Comments on: What Killed Rebecca Riley?

Katie Couric Reports On The Diagnosis Of Bipolar Disorder In Kids

[bipolardad]

GrammaWhamma,
You must be from my parents'' generation. They too would state "off the cuff" something along the lines of "who takes a little child to the psychiatrist, anyway?" I have a response for you from those of us in the late 20-something to early 40-something range: many of us.

You may be one of those very fortunate souls who has no history of mental illness in her family lines. I wish we could all be so fortunate. That''s not the case. I have a child with Asperger''s syndrome and a child with bipolar disorder. There is a long history of bipolar disorder in my wife''s birth family--she was adopted--with at least one person in every generation to four generations back being afflicted with this awful disease. Fortunately, we understand much more about bipolar now than we did even fifteen years ago, when it took four years to diagnose a friend of mine.

My wife states: "You would never think of withholding insulin to a diabetic child and yet many children die of insulin overdoses." Mental illness is not well accepted by many in our society, but as someone who has been hospitalized myself due to major depression, I assure you it is real. Those who escape diagnosis as children often have greater difficulty as adults. Some children are very ill with this disease. Again, you would treat a diabetic child or a child with a heart failure, correct? Why would you not treat a child who has a mental illness?

[annvarpness]

I too understand that as parents we trust everything the doctors say. My son who also has Bipolar was sent home from the hospital on twelve medications. I followed the directions and two days later I couldn''t wake him up. I added nothing more than what the doctor said. I was later told some of his medication were twice the amount that was legal. Now I question every doctor every medication and research things through the internet. I also run a parent support group. God bless all you parents that have children with mental illness I know you battle daily.

[grammawhamma]

CBS....please stop these Ron Paul posts...allow them only when it pertains to the subject at hand!!!!

[grammawhamma]

All three of her children where diagnosed as being bi polar. Are you kidding me? Who takes a little child to a psychiatrist anyway? I also blame the doctor because I''m thinking this mother might not be too bright and just trusted the doctor.

I too am so so sick of these commercials pushing drugs. Imagine much money is spent on these needless ads...thus raising the price of meds even higher. They banned cigarette commercials...now lets do away with the drug commercials!!

[bhooks2]

Never Forget - one half of all doctors graduated in the lower 50% of their class.

[klingon69]

THINK. If you have to be told you need medications by a commercial--don''''t play the game--the Pharm. companies and doctors get richer and the harm to you--could cost you your life--if you think that little fact bothers the dr or the companies, there is some toxic land or crappy bridge somewhere you can buy.
Posted by toldyouso21 at 09:21 AM : Sep 29, 2007

Some of the side-effects they describe in the commercials, I think I would rather have the problem.

[klingon69]

I agree. doctors will give you anything these days to get their paycheck. This is so sad. 10 pills for any small child is crazy unless they have serious health issues. Parents learn from this!! Dont kill your children because you want more time on the internet or party time. This is crazy.
Posted by ladyephesus1 at 06:47 PM : Sep 28, 2007
Not only doctors, but teachers and school administrators will try to tell parents that their children have some dread condition like bi-polar, ADD, ADHD...etc. The teachers can''t maintain discipline in the classroom, so they want the kids drugged and the school boards go along with this.

[toldyouso21]

Diagnosing people with a lot of diseases and getting them to take meds for them is a dream come true for the Pharm. companies and the drs. From allergies to diabetes type II and other illnesses--the diagnosis, and use of the drugs guarantee a customer/patient for years and for life.

Many of the drugs set up a vicious circle of need, where to stop taking the drugs will cause either a return of symptoms or much worse symptoms than before.

In the case of Type II diabetes, most Drs know that a ketogenic diet can reverse the effects, symptoms and need for drugs--but they don''t push that. Instead they put the person on a diet too rich in carbs--because the MEDICINE NEEDS those carbs in order to work. Those carbs cause the person to stay a Type II Diabetic and need the meds--but the fact is, there is no cure for diabetes, while the drugs can control the insulin levels, it can not stop the progression of associative diseases that go along with diabetes.

