The illustrious assholes in the US who disagree with me

[Mari333]

I am finding that my anti war stance takes on a new form! Last week, I was told that the physician I see in my town is on maternity leave, and she had prescribed very light Xanax for me to help me cope thru the months after Michael was deployed in Iraq. I started taking it right before we found out Michael would be deployed, and now Im taking very very lite Xanax to cope and function (Im 53).
Yesterday was especially bad, as I watched the news in Fallujah and both my husband and my knees buckled.
Well, I was advised to see another physician today, and his behaviour when I told him why I was taking lite Xanax to function was enlightening. He was vehement, when I told him, that I needed something to cope through this time, and that I was working on anti war activities and trying to hold my husband up as we wait for Michael to come home.
He told me he wanted to experiment with other drugs on me. I told him I refuse to be a guinea pig right now, everything else I have tried has made me even more psychotic.
This adds even more stress to the horror and worry we live in every day.
I got the feeling, (and I listen to my instincts) that this guy doesnt like my anti war stance.
I guess if I dont function, I will be a lot less dangerous to people like him, or maybe hes just a complete asshole. I also dont think he liked me telling him his business, ego and all.
Oh well, another win win for the assholes out there who think they can shut me up.
I will function, and see a female doctor in another town, and try to cope as best I can .
There are assholes everywhere it seems.
http://www.mfso.org
anyone else have stories like this?

[stopthegop]

1. is it possible he truly wanted to help you? n/t

[sweetheart]

2. get some cannabis, it'll do the trick

and you can self-administer without those pesky doctors. :-)

Disconnect from TV, radio and newspapers.... getting off those drugs
will help your health even more. It'll do not good but to stress
you.

peace,
-s

[Mari333]

9. heh cannabis only makes me totally paranoid

visions of my past . no, cannot. I live in a town where the DEA is everywhere anyway lol.

[SemperEadem]

41. do you get physical exercise? That can be such a comforting thing

to your overall mental health... while my troubles are no where near what yours are, I found that a brisk walk or bike ride puts distance between me and what's troubling me.

I think you did the right thing with the doctor...

[K-W]

13. Thats my cure.

Though the cognitive impairment is definately an annoying side effect.

We need legalization, if the right wing is going to destroy my country, the least they can do is let me get stoned. Come on guys, have pity.

[el_gato]

3. I think taking pills to cope with life is a bad idea

You need to face reality head on.
These drugs are a scam and the "doctors" will eventually
get you permanantly hooked on these pills if you let
them.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

6. are you kidding me? Mari333 needs these pills to get thru..shit i would ..

need a fucking morphin drip or sportin a morphin patch if and when they try and draft my 3 draft age children !!!

[K-W]

8. Anti-anxiety medicine is not a scam.

Sure it would be nice if our society didnt turn us all into terrible balls of anxiety though.

[LeahMira]

16. Play one on TV???

These drugs are a scam and the "doctors" will eventually get you permanantly hooked on these pills if you let them.


Meds are appropriate in some situations. Best not practice medicine without a license.

I do think that in a stressful situation it's best to have a trusted confidant or three, but even the best friends can't always be there. We all do what we can.

But Mari, don't assume that a doctor is judging you for any anti-war stance. Sometimes even doctors have things on their minds that have nothing to do with you, and sometimes they are just tired themselves. You would hope people would give you the benefit of the doubt, wouldn't you?

[tandot]

4. It is really hard to figure out who is on our side

maybe he was on your side and thought the new drug might be better for you. It would be deplorable if he wanted to experiment with you because of your anti-war stance.

I'd give most doctors the benefit of the doubt, since they've sworn the oath to help and not hurt (although that doesn't mean anything for some docs). I thought that more doctors might be against Bush. Doesn't Bush's legislation gives more power and money to health insurance companies and HMOs. It is getting harder for doctors to effectively treat patients with all the restrictions dictated by those HMOs.

I am pretty much questioning everybody's motives right now, if I don't know their stance. Sometimes I am surprised to see who is on our side.

I hope that you get effective treatment soon. Maybe you could research the new med he wanted to prescribe on the Internet (e.g., webmd.com or just google it)?

[Mari333]

7. I have just decided to withdraw off of them slowly on my own

The stress of speaking to the doctors is too much for me now. I will take less. I only take 2 a day for christs sake.
well, I will take one now per day.
and then none.
I tried to stop taking them back in January, just stopped. Um, I ended up in the emergency room , and it was right after Michael was deployed.
Ill just stop taking them slowly. I have 20 left, and wont take any unless I totally freak out.
I hate western medicine in so many ways.

