How To Cope With Stress

[Tucker Case]

Agreed. I also think some people view ADD drugs as prescription babysitters. It seems that 80% of the ADD meds are prescribed to younger boys (ages 5-15) and are rarely prescribed to girls of the same age. Little boys tend to be hyper and have energy (not saying that girls don't, but they are usually not as rowdy). I think parents (and especially teachers who deal with them in class) want the kids on these meds because they don't want to deal with a hyper boy.

Coincidentally most of the adults I see on this are middle aged women (and some men who are on it due to having been on it since childhood). From a pharmacological standpoint I fear for the health of these individuals as they get older. ADD meds usually increase the heart rate as a side effect and I fear for the heart health of adults who are aging and have been on this stuff for decades. That's a tangent though.

When it comes to behavioral and mental diseases like ADD, depression, anxiety and the like, I think therapy and lifestyle changes should always be the first course of treatment (unless circumstances are extreme like having a genuinely suicidal patient or someone who has physiological panic attacks from anxiety). Many have never even seen a therapist and just get these prescriptions from their general practitioner. I could go on more, but Ill stop :lol:

I could go on for hours about this as well. :lol: But I want you to know how much it warms my heart to know that a young pharmacist holds the same views as I do on this.

Personally, I wish general practitioners stopped prescribing these drugs altogether. It's unethical of them to do so. Think about it, if I have a problem with my foot, I end up being sent to a specialist. A problem with my eyes? Specialist. Back? Specialist.

But if I have debilitating depression or anxiety, these jackasses think that they are qualified to treat it by simply writing a script. No specialist at all. Not even a psychiatrist. And no attempts are made to treat the actual problem. Just cover it up by drugging the **** out of the person.

These drugs are absolutely necessary for some of the people who are using them. But even those people will have better outcomes if the drugs are combined with therapy. And for most people, therapy tends tyo have better long term outcomes. Without any of the side-effects.

 

[digsbe]

Yeah... don't take it all too serious. Many medicine simply do the job. Making you feel ok is something different from being anxious or over active in that sense.

Those medicines can cause patients to be dependent on them or face intense withdrawal and in many cases those drugs are addictive and highly abusive. I'm a pharmacy tech and an accepted and future pharmacy student (and future licensed pharmacist) and I think the less medication someone can be on, the better they will be. Many people want these drugs so they can abuse them or sell them to others. Many enjoy the effects or "high" that they get and become addicted. Many people don't need medications for behavioral/mental disorders. And I think 99% of patients should see a therapist first. Sometimes depression, anxiety, and ADD are character/lifestyle flaws and not necessarily disorders that require medication therapy.

Xanax/Alprazolam is very common for the treatment of anxiety. It's also one of the most widely prescribed drugs. Patients on this drug build a resistance to it over time, meaning that dosage increases are necessary. I've literally seen a patient on the 1mg (one of the highest strengths of the drug) 5 times a day for anxiety due to the fact that she has been on it for years and now has a tolerance. If these people ever miss a dose or go off of it they will be in serious drug withdrawals.

Drugs for depression usually work by altering brain chemistry. This is why when taking an anti-depressant it can take several weeks for it to work (because brain chemistry is being changed). Many of these drugs can have side effects like causing patients to lose libido (which I've seen hurt marriages). It can also cause people to become lethargic and other things as well. Take these people off their meds and they will go through withdrawal. I've literally seen patients who did not call in their refill and missed a dose come up to the pharmacy shaking and barely able to communicate.

Drugs like this shouldn't be handed out liberally nor should they be commonly used as a first course of treatment. It does impact the patient and the best health scenario for the patient i to manage things without the use of these medications. I'm not against prescribing them and I recognize their importance and uses, but they shouldn't be a first course of treatment and as I said, it is better for the patient's health for them to not have to go on these drugs in the first place.

 

[Pinkie]

No, and you're not helping either.

Well, then, possibly a tutor might be helpful?

In any event, what's a middle school aged child doing posting on the internet at 2:30 in the afternoon on a Thursday? Why aren't you in like 6th period math or geography or something?

You're gonna need this education when you grow up.....honest.

 

[Tucker Case]

It's funny that the pharmacist and the future therapist are arguing the same thing about these drugs.

