Jane Kelley On (13 Dec 96) was overheard to say to Mark Probert
 JK> MP>This is one of the lies promulgated by the anti-pharmacotherapy
 JK> MP> twits.With Prozac prescribed as much as it is, why is there no
 JK> MP> widespread outbreak of problems? Because it does not happen.
 JK> Tain't no lie.   I have two friends who are sober bipolar alcoholics
 JK> who were put on Prozac at different times.
 Prozac is not the medication of choice for treatment of bipolar
 disorder.  Bipolar disorder is most usually treated with lithium in
 one of it's many incarnations in combination with, most often,
 carbamazepine.
 I don't have to go into what prozac us most usually prescribed for
 since I'm sure you already know but insist on manipulating
 information in attempts to support your thesis.
 JK> Gave both of them a ride in my rather small Mazda pickup, not at
 JK> the same time, and both of them weirded out on Prozac.
 Maybe it was your driving.  "weirded out on prozac" what a wonderful
 clinical description.  Does that phrase appear in your copy of DSM-IV
 under bi-polar or any other disorder?
 JK> In both cases they got hold of the psychiatrist who prescribed the
 JK> drug and demanded that they be immediately taken off it.  And in both
 JK> cases they were and have not had a repitition of the incident.
 What tripe!  If I were taking a medication and had an adverse side
 effect I wouldn't call my doc and "demand" anything.  I'd simply stop
 taking it and TELL her that the med was not right for me and TELL her
 that an alternative was needed.
 JK> Responsible M.D.'s in this area who have had similar experiences with
 JK> both bipolar patients as well as those who are alcoholics will not
 JK> prescribe Prozac or any similar drug for people with this diagnosis.
 Well no duh Jane ... maybe the psychiatrist who Rx'd prozac for the
 other two was not a responsible/knowledgeable doc and the others know
 that prozac is not used for treatment of bi-polar.
 JK> Irresponsible M.D.'w will just have to find out the hard way that I
 JK> know what I am talking about.
 If you are, in fact, a nurse Jane you know that most doctors consider
 that most nurses are only slightly higher in the food chain than a
 slug.  Do you really think any doc in your area is peering over
 her or his shoulder looking out for the dreaded nurse Jane..??
 JK> There are some drugs that patients with a family history of the
 JK> bipolar illness or alcoholism just cannot tolerate.  Prozac just
 JK> happens to be one of them.
 ....and .... ??
 JK> There are also incidents which I have heard of since where some
 JK> patients have become violent under its influence.  I cannot document
 JK> this,
 Hearsay is not proof .. it is nothing more than rumor and idle
 gossip, certainly not worth mentioning here, so why do it?
 JK> I do those who believe that "wonder drugs" are a viable
 JK> alternative to common sense and alternative therapy to have a good
 JK> long talk with a pharmacist before allowing any medication at all
 JK> to be given to their children.
 "wonder drugs" is very seldom a phrase used by a medical
 professional, I most often see it in a media piece written by some
 hack who knows nothing about the subject or hear it in conversation
 with non-medical people who simply have not taken the time to
 investigate what they are talking about.  If I spoke to a pharmacist
 who recommended against the used of drug therapy I'm damn sure I'd
 find another pharmacist and probably report that person to the
 regulatory agency (Pharmacy Board in VA) as being deserving of
 investigation.
... Hey You!  Gene Police!  YES YOU!!  Out of the pool NOW!!
--- PPoint 2.02
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