[mdmc]

11. Wheres your shrink?

(S)he can hook you up with more z. Perhaps this MD was trying to push ambien on you?

[yella_dawg]

17. As a long time Xanax-head

Xanax isn't a big deal. Very limited side effects, in my case, with very positive benefits. The withdrawal, however, is deadly. Back when, my doctor, cautioned me repeatedly that cold-turkey can be fatal. Tapering off wasn't too bad. I just set a schedule my doctor approved and stayed on schedule religiously. Piece of cake. But this was after I had divorced the stress in my life. The big problem with Xanax is that it feels so good when everything is coming apart around you.

Too bad about the cannabis. It's better than Xanax, and no major health effects.

So why do you need to cut the Xanax? Did you doctor not leave someone to handle her patients?



On Edit: Bad grammar.

[Mari333]

25. it kept me at normal functioning.

when my husband was killed when I was 36, I handled it with grief therapy and massage NO drugs. I was young, then, not 52, and the body does not handle stress as well when older.
There is a given genetic predisposition of chronic anxiety disorder in my mother, and in my family. I have it, and I see it in my kids.
I dont drink but one beer a night, and eat healthy , usually a little all day, omega 3 oils and occasional fish for health.
I want to be able to continue working my ass off as an anti war activist, and think straight, and the lite Xanax helped me do that, because in the back of my mind Michael being in Baghdad under fire is always there, always.
I am going to get thru this, I want to be there for all my kids and for Michael.
I have no support group except on here, because the military doesnt have any.
My town is republican.
Driving to Ann Arbour is out of the question, Im too stressed to get on the highways without killing myself right now lol
wish me luck and thanks for the tips they are really helpful.

[LeahMira]

5. Get a second opinion!!!

Well, I was advised to see another physician today, and his behaviour when I told him why I was taking lite Xanax to function was enlightening. He was vehement, when I told him, that I needed something to cope through this time, and that I was working on anti war activities and trying to hold my husband up as we wait for Michael to come home.
He told me he wanted to experiment with other drugs on me. I told him I refuse to be a guinea pig right now, everything else I have tried has made me even more psychotic.

Did you want a stronger dose of Xanax or did you want a different drug? It's not clear to me, so maybe it wasn't clear to the doctor.

There are other things you can do besides taking pills, although pills do help through a crisis. Any sort of relaxation exercises, i.e. yoga, or even, if you are not into exercise, some hobby (painting, knitting, gardening, etc.) can help. Now that the weather is getting better, even just getting out for a walk can help.

YOU KNOW which medications work for you. If you've found one that seems to work well, don't let anyone talk you into something else unless they have a really good reason.

And always get a second opinion!

[Mari333]

10. seeing a doc out of town hopefully on Wed..to get off of them

Im tired of seeing human beings who are intent upon making me justify why Im freaking out about our kid in Baghdad.
this town is so small, the doctors here still use leeches.
Gads I hate this town.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

14. Mari333 ..leach and maggot therapy are making a huge comeback

seriously..especially to treart diabetic wounds after ampution that get infected and will not heal...3 treatments of maggot therapy does the job!

[SpaceCatMeetsMars]

15. Yes, listen to yourself and consider

getting a different opinion. Mari, I can tell you from bitter experience that you will get a lot of advice on DU about medication and medical subjects that is not based on a good understanding of modern medicine, medications, stress or mind-body connections. Trust your instincts and find a doctor that you trust.

[fishnfla]

12. I think you should try the stronger medicines

"very very light xanax" aint working for you.

[Mari333]

19. actually it was working well for me

I was able to function very normally on them. I wont do it anymore, I am not going cold turkey I will replace the Xanax today I usually take at 2 (when I start to freak out) , with a massage. and then I get a massage on Thursday at the same time. Part of this anxiety process is that I have to have a structured schedule to keep my stress levels as low as possible.
talking to doctors and justifying my horror of my kid in Iraq to them over and over just raises the stress, and doesnt lower it.
I also am on my way to buy a new bike right now.
Biking instead of xanax, etc.
sleeping will suck Im afraid. I have panic attacks in the middle of the night and dont sleep at all .
No coffee anymore, etc.
Oh well, Ill curtail my anti war activities for a while I guess to restructure my stress levels and find other ways.