People could claim that I am arguing my position because I could theoretically benefit from it becoming the norm, but having digs arguing the same thing counteracts that since he could theoretically end up lose from it becoming the norm.

 

[Pinkie]

I could go on for hours about this as well. :lol: But I want you to know how much it warms my heart to know that a young pharmacist holds the same views as I do on this.

Personally, I wish general practitioners stopped prescribing these drugs altogether. It's unethical of them to do so. Think about it, if I have a problem with my foot, I end up being sent to a specialist. A problem with my eyes? Specialist. Back? Specialist.

But if I have debilitating depression or anxiety, these jackasses think that they are qualified to treat it by simply writing a script. No specialist at all. Not even a psychiatrist. And no attempts are made to treat the actual problem. Just cover it up by drugging the **** out of the person.

These drugs are absolutely necessary for some of the people who are using them. But even those people will have better outcomes if the drugs are combined with therapy. And for most people, therapy tends tyo have better long term outcomes. Without any of the side-effects.

I couldn't agree more. When I read that some M.D.s had began diagnosing and medicating for bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia and the like in PRE-VERBAL toddlers, I thought my head would explode with rage.

 

[Pinkie]

It's funny that the pharmacist and the future therapist are arguing the same thing about these drugs.

People could claim that I am arguing my position because I could theoretically benefit from it becoming the norm, but having digs arguing the same thing counteracts that since he could theoretically end up lose from it becoming the norm.

No, I think its normal, healthy adult conduct. You and digsbe both wish to lead ethical professional lives. I say "more power to ya".

Yanno, Tucker, I'm allergic to codeine. About 5 years ago, I had been misdiagnosied with fibromyalgia, and was seeing the Pain Clinic M.D.s at the Cleveland Clinic.

I am HIGHLY allergic to codeine...and did not know that vicodin, oxycodin, etc. are nothing but synthetic codeine in various formulations. For 2 YEARS, I suffered from all the side effects and got no pain relief whatsoever. I mean severe itching, shortness of breath, etc. I'd complain, get a new script, and go fill it, thinking I was actually getting something I WASN'T allergic to.

It was a pharmacist in a locally-owned chain that sat me down and explained I was basically being poisoned over and over by my M.D. I'm not thrilled to be allergic to codeine, but I was certainly thrilled to get off that merry-go-round.

I should have sued that Pain Clinic's M.D.'s until they had to live in cardboard boxes...but in Ohio, this is VERY hard, and life is short, so I let it go.

But I will always be extremely grateful to that pharmacist.

 

[Djoop]

Those medicines can cause patients to be dependent on them or face intense withdrawal and in many cases those drugs are addictive and highly abusive. I'm a pharmacy tech and an accepted and future pharmacy student (and future licensed pharmacist) and I think the less medication someone can be on, the better they will be. Many people want these drugs so they can abuse them or sell them to others. Many enjoy the effects or "high" that they get and become addicted. Many people don't need medications for behavioral/mental disorders.And I think 99% of patients should see a therapist first. Sometimes depression, anxiety, and ADD are character/lifestyle flaws and not necessarily disorders that require medication therapy.
Xanax/Alprazolam is very common for the treatment of anxiety. It's also one of the most widely prescribed drugs. Patients on this drug build a resistance to it over time, meaning that dosage increases are necessary. I've literally seen a patient on the 1mg (one of the highest strengths of the drug) 5 times a day for anxiety due to the fact that she has been on it for years and now has a tolerance. If these people ever miss a dose or go off of it they will be in serious drug withdrawals.
Drugs for depression usually work by altering brain chemistry. This is why when taking an anti-depressant it can take several weeks for it to work (because brain chemistry is being changed). Many of these drugs can have side effects like causing patients to lose libido (which I've seen hurt marriages). It can also cause people to become lethargic and other things as well. Take these people off their meds and they will go through withdrawal. I've literally seen patients who did not call in their refill and missed a dose come up to the pharmacy shaking and barely able to communicate.
Drugs like this shouldn't be handed out liberally nor should they be commonly used as a first course of treatment. It does impact the patient and the best health scenario for the patient i to manage things without the use of these medications. I'm not against prescribing them and I recognize their importance and uses, but they shouldn't be a first course of treatment and as I said, it is better for the patient's health for them to not have to go on these drugs in the first place.

