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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by AJeffriesXIX on October 23, 2007, at 21:35:33
What are some of the pros and cons of using psychopharmacology (medications) for patients?
Posted by LostBoyinNCBecksDark on October 23, 2007, at 22:17:38
In reply to Psychopharmacology Pros and Cons, posted by AJeffriesXIX on October 23, 2007, at 21:35:33
> What are some of the pros and cons of using psychopharmacology (medications) for patients?
I would say a pro is that you do have a chance of being normal again. However, to get there you will probably have to go through many medication trials.
STAR*D claims the remission rate overall of the study was a whopping 67%, but that is ONLY after four layered sequence, each more complicated and involved than the last.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=17074942
"RESULTS: The QIDS-SR(16) remission rates were 36.8%, 30.6%, 13.7%, and 13.0% for the first, second, third, and fourth acute treatment steps, respectively. The overall cumulative remission rate was 67%."So, you have about a two thirds chance of being normal again IF you go through many complicated drug trials. By the time this is over, youve probably lost your job and health insurance, maybe your spouse left you if you were married when it started and unless you were wealthy to start out with or your family is extremely sympathetic, you might even be homeless out on the streets before you can complete this kind of extended, very involved medication sequence.
Cons to psychopharmacology is that you have a full one third chance of NEVER attaining remission if you rely only upon psychopharmacology and psychotherapy and nothing else.
For psychotic depression and bipolar, remission rates are well under the reported 67% in STAR*D. ECT has a much higher remission rate for severe mood disorders than psychopharmacology.
Eric
Posted by Phillipa on October 23, 2007, at 22:35:41
In reply to Psychopharmacology Pros and Cons, posted by AJeffriesXIX on October 23, 2007, at 21:35:33
Hi Ajeffries I think you have a very excellent chance of feeling much better with meds. Can you say what symptoms you would like to eliminate or help? Any meds you're now on or were on and did they help? We at babble would love to help you. Phillip and welcome!!!!!!
Posted by AJeffriesXIX on October 23, 2007, at 22:53:26
In reply to Re: Psychopharmacology Pros and Cons » AJeffriesXIX, posted by Phillipa on October 23, 2007, at 22:35:41
I posted for two reasons. One for myself and another for school.
Recently, my daughter died and I was posting for depression and or anxiety. I don't know what this is really and I can't seem to pull myself out of it.
Secondly, I am working on my masters degree in psychology and the topic has come up in my Biological Psych class. And I was looking for and doing research on the topic and thought I'd post to see what I could come up with for my paper.
Posted by Dr. Bob on October 24, 2007, at 4:54:33
In reply to Re: Psychopharmacology Pros and Cons, posted by LostBoyinNCBecksDark on October 23, 2007, at 22:17:38
> By the time this is over, youve probably lost your job and health insurance, maybe your spouse left you if you were married when it started and unless you were wealthy to start out with or your family is extremely sympathetic, you might even be homeless out on the streets
Please don't exaggerate.
But please don't take this personally, either, this doesn't mean I don't like you or think you're a bad person.
If you or others have questions about this or about posting policies in general, or are interested in alternative ways of expressing yourself, please first see the FAQ:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faq.html#civil
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faq.html#enforceFollow-ups regarding these issues should be redirected to Psycho-Babble Administration. They, as well as replies to the above post, should of course themselves be civil.
Thanks,
Bob
PS: According to the new formula:
duration of previous block: 1 week
period of time since previous block: 1 week
severity: 2 (default)
block length = 1.97 rounded = 2 weeks
Posted by Mathia on October 24, 2007, at 20:24:53
In reply to Psychopharmacology Pros and Cons, posted by AJeffriesXIX on October 23, 2007, at 21:35:33
Lets not forget a MAJOR CON in these drugs out there. A new one seems to come along every month, and immediately its "pushed by the doctors, commericals, pharmacuetical companies, etc.)
THE CON: I remember when I was first prescribed zoloft, I asked the psyc. what does this do. His answer, we dont know how it works. It just does??
Thats the problem, we take these new drugs, and none of us truly knows what they are doing to are bodies long term. Kidney disease, liver disease, etc. And then to top it all off, how many really are helped.
If anyone has read any of my previous posts, you know Im an advocate of using opiates for depression. (unfortunately they are like impossible to get though). The government basically tied the hands of the psyc world to use them. The side effects of most opiates are actually few and atleast they know how they work.
I just say, I think the patient should have the choice to use different drugs. Ill end it with this, the government basically made opiates illegal for psycology problems back in the 50's or 60's (dont know the exact date). Since then illegal drug use, like heroin has been on a constant rise. Many of these illegal drugs use opiates to make them. One would think that in a controlled manner, by controlled prescription if these opiates were used for depression, in theraputic settings, perhaps illegal drug use would have a good chance to go down. Because, the drug user that is self medicating himself would have a chance to go for help and get something that actually helps for once before he becomes a "drug addict" as society labels him. It completely amazes me how many people are now on these new wave therapy drugs and are still depressed and also now are completey dependent on them because if they stop them they feel even worse than they feel on them. BUT THEY TELL YOU NONE OF THEM ARE ADDICTING?????????????
Posted by Dr. Bob on October 27, 2007, at 14:26:28
In reply to Re: blocked for 2 weeks » LostBoyinNCBecksDark, posted by Dr. Bob on October 24, 2007, at 4:54:33
> Follow-ups regarding these issues should be redirected to Psycho-Babble Administration.
Here's a link:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20070817/msgs/791787.html
Thanks,
Bob
Posted by psychobot5000 on October 30, 2007, at 21:20:14
In reply to Re: Psychopharmacology Pros and Cons, posted by AJeffriesXIX on October 23, 2007, at 22:53:26
> I posted for two reasons. One for myself and another for school.
>
> Recently, my daughter died and I was posting for depression and or anxiety. I don't know what this is really and I can't seem to pull myself out of it.
>
> Secondly, I am working on my masters degree in psychology and the topic has come up in my Biological Psych class. And I was looking for and doing research on the topic and thought I'd post to see what I could come up with for my paper.___
I think the pros and cons vary considerably depending on the disorder - for some they're more effective than others. Since you have depression/anxiety issues, I'll try to address that.Pros: significant chance (maybe 30-50% chance on the first drug trial...the numbers are controversial) the drugs will help patients better.
Ease of treatment (taking a pill is easier, more convenient and less time-consuming than getting ECT or going in for talk-therapy)
Drugs may help patients when other treatments (like CBT or other therapy) are not effective.
Often if one med doesn't work out for various reasons, a second or third med will.
______________________Cons: Drugs may not help you, or may not help as much as you'd like them to
Side effects are frequently a problem - each med has its own profile, but they can cause sedation, digestive problems, sex problems, heart problems, difficulty sleeping, etc. It varies person to person, but sometimes finding a med that has an acceptable side-effect profile can be difficult.
Drugs usually take several weeks (perhaps 2-8) to have a positive effect
Some of the second, third or fourth-line agents can conceivably cause dependence (stimulants like amphetamine or methylphanidate; benzodiazepines).
Long term safety and side-effects are not completely known
A few of the agents have other health risks, like possible liver damage. These tend to be used much more rarely, though - the most popular drugs are usually considered relatively safe, as far as I know.
Researchers still don't understand very well why these drugs work (but they do work!).
___________________________I don't want to put you off with the long list of cons - I haven't had a serious health risk, and as for me personally, the meds help.
...I hope that's useful in some way.
This is the end of the thread.
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