Posted by Alan on October 12, 2002, at 13:37:42
In reply to Re: Lexapro or eqiv. vs. Bzds for anxiety disorder » Alan, posted by BrittPark on October 12, 2002, at 12:44:50
> Here, Here. Benzophobia is as common in the treatment of anxiety as Opiophobia is in treating pain. People with chronic anxiety or pain are grossly undertreated in the US.
>
> Britt
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Well said Britt.
For me it is a matter of commercialism and economics trumping patients being trusted for what they have to say by their sometimes paternalistic doctors (of any stripe). This is of course not always the case - but one reads so much about this very thing on this bboard and many others.It is, I suspect also deeply rooted culturally speaking when it comes to the dreaded and misunderstood "A" word (addiction) which of course has nothing whatsoever to do with medical dependence...but the pushing of AD's for anxiety by pharmecuticals exploit those fears with the "non-habit forming" tease.
Now look at these bboards talking about withdrawing from AD's. Or the Paxil lawsuit about co.'s so emboldened to withold these symptoms because they can throw out so many test results and cherry pick the ones (after they change the testing criteria) that they send to the FDA for approval. Shame on the FDA. Ever had a doc look at you with a blank stare when you tell them about the withdrawl (sorry, "discontinuation syndrome") that you feel going off an AD simply because it's not listed on the package insert???
How many times did I personally see many top doctors who would not acknowledge what I was telling them about my anxiety (after I complied with all of their "wait the side effect out" suggestions) to have to end up firing them while at the same time having my career and relationships remain in jeopardy to fit "their" commercially and ideological agenda?
I did this for years, waiting out this and that and the other thing while not getting sufficient treatment. I can see why those that are not offered ALL of the options of treatment with REALISTIC risk-assessment just go through life thinking that this is just the best psychiatry can do for me....
I even found myself early on weighing the cost/benefits of having symptom relief at the expense of my sexual life (a side effect of AD's WAY under reported by the way)! Now how absurd is that kind of rationale to heap upon an already suffering patient? How much harm can be done by creating that kind of emotional conflict. This isn't to say that it happens to everyone....but a large population seems to be right here on the internet talking about these very same issues...in a virtual "world" group therapy.
Why did it take me and many others that I read about on this list so long to find a doctor that listened to what was being told to them?
The terrific pdoc that I eventually ended up with is well known in a large metropolitan area, heads an entire psy dept, and is highly regarded by their peers. Why did I have to wait years for someone like them to say right off the bat during the first visit, after previously reviewing unsuccessful clinical trials galore with every drug under the sun - EXCEPT those evil bzds in MONOTHERAPY), "Well, which drug do you feel better taking?"
That's all I needed to hear.
I know I share this experience with many others...if they only knew what was actually happening to them. It's all about giving or taking away a patient's right to choose their own destiny and form of treatment. Except in the most extreme of cases (institutionalisation issues and the like), the patient is the boss and the doc is the employee.
And that's a hard lesson to learn - if one is ever fortunate to be in the position to learn it at all.
Sorry for the rant.
Alan
poster:Alan
thread:109458
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021012/msgs/123357.html