Behavioral therapy can change and modulate mood states. It works from the top down, altering how people react to emotional stimuli in their environment. Drugs work from the bottom up, modulating neurotransmitters in the brainstem, which drive basic emotional behaviors. Where do you think the future is as far as treatment is concerned, drugs or therapy? I dont now the situation in the US, but over here many kids are wrongly diagnosed with ADD. That's the problem, not the fact certain drugs can restore the chemical imbalance some people suffer. If you're anxious some of the time should you be taking medicine all of the time? I don't think so, I do share your thoughts about using as little as possible.

Well, then, possibly a tutor might be helpful?
In any event, what's a middle school aged child doing posting on the internet at 2:30 in the afternoon on a Thursday? Why aren't you in like 6th period math or geography or something?
You're gonna need this education when you grow up.....honest.

Middle aged school child? I wish!

It's 21:15 over here, and I was hoping on you to correct my grammar. If not, don't count on improvement.

 

[Pinkie]

Middle aged school child? I wish!

It's 21:15 over here, and I was hoping on you to correct my grammar. If not, don't count on improvement.

I do not edit for free. I charge $400/hr.

Money orders or banks checks only from new customers, and fee up front.

 

[Djoop]

I do not edit for free. I charge $400/hr.

Money orders or banks checks only from new customers, and fee up front.

References..?

 

[longview]

Luckily I do not have much stress in my life at this stage, The times I did I survived.
My medicine of choice was fishing or fencing.
There is just something about the clash of steel!
From My experience, any activity that releases endorphins, seems to help stress.

It also helps to put things in perspective. Years ago, I was trying to develop an improved product.
The kind of research I was doing had a high failure rate.
After a bad outcome from an experiment, My co worker who had been an
Airforce test Pilot turned to me and said, "well at least no body died."
It kind of painted my failed experiment in a better light.

 

[Jryan]

I could go on for hours about this as well. :lol: But I want you to know how much it warms my heart to know that a young pharmacist holds the same views as I do on this.

Personally, I wish general practitioners stopped prescribing these drugs altogether. It's unethical of them to do so. Think about it, if I have a problem with my foot, I end up being sent to a specialist. A problem with my eyes? Specialist. Back? Specialist.

But if I have debilitating depression or anxiety, these jackasses think that they are qualified to treat it by simply writing a script. No specialist at all. Not even a psychiatrist. And no attempts are made to treat the actual problem. Just cover it up by drugging the **** out of the person.

These drugs are absolutely necessary for some of the people who are using them. But even those people will have better outcomes if the drugs are combined with therapy. And for most people, therapy tends tyo have better long term outcomes. Without any of the side-effects.

Luckily you aren't in control of regulations...

I, personally, was on Ritalin (Maybe Adderall) from the 5th grade to the 8th grade when I decided I would try going without medicine, which I did up until my second year of college. I have noticed that adderall DOES help me, although I will admit I think IR's work better for me. I hate to say it but you have been ruined by people who either:

A) Get addicted to drugs.
or
B) Sell the drugs.
or
C) Are on it but should really be on something else because the medication doesn't work for them.

I personally don't push for my doctor to write me any perscription. I mean, if I try XR XR XR XR XR XR and nothing is working I might say, "Hey, we've tried XRs over and over. Maybe we should try a different approach." Again, I also think that all these drugs should be legal. Now and again I think it would be good for me to have a xanax considering some nights I'm freaking out (and by some I mean like once every 6 months so nothing to mention to my doctor anything about).

Then if someone gets addicted or abuses it, that is what rehab is for.

I just think it is disturbing that we have gotten to the point where we would rather deprive people of needed medication over the fact that their are addicts. Why deprive a functioning member of society something that could benefit their life 10 fold because a group of people decide they wanna be high all the time.

Anyways, to address some other posts about my doctor. I do think that she did a bad thing lying to me and that I hope she isn't a person who is writing prescriptions to people that are abusing medication. I would have to say though that I think it is a ****ty game we play with doctors. If I think I need a drug, why shouldn't I be able to ask for it?

 

[Tucker Case]

Luckily you aren't in control of regulations...