[BeHereNow]

18. His motive Mari:

Doctors get significant "perks" from
the Pharma Cartel for pushing their latest product.
When Celexa was introduced, physicians were cut
$250.00 checks for each new prescription. The drug
was later pulledwhen it was discovered to cause
cervical cancer in young women. Nice huh?
Be careful Mari- self medicating is a slippery slope and Micheal
needs you healthy and clear minded.
Please do not drink alcohol on Zanax- the combination can induce
psychotic behavior in some people.
Is there a good herbalist in your area?
A combination of herbs (valarian root tea) and
orthomolecular supplements (Omega 3&6, Calcium,
Natural Progesterone compound) will give you
anti-anxietry relief with out harming your system.
Valerian root is the molecular structure synthesized by the
pharma-cartel to produce Valium. However, Valerian root
is non-addctive but may only be used for two weeks at a time.
Over use will result in toxicity. When something bad happened
to my kid years qao, my friend, one of the world's most
famous herbalists, now deceased, gave some to me.
I would drink one cup as he prescribed and be in a
coma within a half an hour! It is STRONG stuff, but
I would not have slept without it. My mind would just
run on rapid nightmare mode and I could not sleep
for days, but once I had the valerian root, I slept
like a baby and woke up completely refreshed.
If you can't find it in your area, I would be happy to
send you some.
(((Hugs)))
BHN

[Mari333]

20. Good idea Im off to the health food store

valerian root smells like old sox but it does work.
Yes, the doc almost threw me out of the office when I mentioned he was trying to use me as a guinea pig with any number of drugs to boost his stock investments (I did say that to him after he looked aghast at my statement about being anti war)
Oh well.

[BeHereNow]

21. FEK him-

Find yourself a good holistic doctor.
That's what I did years ago and I aint looked back!
Ann Arbor is pretty progressive- I bet you could find
some good alternative health people there.
As I woman, I can not tell you what a difference
Natural Progesterone therapy has made for me.
BHN

[ElsewheresDaughter]

22. valarian root is valium ..i grow the plant and harvest the root in fall

dry it in dry cool dark place until next fall then
grind it into powder....be careful it is a pharma secert

[Mari333]

23. Just got back from the health food store

valerian root tea
green tea
CQ10
rescue remedy
Magnesium with Vitamin D 600 mg
and Im drinking Valerian tea right now.
and I have a massage at 2.
It cost a LOT but I have to do it, to get off the f*cking witch doctor grid.
thats it, no more western medicine for me except for the synthroid I take.
The doc, by the way, didnt like my anti war stance. Thats when I saw his body language cover up.
He seemed upset I was involved in it, and told me to stop, it was bad for stress and would I like to try some Celebrex?
Gads.

[Sophree]

29. I take a magnesium and calcium supplement w/ vitamin C

And I posted above about massages before I read your post. They work wonders!

[Sophree]

28. definitely

Doctors push anti-depressants as a cure-all on people WAY too much. Especially women. Don't let him take advantage of you! Your first instinct is probably the right one- feeling like a guinea pig.

Mari, if you are having panic attacks- don't feel bad about taking Xanax until you work through this difficult time. That is what it's for!

Long-term, definitely look into finding a Naturopathic Doctor. Supplements and a change in diet can work wonders. Massages and warm baths work wonders, too. Especially right before bed, so you rest more easily.

:hug:

[Paranoid_Portlander]

34. Doctors push antidepressants because...

... they are not controlled substances. Doctors are very much afraid of the DEA and its draconian restraints against controlled substances, such as Xanax, so they try to direct the patients to antidepressants, using phoney excuses like "that's too expensive". I have never met a doctor who admitted the real reason (the DEA).

[lojasmo]

24. xanax=adictive

There are perfectly appropriate, non-adictive treaments for anxiety and depression. I wouldn't be too dismissive of a doc who doesn't want you to be taking a benzodiazapine. Think about something like Paxil. I'm sure that's what your doc is thinking of.

[Mari333]

27. Tried all of the SSRIs already a long time ago

they made me psychotic.
I think its time now to get off the pharmaceutical pill pushers grid. I dont like it. I dont trust western medicine especially in a small town.
Especially when I tell a doc about my anti war stance and he gets all upset and starts to tell me not to continue my anti war activities.
Pretty damned weird imho. I wont stop speaking out and working against the war in Iraq.

[LeahMira]

32. All sorts of things are stressful...

Especially when I tell a doc about my anti war stance and he gets all upset and starts to tell me not to continue my anti war activities.

