Linus Posted August 15, 2019 Share Posted August 15, 2019 Important for US citizens. Senator Bernie Sanders, 2020 presidential candidate, recently did an interview with Joe Rogan. One of the issues he discussed was the broken mental health system in America and pharmaceutical drugs. Sanders is widely know for his criticism of pharmaceutical companies (their pricing policy aka greed). He wants to include mental health counseling in his Medicare for All plan. He also says we should be studying the effect of pharmaceutical drugs on people's behaviour (including violent behaviour). He says he is worried about overmedicating and kids getting an ADHD label. Sounds like someone who is willing to listen to people who suffer from prescribed harm. Starts at 42:20 Escitalopram 1.05 mg (max of 30 mg, taper from 10 mg to now started september 2016) Klonopin 0.3 mg (one dosage reduction of 25 percent, from 0.4 to 0.3 mg september 2017) Supplements: magnesium malate, fish oil, curcumin, multivitamin, iodine, probiotics, vitamine D along with eating healthy 80 percent of the time, I have no problem whatsoever taking supplements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Emeritus Shep Posted August 17, 2019 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted August 17, 2019 @Linus Thanks for posting this. In addition to the issues you posted about, I liked that Mr. Sanders went into the concept of "diseases of despair" as being the REAL reason for all of the emotional distress (no chemical imbalance was ever mentioned, so that's progress). The way to fix this is in fixing the economy so that people have good jobs, healthcare, and good schools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus Posted August 17, 2019 Author Share Posted August 17, 2019 @Shep Thanks for your comment. I completely agree, as a European citizen I am dumbfounded by the way the richest country in the world, organises health care. The US is the only major industrialized country that does not guarantee its citizens single payer healthcare. Now, don't get me wrong, we have a lot of issues with the quality of health care in Europe as well, namely overprescription, potentially harmful drugs that have no or little benefit, the pharmaceutical industry having way too much influence etc., basically the same problems as in the US. I personally think senator Sanders is someone who, if given the right information, would take a hard look at what pharmaceutical companies bring to the market. I have been following Bernie Sanders ever since he launched his bid in 2015, and he never ceases to amaze me. He has so many great ideas, I am rooting for him. And yes, "diseases of despair" is a great way to describe the harm that is being done by neoliberal policies. Take care Shep. Escitalopram 1.05 mg (max of 30 mg, taper from 10 mg to now started september 2016) Klonopin 0.3 mg (one dosage reduction of 25 percent, from 0.4 to 0.3 mg september 2017) Supplements: magnesium malate, fish oil, curcumin, multivitamin, iodine, probiotics, vitamine D along with eating healthy 80 percent of the time, I have no problem whatsoever taking supplements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drugged Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 My spouse and I supported Bernie in his 2016 bid and we continue to do so. He is truly amazing. Not only the scope of his ideas but his willingness to learn about issues that perhaps haven't been on his radar previously. I suspect though that his wife may be an influence on him when it comes to his attitude concerning 'mental' illness (I think of it as more of a societal illness) and the need for options other than prescription drugs, especially for children. His wife was a college administrator I believe. 1994 Venlafaxine XR 300mg, 2003 tapered, 2004 off briefly back to 37.5 then 75mg, held, June 2019 up to 150mg, Aug.12 tapered down to 112.5mgs, Oct. 21, 2019 96mg; Dec. 8, 2019 90mg, Jan. 8 2020 81mg, Feb. 4, 75mg; April 17, 2023 37.5mg 2003/2004? Diazepam 10mg/bedtime 2013 Lyrica 300mg to 25mg; April 6, 2020 17mg; April 28, <5mg; May 7, 2020 Lyrica 0 mg! 2013 Tramadol 50mg tablets, 200mg/day divided 2005? Trazodone 50mg bedtime, Feb. 12, 2020 40mg, March 7, 25mg; Oct 1 20mg; 0mg! 2009? Zolpidem 5mg at bedtime. Nov. 9, 2019 Zolpidem 0 mg! 1990? Omeprazole 20mg in morning. 2010? Levothyroxine 75mcg morning 2011? Liothyronine 5mcg morning 1999? Buspirone 30mg twice a day August 2019 15mg once a day, Oct.21, 2019 2.5mg evening Oct. 25, 2019 Buspirone 0 mg! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryder Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 I like how he mentions when he was a kid, ADHD just meant you would run around outside with your friends instead of being medicated. A bit of a common sense approach. 2008-2012: Cymbalta, Zyprexa, Valium (5 days supply), 2012 - Seroquel x 4 weeks C/T. 2014 - Seroquel x 2 Weeks C/T. Crossed to Risperidone 3mg for 6months until December. 2014 - Stopped Risperidone. Xfer > Anti-Depressant 200mg Zoloft and 6mg Clonazepam. 2018 - 150mg Clomipromine changed Anti-depressant. Tapered Benzo to 1mg Clonazepam. 2019 - xfer to 20mg Diazepam. Currently: Anafranil: 75mg. 17th Dec 2022 70mg. 27th Dec 22: 75mg, 14 January 23': 70mg. 16-26th January: 50mg (too fast drop no sleep). Jan 28th 2023: 70mg. 20 Feb 2023: 65mg. 11/06: 60mg 9/08: 55mg 15/08/23 : 50mg 3/03/2024: 60mg (Updose) Diazepam (V): 25th Oct 2019' 20mg. 22 Dec 19' 19mg. 04 Apr 2020' 18mg, 30 September 20' 17.5mg , 13 Nov 2020' 17mg. 01 January 2021: 16mg, 13th Aug 21' 15mg. 1st Nov' 2021 14.5mg. 1st Dec' 2021 14mg. 13 January 2022: 13.5mg, 11 Feb: 13mg. 11 April 22' 12.5mg, 12 May 22': 12mg, 6th September 2022: 11mg Valium. 9th October: 10.5mg, 25th Oct 10mg. 12 March 23: 9.5mg 2 April: 9.25mg 23 April: 9mg 12/05: 8.75 26/05: 8.5 12/09: 8.25 21/09: 8.5. 3/10: 8.25 17/10: 8mg 20th Nov Brassmonkey: (7.9.,7.8, 7.75) 5 Feb: 7.25mg. 23 Feb: 7mg *. Have tried to go at faster rate than 0.5mg but is currently too fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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