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Old 20-03-2013, 01:59 AM   #40
beautiful_seclusion
 
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: U.S.
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I think people talking about how meds affected them is a good thing. Yes you will have people who dramatize or take user experiences too seriously, but most I've seen are very honest and describe it as their own experience, not as though its the case for everyone who takes it. It also is possible to talk about bad effects and let others look out for dangerous effects without saying no one should take them ever.

For example, the vast majority of meds make me worse. However, I know that is not everyone's experience, so I will not say they are likely to make you worse. However, doctors in my experience do not at all act as though this is a possibility. Doctors I've had actively downplay the black box warnings, which is dangerous (I nearly hurt myself because they didn't take it seriously). Seeing as this is a known side effect and professionals often downplay it, it can help for a user to hear from someone else that "hey this can actually happen, it's not common but if it does, remember its simply the meds and get help immediately". As opposed to my experience where everyone kept telling me it was just me and I kept taking the meds and nearly hurt myself.

This is also true for side effects that may be listed but not emphasized. There are two antipsychotics that I tell anyone who takes them that they made me and other people I know who have taken them VERY drowsy. Like dangerously drowsy to where it feels you've been drugged by someone. I was not made aware of this (I've had very poor care tbh but that's a different story). And while its listed as a side effect, them hearing my description of almost falling asleep driving or stupidly mixing it with a small amount of alcohol and subsequently hitting my head from passing out in a not safe place, getting stuck at a friends house I did not feel comfortable at, etc might impress on someone the importance of understanding how seriously drowsy these meds might make them, and how careful they need to be when first getting used to it. A black and white print of side effects from the pharmacy won't do that.

So while I don't think anyone should say "never take x drug", I do think its important for personal experiences to be shared. As long as they are qualified as personal experiences only, I think they can really help people watch out for side effects that doctors may neglect to explain and to sift through the tons of side effects listed on the inserts. I just know how much I wish I'd have known to watch out for, and who better to explain that than people who have taken them?



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