doing my best to see the license each of the doctors I dealt with who ignored what was going on with me and treated me wrongly in a medical sense revoked, permanently. I've been looking for groups and such to help provide me with some background information because truly, I suck at research and such but have the desire to DO something.

Well, I found this article and I thought others should see it, and I was curious as to what their thoughts were on the issue. This is just one article, but maybe this could be a thread to discuss things here? Frankly, people are ignorant of what truly goes on with the mass drugging of people, especially within the US, and the effects it causes and it disgusts me and that should be changed and people educated.

http://onlinejournal.com/health/0727...05pringle.html

This isn't the place I found it at, but I figured I'd simply give the link to the source rather than to the place I saw it on.

Now, I'd like to point out that I have an insomnia and anxiety problem. With that, I was on at one time, and generally at least 1 of those mixed with others on, or of the list and usually 2-4 medications at a time. State ordered and against my will and best efforts to talk sense into doctors. The only ones on that whole article I wasn't forced to take were "Luvox, Celexa, Lexapro, Wellbutrin, Effexor, Serzone, and Remeron".

I have to wonder, how many parents put faith in the people telling them "these pills will help your son/daughter" when really it ends up being "I'm being paid to say this" and it could very well do serious harm to their child if prescribed incorrectly?

[Chimaera182]

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. And people have been preying on those with good intentions for ages. And parents (not all, but some) have good intentions when it comes to their kids, and if someone says something will help them, they'll do it. Fat free baby food, which is actually supposed to be quite unhealthy, preys upon the minds of parents who don't want their children to be fat. Products that will increase a toddler's intelligence sell like hotcakes, despite very little research being done to prove they actually work; in fact, several of those devices--including listening to Mozart (this was studied on college students, not children, and the effects were temporary anyway)--are bought with good faith. After all, who would take advantage of parents who want the best for their kids? And medication is the same way.

I'm an asthmatic, as I mentioned in that "heros" thread. My asthma medication began to not work a few years ago, so my doctor switched me to Advair, which was rather new at the time. A year or two ago, the Advair stopped working; in fact, I began to notice that it incited far more attacks than it kept me from having. When I stopped taking it, my lungs were better than they had been in years. A week or two ago, I read in the New York Times that Advair was being investigated for causing deaths by inciting severe attacks. That's very comforting. Before I started going to the asthma doctor who gave me the Advair, my mom bought me Primatene Mist; when I had a severe and debilitating attack and went to hospital, the nurse/doctor/whateverhewas told me Primatene Mist was not good for me.

[Magrus]

*nods* I've seen some truly horrible things dealing with the mental health end of "medication". Frankly, mishandling by doctors and them forcibly drugging me has ruined my life. I've decided if I'm incapable of going to college as I had planned, or doing most forms of work I can play assistant or something to an organization who's determined to see that kind of thing doesn't happen to others.

What's funny is, my mother does her best to stop me from this goal as she does the payroll for the psychiatric division of the hospital she sent me to who did all of that to me. She told me I should try becoming a medical transcriptionist. I may end up doing something similar, but with a completely different goal in mind. She's going to hate me for it too.

I mean, it took me at least 2 years after I was off those drugs to be able to get back to being able to read at the level I was able to BEFORE taking them. I couldn't read even 3 or 4 word phrases at one point. If that isn't disastrous to a person's brain I don't know what is.

Not to mention your example. I'm glad my asthma hasn't been bad enough to have them toss those medications my way. I haven't had need of even and inhaler since 8th grade or so.

[boo's daddy]

Magrus, it sounds like you're having a bit of a nightmare and I'm sorry to hear it

Unfortunately, everyone, including doctors, makes mistakes. Family doctors often know less about the condition than patients themselves. I hope you can find a specialist who can manage your care a bit better.

If you want to complain about your doctor/s the places to go are:
- a different doctor
- their professional accreditation body
- their professional association
- your State regulatory body
- the HMO or insurance provider

There is strong research evidence that drugs work well for many mental health conditions so it may well be that these people were acting in good faith, they just got it wrong.

[Magrus]

*shakes my head* The doctor was a malicious fool who didn't like me and deliberately went against the counsil of the nurses and the graduate med-student who was doing his after-grad intern type work under him. Against EVERYONE'S strong urgings he did what he did. He should be in jail.

There is evidence that drugs are being prescribed without proper reason, need or evidence that they are being prescribed correctly. It's not uncommon for doctor's to say "Well, I think this is what's going on. Try this pill." and have the patient beg to be let off of it and have their concerns ignored with something along the lines of "I'm the doctor, I know what I'm doing." while serious, negative side effects are occuring.

[Chimaera182]

Unfortunately, even the smartest of us can be incredibly stupid. It's sad we can no longer trust our doctors; it's best we research our medications ourselves when we get a chance, that way we can hopefully avoid such an issue. And if the medication gives us a problem, it's best to tell the doctor about it; I told my doctor about my issue with Advair, but all he did was lower the dosage, but when I saw that didn't help, I stopped taking the lower dosage. So maybe just stop taking the meds he prescribes, but definitely see someone else.

[Magrus]

Oh, I stopped years ago, and I noticed that doctor was transferred from the hospital when I called back to complain.

The things I've seen dealt with, just that man alone blew my mind. Have you ever dealt with seeing someone so sedated that they can neither feed themself, or walk between the bathroom and their bed without repeatedly running into a wall or doorframe and being oblivious to the fact they've hit a wall instead of continued walking? Not only that, have the doctor with a completely straight face say that it's "for the best" instead of taking concern about that person's state and doing something about it?