Posted by llrrrpp on June 14, 2006, at 8:49:21
In reply to Re: Antipsychotics RULE!, posted by bassman on June 14, 2006, at 6:26:20
I would add to bassman's post and say that any pdoc worth her salt admits that we currently don't have a great understanding of the mechanisms by which these medicines bring about psychological changes. Furthermore, we don't know very much about why some people can tolerate large doses, and why others are very sensitive to small doses. Furthermore, most pdocs have learned through experience that a certain amount of tinkering is necessary- changing the dose timing, adding augmentors, trying a new type of antipsychotic etc.
What this board does is to give us perspective on the rationale that some pdocs use for choosing certain medications. For instance, when my pdoc prescribed me 25-100 m of seroquel for my insomnia, I was reading the package insert, and it said "antipsychotic" and I was freaking out! Oh my GOD- pdoc thinks I'm psychotic... That I've got the family schizophrenia... Well. Then I read my e-mail with his instructions more closely- "I don't think you're schizophrenic, or bipolar. In my experience, seroquel works very well to augment your AD and it will help sedate you so that you can get a good night's sleep..."
So- I read on the boards that a lot of people have alsobeen prescibed seroquel for insomnia. Some with good outcomes, others with bad outcomes. It helps me think of things I should bring up with my pdoc at the next appt.
Information is power-- even if one doesn't understand all the info on this board, or even if one doesn't understand enough to separate good advice from misinformation. Being able to go see your doctor, and ask about different options gives patients an opportunity to take some control over their treatment, responsibility for what goes in our bodies, and what shouldn't go in our bodies.
Sometimes the most frustrating thing about mental illness is that we have learned not to trust ourselves, and how to be good sufferers. Having information can give us back some of that trust, as well as help us learn that we don't have to suffer through awful side effects and failed trials.
poster:llrrrpp
thread:656678
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060610/msgs/656783.html