I, personally, was on Ritalin (Maybe Adderall) from the 5th grade to the 8th grade when I decided I would try going without medicine, which I did up until my second year of college. I have noticed that adderall DOES help me, although I will admit I think IR's work better for me. I hate to say it but you have been ruined by people who either:

A) Get addicted to drugs.
or
B) Sell the drugs.
or
C) Are on it but should really be on something else because the medication doesn't work for them.

I personally don't push for my doctor to write me any perscription. I mean, if I try XR XR XR XR XR XR and nothing is working I might say, "Hey, we've tried XRs over and over. Maybe we should try a different approach." Again, I also think that all these drugs should be legal. Now and again I think it would be good for me to have a xanax considering some nights I'm freaking out (and by some I mean like once every 6 months so nothing to mention to my doctor anything about).

Then if someone gets addicted or abuses it, that is what rehab is for.

I just think it is disturbing that we have gotten to the point where we would rather deprive people of needed medication over the fact that their are addicts. Why deprive a functioning member of society something that could benefit their life 10 fold because a group of people decide they wanna be high all the time.

Anyways, to address some other posts about my doctor. I do think that she did a bad thing lying to me and that I hope she isn't a person who is writing prescriptions to people that are abusing medication. I would have to say though that I think it is a ****ty game we play with doctors. If I think I need a drug, why shouldn't I be able to ask for it?

So going to see a specialist instead of a GP would have prevented you from receiving your medication?

 

[Jryan]

So going to see a specialist instead of a GP would have prevented you from receiving your medication?

I'm not seeing a GP, I'm seeing a Psychologist who specializes in ADD/ADHD (I've also had the neurological test done as a kid and an adult). Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Taffer]

I have found that massage therapy helps quite a bit at reducing the damage that stress does to your body. Your muscles get knotted up when stressed, especially in the neck, upper back and shoulders because without realizing it people will tense up in that area and hold the tense position for extended periods of time. Also helpful is acupuncture. I went to an Acupunturist not expecting much but thought I would try it out. I was in a lot of pain and needed some relief. I was really surprised how much it worked.

I am also a fan of naturopathic remedies if they are safe and effective. But the most important thing about all of this is to find the root cause and try to fix that, not put a band aid on the problem with medication, alcohol, or distraction.

 

[sawyerloggingon]

The biggest stress in my life is this forum, sometimes I wonder why I enjoy arguing with people. I should do a before politics forum and after politics forum blood pressure test sometime. No offense but you libs have got to make it go way up!

 

[Pinkie]

References..?

Meh, judge for yourself, Djoop.

 

[Pinkie]

The biggest stress in my life is this forum, sometimes I wonder why I enjoy arguing with people. I should do a before politics forum and after politics forum blood pressure test sometime. No offense but you libs have got to make it go way up!

Then become a liberal, sawyerloggingon.

Problem solved, easey-peasey.

 

[Connery]

One tip: stay away from negative assholes and drama queens they are very draining.

 

[lizzie]

The biggest stress in my life is this forum, sometimes I wonder why I enjoy arguing with people. I should do a before politics forum and after politics forum blood pressure test sometime. No offense but you libs have got to make it go way up!

But that's GOOD stress. Everybody needs some good stress to counter-balance the bad stress. :lol:

 

[digsbe]

It's 99% Big Pharma. The rest is lazy schools, lazy parents, ****head lawyers out whoring for SSI applicants, etc.

I strongly disagree. I work in a pharmacy and we turn down prescriptions for these drugs if we suspect that the person is a drug addict. We always look them up to make sure they aren't pharmacy hopping or trying to fill their drugs too soon. Pharmacies are regulated heavily (and I cannot stress that enough), far more so than physicians and prescribers who write for the stuff. No pharmacist I have ever worked with has even recommended one of these drugs to a prescriber before when they ask. I really do not think that it's big pharma, in fact many of these drugs go on manufacturers back order.

If I had a hyper kid (in an adult, ADD is a different kettle of fish), I'd try a whole raft of things BEFORE I even considered medicating him or her. And if I decided to resort to medications, I'd get them from my child's pediatrician and have the child closely monitored for side-effects -- and the fact that this was going on would NEVER enter that child's school records.

