Let the Patient Beware

Do NOT blame school shootings on anti-depressants. The teenagers involved are engaged in a Triad of Evil: Deceit, Arrogance and Resentment. They sit around all day stewing and plotting to get even with the world. They are prescribed drugs because no one has any idea how to get them out of their pattern of homicidal resentment.

The OP has every right to his opinion, however misguided. I'll take my chance with doctors, however.

"In my own experience, I have found better advice on internet forums than I have from medical professionals." Patient beware, indeed. When you get a diagnosis or are advised to take the tests that may lead to a diagnosis these days, you'd better do your own research. Doctors like to order tests. They don't listen to you, and they don't do exams. I've had a pain in my right side for almost a year now; it comes and goes. I've had an ultrasound, CT scan, and MRI. The ultrasound showed some masses on my liver, so I had an MRI. The PA was very focused on the masses on my liver, and when I asked if they were causing the pain in my side, he said we couldn't focus on that. He ordered a mammogram to rule out the cancer in my liver coming from the breast cancer that I might have. He seemed to think I should be panicking about the masses, but I wasn't. I knew I didn't have liver or breast cancer. He did a liver blood test that came back negative but insisted on the MRI. It came back inconclusive, so I went in for the CT, but I did not do the mammogram. The endocrinologist told me that I probably had a sprained muscle in my back and recommended stretching exercises. He also scheduled me for another test where he would put a tube down to my belly to take a look. A look! How about a fourth look. I declined the tube test that would have cost me around $1500 out of pocket. Seriously? Doctor's (specialists) don't know patients anymore. The general practitioners don't do exams; all they do is consult. Like the author, I take to the internet to read what others have to say, research different doctor opinions, and get information on medicines. I mostly decline guess medications. As far as mass shooters, I believe it's a combination of the medicines, parents not paying attention to their kids, and what kids are or are not being taught. Everybody is a victim, and someone else is to blame for what ails them. Medicine is an easy fix, and I can't understand parents putting their young children on medicines for AD and ADHD. Patient beware! Society beware!

I’m not a doctor nor do I play one on TV but I suspect the reason many are so messed up today is that they started doing Medication when they were still in diapers and built up few immunities to much of anything along the way. Where I grew up, unless you had a bullet wound or bone sticking through the skin, you cowboy’d up and pressed on. Spending a lot of time outside in the dirt and getting chewed on by critters was probably helpful as well.

So the advice is to jump on the internet and listen to the anecdotal advice of unprofessional and emotionally connected witnesses? I might agree with the concern, that the effects of medications are often not fully understood and that doctors and patients are not fully cognizant of what is known. It's a complex issue. The uniqueness of individuals makes it hard to know the exact effect of a medication on that person. Good medical professionals are still the best source of information, especially doctors focused on the issues in which the medication is used. For example, a GP prescribing drugs for mental illness is NOT a good idea. Nor, unfortunately are some psychiatrists who think the answers are all in pills. A thoughtful and careful psychiatrist probably is. The patient and their support group (family, friends) should know the more likely side effects of medications they are on. Also, a pharmacist should know the effects of drugs. Sadly, there is no absolute solution to the problem. Despite best efforts, things can still go wrong.

That statement about school shooters who were in therapy and on drugs is a trend I have observed as well. Sometimes it is the parents seeking a fix, but many times it is doctors who are too willing to start a life-long habit for these kids. I know several boys whose parents gave them meds for ADHD, so they could "succeed" in school. They ended up in rehab in college. These kids learned that pills were their answer to everything. Fortunately, my grandson is home schooled and his mom tells him to go run around the back yard when he has too much energy.

The problem with using the internet for info, particularly specific boards, is the most troubled make the most noise. Lots of worst case scenarios and tales of great woe demanding the most attention. It can be hard to ferret out the truly useful info. And then, as to warning labels and info, talk about daunting. Being informed about meds is not even remotely straightforward.

My concern has to do with the electronic submission of prescriptions by the physician. In the olden days, the physician wrote out the rx and handed it to the patient - that gave the patient the opportunity to ask questions, and to make a reasoned decision about taking it. Now the patient goes to the pharmacy and picks up the rx, paying for something which may stay on the medicine cabinet shelf. One other concern - I was prescribed a specific new medication, and asked for samples, to see what it would do to me. The physician, who works for a large hospital group, told me that 'they' no longer allow physicians to accept samples from drug reps.