This means, that dr and pharm companies have people on diets and taking meds that can keep them diabetic--knowing now that diabetes also contributes to heart disease, HBP, high cholesterol, kidney and liver problems, nerve damage and ultimately death.

but hey, it takes years--and in the meantime people have nice meds and the pharms and doctors have a patient for life. Nothing like a loyal customer. Except one being held hostage by lies, misinformation and questionable remedies for what ails them.

[toldyouso21]

ake diagnosis continues.....
Wasn''t SHE the lucky one? I asked her what her kickback fee from the Pharmaceutical companies was. She was shocked. I explained that I had worked as an investigator of companies for years and that chronic was not a term to describe 2 episodes of heartburn within 12 years. I also asked her why so many people all of a sudden had gastro-int. reflux without the accompanying esophegeal burns, ulcerations, measurements of stomach acid, throat examination, etc.
I kept the script for posterity. She mysteriously left the prctice less than 6 months later. I went home and took Mylanta. To date--no other episodes of heartburn.

Note--the use of these products can CREATE the need for them as the body compensates for low stomach acidity by producing more acid--so if you ever try to stop taking the meds--now your body really does produce to much and you really do--now have a problem.

THINK. If you have to be told you need medications by a commercial--don''t play the game--the Pharm. companies and doctors get richer and the harm to you--could cost you your life--if you think that little fact bothers the dr or the companies, there is some toxic land or crappy bridge somewhere you can buy.

[toldyouso21]

Just like "all the amazing amount of Adults with gastro-intestinal reflux" it is a Pharmaceutical scam. The pharmaceutical industry are creating their own patients now. . Witness the enormous amounts of ads on tv from everything from erectile dysfunction to "happy pills" for those who self diagnose for depression. People are shown the cartoon or given the blurb--and then told to ask their doctors about it--then the doctors are off the hook--because they did not talk the patient into the symptoms--the commercial did.

Doctors are paid off, bribed, wined, dined, given free meds and equipment and other bonuses to try and remain loyal to certain products In 2001, I was diagnosed with gas reflux after having had very bad heartburn for about 3 days. WAs I a frequent heartburn patient? NO. I told the Doctor that I had a similar bout of heartburn in 1989. she suggested I had gastro intestinal reflux--I asked her why? She stated that due to "chronic indications for years--that such a diagnosis was evident.

see next post

[tnt1954]

a few years ago i made a request to msnbc they
do a story on asylums. soon afterwards, joe seiganthal did an award winning series on prisons all
over the u.s.a. i suppose
they figured if a person is really a danger to
himself and others, the best place would be prison.
most of the prisoners, had psychiatric diagnoses.
it would be a most challenging series to do on
private asylums. oh, yes they have been done before.
but not at great length. since most state institutions were all closed down due to supreme
court decisions it would be apropos during election
year coming up. if not for charitable institutions
many would literally starve to death. in times
past milieu alone helped most. food, clothing,
shelter, friends, company, a nice two to three week
free respite from the ''weather'' outside. the cold
cruel world beyond the asylum doors. a little
time, to figure out a new survival plan when they
return.
yes, food, clothing and shelter are necessary for
health. many work like the dickens to provide
it each day. they can''t spare much to help feed
and clothe and shelter others. sadly, there''s
only so much to go around. remembering the malthusian theories i learned in high school economics from dr. clemens in woodland hills, ca,
at taft high school. truly a dismal science.
scarcity. paucity. expansion into space may be
the only true hope.

[tnt1954]

thanks for this story ms. couric. they had no food,
no clothing, no shelter and were depressed and
felt hopeless. the psychiatrist brought into
comment on the situation felt what they really
needed was anti-depressant medication.

[ladyephesus1]

I agree. doctors will give you anything these days to get their paycheck. This is so sad. 10 pills for any small child is crazy unless they have serious health issues. Parents learn from this!! Dont kill your children because you want more time on the internet or party time. This is crazy.

[nlm2383]

How can a judge say that the parents were giving the girl too many drugs? If the doctor prescribes them, then they are supposed to give them to her. If anyone is to blame it is the doctor. I hope they fight this...