I can agree with this and I think that would be acting responsible. Although I would probably have them see a psychiatrist instead of their pediatrician. The psychiatrist is a specialist at problems like ADD and will know what's best. They also receive clinical training that allows them to prescribe drugs within their practice. Run all your side effects by your pharmacist, they are the drug experts :mrgreen:

These parents who lust after SSI for the "ADD" child, etc. fail to realize they are labeling their child FOR LIFE. Such a child will never be admitted into the military and likely will face other barriers as an adult.

I think the main thing would be the fact that they are a patient on one of the highest legally controlled substances. Employers don't ask for prescription data, and no health care facility is allowed to release that patient information. The only ones who would know is the military (like you said) and maybe law enforcement if your child ever got into trouble with the law. Although they can't do anything if your child has a legal prescription, they could if they were abusing the drug, sharing it or selling it (especially driving while under any influence that would impair ability).

If this MUST be done, at least do so in privacy and protect your child's future.

Patient privacy is very tightly regulated, at least at the pharmacy end. The HIPAA laws are very strict and if any patient information was leaked out then the person who leaked it is breaking the law and may face charges. In pharmacy we can't even give someone's spouse their patient information or medical history. Everything has to be done in secret or indirectly. If there is an insurance issue and if I have to call a patient and leave a message I only say "we would appreciate it if you contacted the pharmacy regarding your prescription." I don't say that there is an insurance issue, I don't say the name of the drug, I don't even give the name of the patient (Usually first name if it's a household). It would be illegal for me to give out any personal identifying info. All healthcare facilities and pretty much everyone who handles patient information is very strictly controlled. To work as a pharmacy tech I had to have hours of training in patient health laws/policies and register with the state to certify that I have had training to satisfactory levels that the state requires.

 

[Jryan]

I strongly disagree. I work in a pharmacy and we turn down prescriptions for these drugs if we suspect that the person is a drug addict. We always look them up to make sure they aren't pharmacy hopping or trying to fill their drugs too soon. Pharmacies are regulated heavily (and I cannot stress that enough), far more so than physicians and prescribers who write for the stuff. No pharmacist I have ever worked with has even recommended one of these drugs to a prescriber before when they ask. I really do not think that it's big pharma, in fact many of these drugs go on manufacturers back order.

I really hope our current system isn't reliant upon the paranoia of our pharmacist...

 

[Jryan]

The biggest stress in my life is this forum, sometimes I wonder why I enjoy arguing with people. I should do a before politics forum and after politics forum blood pressure test sometime. No offense but you libs have got to make it go way up!

Didn't occur to me until now, but I have one word for you sawyerloggingon, "moderation".

 

[digsbe]

I really hope our current system isn't reliant upon the paranoia of our pharmacist...

What is this supposed to mean? A pharmacist dispenses medications under the authority of their license. The DEA can fine for filling a prescription too soon. We can also refuse to fill if we feel that the medication is being used inappropriately (and we can alert the police for suspicion). These things are necessary. It's not paranoia, it's just good pharmacy practice.

 

[Pinkie]

Digsbe, I consider phamacists as yet another victim of Big Pharma, not co-conspirators with them. "Big Pharma" to me means drug manufacturers and their lap dogs at the FDA.

BTW, there's very little privacy for a child's school records. If the school has him or her down as ADD, sends the kid to school nurse for meds, and does up an Individual Education Plan for him or her annually, that kid will be labeled as ADD as an adult...same with applying for SSI "on the kid's behalf", so no adult in the house has to work.

(Anyone ever wonder what became of "welfare"? Answer: SSI.)

 

[Jryan]

What is this supposed to mean? A pharmacist dispenses medications under the authority of their license. The DEA can fine for filling a prescription too soon. We can also refuse to fill if we feel that the medication is being used inappropriately (and we can alert the police for suspicion). These things are necessary. It's not paranoia, it's just good pharmacy practice.

Right but I would hate to show up one day, as a legitimate (man for lack of a better word here) drug user, to fill my prescription and be told no. Do you have the power to "suspect" someone and deny? I guess that is my question. When I say suspect I mean "He just doesn't look right". Not he comes in with 20 scripts for Oxycodone all written by different doctors for the same mG.