Antidepressants can save lives that would have otherwise been lost to constant, uncontrollable anxiety and despair. Side effects are warned about as they can happen and the doctor and patient must be aware. But the good effects can be priceless.

A couple of years ago, I had a very bad experience with a UTI. I took antibiotics, but it would come right back. Lather, rinse repeat. The antibiotics messed with my digestion, and I got yeast infections. My doctor finally sent me to a specialist who was wonderful - diagnosed my problem and prescribed the correct treatment. I love my doctor and I am grateful that he knew when it was time to call in another opinion. I have looked on internet forums and found the advice ranged from wise to wacky. Thank God I am in good health most of the time and don't have to take lots of medicine.

A friend was on prednisone for an autoimmune problem, her body was attacking her platelets. While she was on this powerful drug, her younger sister was diagnosed with cancer, abandoned by her husband, leaving my friend to care for her very sick young sister, her sister's infant for the nex 18 months while the sister lost her agonizing battle with caner. My friend and her husband were stressed out horribly by all this, as you can imagine. My friend literally lost her mind, went from a bubbly, happy personality to an angry, dark, unpleasant personality. She survived the autoimmune problem, but at the cost of her mind. Eventually, her husband (also a friend) divorced her due to her horrible, mean, vile new personality. Sometimes psychoactive drugs can trigger terrible changes, especially when the person is under extreme stress. If she hadn't taken the drug, she would have bled to death. But, the result was horrible, even though she "survived". And, as the author pointed out, most school shooters are on psychoactive drugs.

Oh, and I DO take multiple long term drugs for various age-related issues, and I trust docs, but I also do read the side effects and am very careful of understanding what could happen. Giving up all drugs in fear is an irrational response, but discontinuing drugs if there are side effects should be second nature.

Thank you, OP! Did anyone read the article before posting? The article is mainly concerned with the warnings that are supplied by the drug manufacturers, and is pointing out they say things people do not realize. As for the supposed dangers of picking up information on the Internet, I see nothing wrong with that, which I why I read your posts, right? But anyway the side effects highlighted are the ones described by the manufacturers.

When a patient experiences a condition after being put on medications to treat that condition, are the meds so clearly to blame? In some cases, the medication might have been less effective for the patient than expected, and in others the patient's condition may have grown worse organically (warranting a higher dose or change of medication). Notice how many medications list among their potential side effects the very thing they are prescribed to treat... Because a patient's condition is assessed after taking the meds, and anything that shows up is listed as a possible side-effect . . . including the symptoms of the original problem when it does not respond to treatment. A lot of factors go into successful treatment, and a lot of factors cause unsuccessful treatment. Facile finger-pointing causes a lot of lawsuits that are either unjust or simply incorrect. And ordinary human error is hard to tell from negligence from outside.

I take no medications, and only take antibiotics if needed. Going to the doctor leaves me stressed out for days even weeks before hand. I'd rather go to the dentist.

(Not ruling out the existence of cases where the med did exacerbate the condition they were prescribed to treat, such as some people becoming severely depressed from drugs they take for a case of depression that had been mild. But to jump to blame the med is just as simplistic as the blame the patient or the doc ... each case has its own origins and pathway of treatment.)

There are all kinds of zealots and self-professed experts on the topic of medical care. I have plenty of nurse friends who never met a pill they didn't like. And I know people who rail against "western" medicine and evil, greedy doctors but who never pass up a chance to try any "natural" or "wholistic" advice, even if it comes with a hefty price tag from a "clinic" in Mexico. In my own family, a"wholistic" zealot refused to see a doctor when she got shingles. I was able to convince her at last to see an eye doctor who gave her a prescription that saved her eyesight. But she lost her hearing. Still she's a true believer in the power of coffee enemas and recycling her own urine. Honest to God. And she's surrounded by a pack of other true believers who judge harshly anyone who sees "regular" doctors. Bottom line - be as informed as you can, and beware of indiscriminate pill pushers and quacks whether in your doctor's office or at the local health foods store. And be grateful if you find a physician who is smart and thoughtful and respectful of their patients. Ramona (the Pest)

How sad, #16. Perhaps you should find a competent doctor. so you can relax.

I have no issue with the article but the possible side effects cover everything the lawyers could find in the Med journals. Drowsiness, sleeplessness, heart palpitations, uncontrolled diarrhea, ears falling off, skin reddening, blurry vision, suspicious pregnancies, and warts.... How would I know which one may affect me, and is it worth the healing effects of the drug?