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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Jerrympls on November 18, 2002, at 20:09:38
So, I told my pdoc today that I didn't expect him to put me on Vicodin - but that when I have been on it in the past it helps me tremenously. I told him the main thing was that it wiped out any apathy.
His response: he was quiet for a moment and said that that's a possible treatment down the line and that opiates along with dopamine antagonists and hormone therapy are being studied but no really strong conclusive results have been published as of yet.
At least he didn't treat me like a drug addict. He's always encouraged me to research meds, etc and has always listened to info I dig up on the internet. So,I trust him and have much respect for him because he gives me the same.
I guess for now I'll have to live with increasing my other meds and adding fish oils.
Just thought some of you may like to know......
As for the fish oil: Cross your fingers......
Posted by utopizen on November 18, 2002, at 20:21:50
In reply to So, I talked to my pdoc about opiates for TRD, posted by Jerrympls on November 18, 2002, at 20:09:38
> His response: he was quiet for a moment and said that that's a possible treatment down the line and that opiates along with dopamine antagonists and hormone therapy are being studied but no really strong conclusive results have been published as of yet.
>Wow. I''d probably get a good laugh out of him until he stopped to notice I was serious, or get a very bad look from him...
Posted by Alan on November 18, 2002, at 20:23:54
In reply to So, I talked to my pdoc about opiates for TRD, posted by Jerrympls on November 18, 2002, at 20:09:38
Curious. If you tell your doctor that a medication helps tremendously, perhaps more than any other, why would an answer come back to the effect that waiting down the line for research results be a meaningful answer? Not meaning to be provocative but what does that have to do with treating you compassionately as an individual as opposed to a "case" or statistic? Or did I miss something from before? Sorry if I did.
Best,
Alan
Posted by Jerrympls on November 18, 2002, at 20:37:17
In reply to Re: So, I talked to my pdoc about opiates for TRD, posted by Alan on November 18, 2002, at 20:23:54
> Curious. If you tell your doctor that a medication helps tremendously, perhaps more than any other, why would an answer come back to the effect that waiting down the line for research results be a meaningful answer? Not meaning to be provocative but what does that have to do with treating you compassionately as an individual as opposed to a "case" or statistic? Or did I miss something from before? Sorry if I did.
>
> Best,
>
> AlanNo - you didn't miss anything. Very good question actually as I had pondered the same thoughts before and during my appt. I'm already being seen for use of an "experimental" treatment and he made that point along with not wanting to change too many things at once (I"m stopping one of my meds and raising two others). I'm also seeing a "research" endocrinologist in a month and my pdoc didn't want to mess with anything until we get some results from hormone,cortisol, etc tests.
So we'll see.....
Posted by oracle on November 19, 2002, at 0:45:59
In reply to Re: So, I talked to my pdoc about opiates for TRD » Alan, posted by Jerrympls on November 18, 2002, at 20:37:17
> So we'll see.....
A doc does not give opiates for non pain/off label issue without being able to show other
methods have been tried. At least not with
the DEA watching.
Posted by missliz on November 20, 2002, at 2:08:06
In reply to Re: So, I talked to my pdoc about opiates for TRD, posted by oracle on November 19, 2002, at 0:45:59
The man could lose his license for handing out opiates- and they don't do so well in the long term, unfortunately. I've actually been on a generous dose of Vikes while the orthopedists put me back together over the last two years, and yes it does help, but as a long term treatment it's a really dirty drug that's fraught with a few problems. I'd love a drug that tickled the opiate receptors without the nasty codeine hangover or grogginess or tolerance/ dependancy problems. Or the crap society would attach to me. Mental illness is enough.
Opiates have been the treatment for mental illness for thousands of years, but this culture doesn't tolerate their use. Dying cancer patients can't get decently medicated either. Why? Some petty bureaucrat made himself a wheel by generating racist hysteria over that demon weed marijuana, then went after opiates, cocaine, everything that's a scheduled drug now. Through the 1920's being an opium eater was not a big deal. Western civilization would not have happened without the stuff.
My doc made essentially the same comment to me but out of the blue, and he was trying to be helpful and figure out how to use that bit of information to tweak my meds to work better. The psychs know that opiates are a great AD for some people, but their hands are tied. The studies are being done- along with research on LSD, psillocybin, peyote, ect.
In the meantime- exercise. Not a stroll, but hard training. Your brain will make a fabulous array of opiate like substances if you work hard. A surprising number of elite endurance athletes are self medicating depressives. I got along like that for years, then got too sick to be ignored any longer.
Something to think about.Missliz
This is the end of the thread.
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