Messages By: cingular

Quote From: yottzumm

 I have a few comments on this.   My symptoms first started as insomnia.   So I started taking restoril prescribed by my doctor.  The insomnia didn't get better.  I started to feel persecuted, and I could
feel this leaf moving around in my head that I associated with mood swings for some reason.  Finally
I went to the hospital and talked to a psychologist.  She had me sign a paper stating that I would see a psychiatrist.  Later that night, I burned several of the papers, including the doctors she recommended.  The fire alarm went off, and I thought they were going to come haul me away to the mental hospital.  They didn't come.  I went to see a psychiatrist and was placed on xanax, and antianxiety medication.  Even with that, I couldn't sleep and was severely distressed.  Finally, the doctor put me on haldol.  It had pretty bad side effects, and I still wasn't sleeping.  He put me on prozac.  I went manic, and went off all medications, I was feeling so good.  I continued to see the psychiatrist, even though I wasn't taking any medicaitons.  I went through a surgery.   About a month after the surgery, I closed my eyes and drove my car off the freeway.  This was not a suicide attempt, but I ended up in the mental hospital and back on haldol.  All this time I didn't have a real diagnosis--It takes about 6 months before they give you a schizophrenia diagnosis, probably because 1/3 recover fully and do not later require medications.  You say you would be in a mental hospital.  I really doubt you would be in a mental hospital if they found a medication that would treat you.  I work at a full time job at a top-notch research lab.  You may say that I do not have schizophrenia.  However, I feel that I have a genetic component to my illness, so it is hard to deny it.
I don't have many symptoms at this time, the main one being paranoia.

My recommendation to you would be to shut up and let the people who need treatment get it.  They already have enough trouble with this kind of thinking, stigma about mental illness, and denial that they have a problem.  I suggest that there are many people with true mental illness, and if you think you have the solution, take one into your home and treat them.

Quote From: badtrip

"The FDA has posted their tentative meeting schedules and, although I
am not sure the topic will be "adults, suicidality &
antidepressants", I want to give advocates a "heads-up" in case it is
this subject.

This meeting is listed under the Drug Safety and Risk Management
Advisory Committee and this is the same committee which heard the
2004 "children/adolescents, antidepressants and suicidality" plea. Of
course, the outcome of these two FDA meetings in 2004 was a Black Box
warning for 18's and under - plus a general warning for all
antidepressant users.

Last June the FDA announced they would study and meet for one year in
regard to antidepressants and adult suicidality. This may be the
first of their general meetings regarding this crucial issue. Some of
these meetings may have important information on how the FDA conducts
safety reviews and assesses risk.

This first meeting is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, December
8th and Friday December 9th.

There are phone numbers listed here to keep us advised.

Pass around the word and we will hopefully get Black Box warnings
about suicide on the labels for adults & antidepressants.  I can't
express how important this issue is to all of us.

Dr. Ann Blake Tracy, Executive Director,
International Coalition For Drug Awareness
www.drugawareness.org & author of Prozac: Panacea
or Pandora? - Our Serotonin Nightmare (800-280-0730

http://www.fda.gov/oc/advisory/accalendar/2005/2005TentMtgSched.html "