I thought I would let some of you other sufferers or indeed the medical profession
know what it is like to deal with the side effects and problems of schizophrenia.
Please feel free to email me with any of your own experiences.
Public Health Warning
"Depression" is a euphemism used to describe a terrible illness which leaves the
sufferer at risk of suicide. In severe depression each thought comes with
a hundred ton weight attached. In the case of the author the illness is caused
by the majority of drugs prescribed, with impunity, for schizophrenia. For
psychiatrists it is socially acceptable to put relentless pressure on patients
to take these drugs. Indeed the law even allows them to introduce these drugs
into the patient’s bloodstream without their consent. Changes in the law to
force more patients in the community to take these drugs will result in both
an increase in suicides and vagrancy as patients escape the murderous regime
which many are now subject to, particularly where the older drugs are concerned.
The majority of the drugs available for paranoid schizophrenia can cause
clinical depression as a side effect. Patient information leaflets simply
say "depression" amongst the list of other, often extremely unpleasant side
effects, and no warning is offered, either on the leaflet or by the prescribing
psychiatrist. A cigarette packet-style health warning should be printed on
the patient information leaflet. Dr C.H.Labrador, February 2003.
"Schizophrenia is a cruel disease: its treatments are too often toxic", Schizophrenia
Association of Great Britain Newsletter No.38, summer 2004.
New Drugs
The above may seem rather alarming. Well I was the one who went through this and I can assure you it was worse than that! However my experience, I hope, is now less likely to happen. This is because at least 3 of the new drugs do not list depression as side effect. However it has to be said that Seroquel and Clozaril were impossible for me to take on an ongoing basis. For example Seroquel gave me terrible abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea- it gave me irritable bowel syndrome! Still I have been on Olanzapine since 2004 now and though I'd prefer not to have to take it I still am. It's not too bad atall, just making it a bit harder to get up in the morning.
A Reflection on the Use of Advance Statements in Clinical Practice: A service user and service provider perspective Alison Bass CPN Bedfordshire and Luton Community NHS Trust
My Current Medication Regime
3.75mg Olanzapine and 3300mg Maxepa Fish Oils Daily (Both from my GP).