But stress comes from doing things that you enjoy as well as things that are unpleasant. Starting a new, better job is stressful, just as moving into your dream house and even getting married to your prince charming. It isn't only the distressing things that can wreak havoc on you! Try your best to get rid of the stress that you can avoid, and try to give yourself some treats along the way. If your anti-war activities give you some sense of positive accomplishment, by all means keep going with them. At the same time, try not to get over-tired and try to delegate some of the responsibilities to others when you can.

Also, be careful weaning yourself off meds. I understand that is not a do-it-yourself project. At least go around the internet and get advice from others who have experience with the meds you are taking.

[Paranoid_Portlander]

35. And the doc may also be thinking of the DEA

See post #34.

[KurtNilsen]

26. Listen to your instincts...

There are people out to get you....

Sheess...

[Mari333]

30. You had to be there.

and believe me, the minute I mentioned I was highly involved in anti war activities and getting Bush out of office, the doctor was red faced.
They are merely human, after all.

[KurtNilsen]

31. I guess.

It just sounds a bit paranoid, but as you said I wasn't there.

Well, hope your health improves, and for what it's worth I am eternally thankful for the work that the American troops do in Iraq.

Cheers.

[Bridget Burke]

36. So--what are you, personally, doing for our troops?

Please let us know.

[KurtNilsen]

40. I am financing them.

[bobbyboucher]

42. Buy a couple extra kevlar vests

and send them over. Thanks in advance.

[tom_paine]

33. Goddamned Soviet drug-prescribing fucko!

I HATE this "prescribe heavily for everything" mebtality, and when I hear of a Bushevik Doc using it in this Soviet way (why do all discussions of the Bushevik's lead to either Nazi Germany, Marcis Phillipines, the USSR, or Imperial Rome?!?) I get

:mad: :mad: :mad: :grr:

Mari, don't EVER let those bastards overmedicate you! They will come at you in a time of weakness and strike. Don't listen unless YOU feel you need something more than Xanax.

Get away from that Bushevik/Bolshevik Fuck! Probably wanted to get it on your record so that later when they send you to the Heinrich A$$croft Meomorial Re-Education, Re-Christianization, Personal Wellness and Mental Health "Clinic" in the Arizona Desert, you'll have a trackable history.

I hate to say this, and NEVER would have considered saying it during the Days of the Old American Reoublic, but self-help is the way to go these days, except for utter emergencies.

Remember, the Busheviks, like the Bolsheviks and the Nazis before you, will use the goiernment to crush us. Will use our legitimate medical concerns to hurt and destroy us and discredit us.

I wouldn't go to a psychiatrist in today's Bushevik Soviet-style Orwellian Empire if THEY paid ME $1,000/hour.

Remember this, Mari, EVERYTHING you say to a shrink, every pill you take and EVERY problem you go to a doc for is in the Bushevik Total Information Awareness Database.

Consdier this with EVERY medical/psychological decision you make. Is it safe for Bushevik Scum to know this about me? Will they use it later against me if the worst happens?

I HATE that I have to think like this, but can you really find any flaw in my logic?

Be careful. The Freepers have marked us for death, and if the Bushevik Leadership even only partially shares that view (imprisonment but keeping us alive) they can and eventually will use ALL the power of the Empire against us.

I hope I am wrong abour this. It would be the happiest plate of crow I ever et.

But be careful. We simply HAVE to start thinking like this or risk being caught by surprise like German Jews in 1938.

Think about it.

[BeHereNow]

37. I concur completely TP-

AshKKKroft trying to get his hands on abortion records
combined with the Constitution Reconstruction Act
is all I need to know-THAT is exactly why they are so
busy tracking people, to decide out who should get the
death penalty for sin, later.
BHN

[Mari333]

38. I wonder if, as we touch base with our instincts and feel the fear

that is underlying in the collective unconcious now, that fear everyone is experiencing thanks to Bush and Co ineptitude is actually feeding the pharmaceutical business like crazy and making them rich as hell...people on anti depressants etc..and the likker industry!
today a massage and all the holisitc medicine I bought = 250.00 dollars
the xanax=25 dollars
beer=13 dollars
think about it.
a lot of people in abject poverty are choosing beer or just freaking out.
bad juju all around.
also makes me consider whether with cheap food, thats why the obesity problem is so high, food as a drug. cheap, easy comfort.

[bobbieinok]

39. I think you're on to something - more and more of us are wondering