Is your depression depressed?

Posted on 16. Mar, 2009 by Keith O'Brien in Random Thoughts

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Now, I don’t need to write a blog about our reliance on drugs as a nation.  We are so hypocritical.  Dope is still illegal but a pharmaceutical company can create a new drug that they don’t even know how it works and our Nation’s drug approval agency green lights it. 

It’s disgusting. 

I am not advocating for the legalization of marijuana (although there are certainly worse ideas out there), but I think the whole process just stinks.  

Drugs the government doesn’t make money on = bad.

Drugs the government does make money on = good.

I saw a commercial tonight that I couldn’t believe even for pharmaceutical companies.  It was for the new FDA approved drug called Abilify made by the lovely people at Bristol-Myers Squibb. 

ablify

Thanks guys!  I appreciate the value you add to the world with this one!

This drug is for people who are on anti-depressants and are still depressed.  It’s for people that Zolaf and such aren’t strong enough.  I am not knocking the use of anti-depressants.  I don’t really understand depression, but I lost a friend to the condition and if anti-depressants could have saved her…then pop away. 

This isn’t about that.

So here’s the deal on how many drugs get to market.   Granted, this is a very simplified version.

Scientists walk blindfolded backwards into many new drugs.   They are looking for something and find something else.  Many are educated accidents.

 

On the Ambilify website, we’ll find this main tab…

“How Ambilify is Thought To Work”

Are you kidding me?

Let me get this straight.  A drug is created and we test it a bit.  We aren’t certain how it works and our main watchdog agency approves it to market.

Does anyone else have a problem with this?

The FDA could quite possibly be the most disgusting, corrupt agencies in our government…and that is a BOLD statement.

Oh yeah…this is where it gets fun.

This is their warning statement.  I know most of the drugs have long ones, but this sets a new standard.

Antidepressants may increase suicidal thoughts or behaviors in some children, teenagers, and young adults, especially within the first few months of treatment or when the dose is changed. Depression and other serious mental illnesses are themselves associated with an increase in the risk of suicide. Patients on antidepressants and their families or caregivers should watch for new or worsening depression symptoms, unusual changes in behavior, or thoughts of suicide. Such symptoms should be reported to the patient’s healthcare professional right away, especially if they are severe or occur suddenly. ABILIFY is not approved for use in pediatric patients with depression (see Boxed WARNING).

Elderly people with psychosis related to dementia (for example, an inability to perform daily activities as a result of increased memory loss), treated with antipsychotic medicines including ABILIFY, are at an increased risk of death compared to placebo. ABILIFY is not approved for the treatment of people with dementia-related psychosis (see Boxed WARNING).

Contraindication:Patients should not use ABILIFY if they are allergic to aripiprazole or any of the ingredients in ABILIFY. Allergic reactions have ranged from rash, hives and itching to anaphylaxis, which may include difficulty breathing, tightness in the chest, swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue.

Serious side effects may include:

  • An increased risk of strokeand ministroke have been reported in clinical studies of elderly people with dementia-related psychosis
  • Very high fever, rigid muscles, shaking, confusion, sweating, or increased heart rate and blood pressure. These may be signs of a condition called neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), a rare but serious side effect which could be fatal
  • Abnormal or uncontrollable movements of face, tongue, or other parts of body. These may be signs of a serious condition called tardive dyskinesia (TD), which could become permanent
  • If you have diabetes, or risk factors for diabetes (for example, obesity, family history of diabetes), or unexpected increases in thirst, urination, or hunger, your blood sugar should be monitored. Increases in blood sugar levels(hyperglycemia), in some cases serious and associated with coma or death, have been reported in patients taking ABILIFY and medicines like it

Lightheadedness or faintness caused by a sudden change in heart rate and blood pressure when rising quickly from a sitting or lying position (orthostatic hypotension) has been reported with ABILIFY.

ABILIFY and medicines like it can affect your judgment, thinking, or motor skills. You should not drive or operate hazardous machinery until you know how ABILIFY affects you.

Medicines like ABILIFY can impact your body’s ability to reduce body temperature; you should avoid overheating and dehydration.

ABILIFY and medicines like it have been associated with swallowing problems (dysphagia). If you had or have swallowing problems, you should tell your healthcare professional.

Tell your healthcare professional if you have a history of or at a risk for seizures, or are pregnant or intend to become pregnant, and about all prescription and non-prescription medicines you are taking or plan to take, since there are some risks for drug interactions.

While taking ABILIFY, avoid:

  • Drinking alcohol
  • Breast-feeding an infant

Most common side effects (≥10%) from all clinical trials involving adults include:

  • ADULTS: Nausea, vomiting, constipation, headache, dizziness, an inner sense of restlessness or need to move (akathisia), anxiety, insomnia, and restlessness

It is important to contact your healthcare professional if you experience prolonged, abnormal muscle spasm or contraction which may be signs of a condition called dystonia.

Are you tired yet? 

There is more text copy in the disclaimer than on the entire site.  But I suppose that makes sense since they don’t know how the damn thing works.

This really should be criminal.  The side effects include an “inner feeling of restlessness and anxiety.” 

Isn’t that a lot like depression?

Unbelievable.

What are we doing? 

People…we need to find our center as a society.   We need to strip away all the crap we have convinced ourselves of and reconnect to what makes us happy…whether it fits any of the conventional rules or not.

Until we get clear, we don’t have the ability to go after widespread change, nor do we deserve it.  We are fueling the machine.

Disconnect from the stories and connect with people.

Unplug from the matrix.

Stop believing the movies.

When our drugs start needing drugs…it’s time to do things a bit differently.

If this post made you depressed and your current medication just isn’t cutting it…

http://www.abilify.com/Default.aspx

Perhaps this will help.  But careful, you’ll likely puke on yourself, crap yourself, fall over dizzy and develop a muscle spasm that will be permanent, but I am sure it will be worth it. 

The FDA says so…it must be okay. : )

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