Drug Commercials

[scboxer]

I don't know if this is the right place to do this, but, I just gotta rant about this--

I just came off a 22 year meth addiction, so for the last 3-4 weeks, I've been sleeping alot and watching TV (neither of which I've done much of )
Anyway, I've been seeing a lot of the new drug commercials and I am just amazed at the side effects and complications they cause. Almost all of them cause major liver damage, pregnant or ever plan to be-no go, etc.
However, the final straw was a commercial for a rheumatoid arthritis drug that LOWERS YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM! How insane is this?
Thousands of people the world over are trying everything they can to boost their immune system and now they've got a drug to lower it for you.
I can't believe that we, as a people, are so easily led and not outraged by something like this...I mean this got through the FDA and AIDS drugs don't?
On a positive note (no pun intended), I haven't heard anyone I know with HIV complaining about arthritis...

[Aliantha]

not sure how to respond to this thread, other than to say welcome scboxer. It's always nice to have new thoughts on the cellar.

[DanaC]

However, the final straw was a commercial for a rheumatoid arthritis drug that LOWERS YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM! How insane is this?

The reason drugs used to treat Rheumatoid arthritis lower/suppress the immune system, is because Rheumatoid arthritis is an immuno disease. The arthritis is the result of the body's own immune system attacking the joints. The only way to reduce the effects of rheumatoid arthritis is to a) tackle the pain and the inflammation and b) suppress the immune system.

I have two good friends with RA. The first is a lady in her fifties who was diagnosed when she was 33, before the relationship between RA and the immunse system was fully understood. Her hands are now quite deformed. Over recent years they've managed to halt the progression of the disease and saved her from ending up in a wheelchair, by use of immunosuppressant drugs. The other friend is also in his fifties, but was diagnosed only 6 years ago and has been treated with immuno suppressant drugs which have thus far kept his condition under control to the point that his joints are not being deformed.

I also use drugs which have as a part of their process the suppression of the immune system (cortisone). Reason being, that Eczema is also related to the immune system.

[scboxer]

I stand corrected.

[Sundae]

I also know a lady with RA, who is in her 60s and on immunosuppressants. She gets very upset when she goes to specialist clinics and sees other people with her condition with deformed hands (and feet I believe).

She takes a shedload of drugs for various conditions, and spends one day a week bedridden, but is grateful that at least she can still walk and use her hands.

Although I admit I wouldn't know that if I didn't know her.

BTW Dana, you know her too - my friend with the VW camper

[DanaC]

Ahhh. She's lovely. No you wouldn't guess she had it. Mind you you wouldn't think my friend D had it to look at him. They really can control the condition a great deal more than they used to be able to. If L was starting with it now instead of twenty-odd years ago, her hands would likely not have become so damaged.

One of the problems with RA is getting the correct diagnosis. Because somany people think of arthritis as a disease of old age, it's often asumed that the early symptoms are other things (like tennis elbow for instance, or carpal tunnel problems).

I do recall a kid at my secondary school with RA. He was fourteen and already starting to have difficulty walking. I am pretty sure he would have been in a wheelchair by the time he was twenty.

[monster]

It's all a matter of which is the lesser of the two evils. Like Bri's chemo drugs are giving her the serious shits and aches -but better that than cancer, right?

Congrats and welcome, by the way. There's pretty much always someone here to interact with if you're keeping odd hours....

[scboxer]

for the welcome!
I guess my original post was kinda twofold-

The first part was a self serving public pat on the back and the second part I've been corrected on.
Thanks to all for listening and informing me when I need it!
Bri

[DanaC]

*pats boxer on the back* well done you! No easy thing to do I take it?

[scboxer]

actually, it's not been as bad as I thought..
I just woke up one day and decided I was miserable and had had enough.
So, before I look 60 at 40 and (amazingly) still have all my teeth, I figured I'd better get out...lol

It's been 2 months now with one slip up, so we'll see how it goes.
I'm thinking it should be smooth sailing from here. (hoping)
Thanks for the kind words!

[DanaC]

It's been 2 months now with one slip up, so we'll see how it goes.
I'm thinking it should be smooth sailing from here. (hoping)
Thanks for the kind words!

That's impressive boxer. It'll get easier the further along you go, I am sure.

[beauregaardhooligan]

I feel that *no* drugs that require a prescription should be advertised to the general public.
I'm not saying that the public should not have access to information about them, any and all information should be publicly available.
They just shouldn't be advertised on any form of media.

[DanaC]

I don't think we have adverts for prescription drugs here. We get ads for over the counter stuff.

[monster]

Originally Posted by DanaC

I don't think we have adverts for prescription drugs here. We get ads for over the counter stuff.

you don't. it's illegal. but the docs still get ads for the stuff which gets passed onto the patient one way or another -post-its and pens with brand names on them etc.....

[DanaC]

Oh yes, the post-it pads. Not at all keen on those!

Although I must say, whenever I go to my doctors and he sits behind his desk with his drug-company post-it pads and little flip-over calendar....he usually prescribes the generic un-branded version:P And, if the medication I am getting is available to buy over the counter at a lower price than the prescription charge, he'll advise me of that and suggest the generic medicine.