Medication

speaking of treatment and therapy; what's up with shrinks perscribing vitamin e for tardive dyskinesia? "Your face is beginning to twitch involuntarily? Have some vitamin E... ?! wtf? this is 2004. rather than vitamin e, how's about some atypical neuroleptics? is it the cost? is it the fact that some of the newer drugs are causing diabetes? you don't wanna take the time to monitor the patient? i can't decide if diabetes is worse than TD. with TD, you sacrifice dignity for sanity, and with the atypical meds, you could possibly sacrifice your life. what's worse? anyone?

what's up with shrinks perscribing vitamin e for tardive dyskinesia? "Your face is beginning to twitch involuntarily? Have some vitamin E... ?! wtf? this is 2004. rather than vitamin e, how's about some atypical neuroleptics?

I'm not sure of the exact answer, but generally medical people like to try things thay may only help 1% of the people especially if the medicine (vitamine e) is not dangerous. Actually a little bit of vitamine e would be good for everyone. Also, your body seems to cure itself of problems if you think it will help. This effect occurs in about 20-60% of people. If you are educated the effect is even stronger. So vitamine e is quite safe and might help in 10% of people so there is little risk.

i can't decide if diabetes is worse than TD. with TD, you sacrifice dignity for sanity, and with the atypical meds, you could possibly sacrifice your life. what's worse? anyone?

I've know people with both conditions. I would rather have diabetes because it can be controled with diet, exercise, and or medication.
Jim S

"I'm not sure of the exact answer, but generally medical people like to try things thay may only help 1% of the people especially if the medicine (vitamine e) is not dangerous. Actually a little bit of vitamine e would be good for everyone."

i agree with you on that. vitamin e benifits all, however i don't think this alone is a solution. that's my point. in addition to the vitamin e, the person should most definitly be relieved of this affliction of out-dated meds. take some vitamin e and call me in a month is not an exceptable answer, in my opinin.

"Also, your body seems to cure itself of problems if you think it will help. This effect occurs in about 20-60% of people."

mind over matter. i'm indifferent about this theory.

"If you are educated the effect is even stronger."

?

"I've know people with both conditions. I would rather have diabetes because it can be controled with diet, exercise, and or medication."

really? did you add to the poll then?

thank you, jim.

I have to be honest....I stumbled on your poll...I don't know what tardive dyskinesia is.....so I can't say which I'd "rather" have! But I can offer up this much....I hope I never am diagnosed w/ diabetes. Not after watching it destroy my grandmother (literally) body part by body part. And it, sadly, runs in my families history. For most people you can control it effectively w/ diet and exercise and watching what you eat. But my grandmother did all that and it still took it's toll on her life early. Took it's toll on her kidneys...they shut down....she went on dialosis. Eventually her stomach shut down....every other month she pretty much would have to go in the hospital and they'd pump black gunk off her stomach because her stomach would stop working...she'd be so sick that she'd temporarily lose her state of mind...not go crazy...just not really know people any more and recognize family and loved ones...other times it was like she'd travel years back and time and she'd know her family and loved ones but think it was 20-even 40 years past as we all stood there....so like us grandkids...she wouldn't know us! And then soon she'd get better and home she'd go til the next bout. And then soon gangreen(sp?) set in her toe and she lost her leg just past her ankle...I mean I can list you medical things that were spin offs because of problems relating back to her condition w/ diabetes over the years and as her body just started to shut down. In the end, the last 3 1/2 years was basically her body shutting down and her taking a very long and painful way to die. It was so incredibly sad and hard to watch.

So again. I'm not sure what tardive dyskinesia is. I really can't post here on your topic so much...as you can see I just stumbled on your poll and was curious and then your one line caught my eye. Often times when I'm reading on these boards I'll see things of the like "which would you rather have "x" or "x"? And sometimes I have to wonder why people ask that. Because often I think well in either case....why would you want to have either....isn't it sort of a toss up!! Just depends on who you ask!!

Take care! Thanks for letting me jump in

Thanks for the details on Diabetes. I need to think about what you wrote when I'm tempted to over eat. It will also be a good motivator for exercise. Diabetes also runs in my family. I've had trouble with low blood sugar which is thought to be a precusor to diabetes. It seems that as soon as my weight goes up or I stop exercising, I will get diabetes. The choice is mind--but I do eat too much of the wrong foods. At least I do understand what I'm up against.
Jim S

Your welcome. My grandmother was diagnosed w/ diabetes later in life; mid 40s I believe. She had the kind (sorry I don't know much about diabetes) where she had to prick her finger every morning and check that. She had to carry insulin...always had candy around ...just in case kind of thing! She watched her diet and took care of herself...but later in life...round her 70s...it just didn't seem to be enough...meaning all that she had done between being diagnosed and her late 60s and 70s. That's when her health started to go down hill. First it was little things. But like I said in my first post...it was those last 3 years that everything tooks it's toll on her and took it's toll hard. And everything she went through as her body basically started to shut down, drs. attributed all back to her being diabetic. Now I'd have to say for her....her's was like worst case scenario. I'm sure as w/ any health concern out there...many have it and as mentioned...w/ the proper diet, exercise, etc. one can live a long happy life and not "go out" the way my grandmother did. I guess it's just in my families history and so far I've not been left w/ good things to witness. Her youngest son was also diabetic. Now mind you. He also was diagnosed in his 40s. He, on the other hand, did not watch his health or take care of himself...no surprise that he died about 2 months after she passed...massive heart attack. One could argue it related somewhat to his being diabetic...he had a lot of health problems because of it. But then one can also argue w/ how he gave little concern to his diet and welbeing...it was just no surprise to see him pass of a massive heart attach either!! You just never know!

Always lots of things to weigh out isn't there...but then you always have that w/ any medical issue too I guess. Boy...I don't know if I helped much or just muddied the waters.

angel, thanx for posting. Go here if you don't know what tardive dyskinesia is:

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tardive/tardive.htm

if that's not good enough, just type it into a search engine. many articles will come up.

i'm sorry to hear about your grandmother having to suffer like that. it's horrible that you had to helplessly watch as well. i know how frustrating it is to be powerless against illness.

jims, weight gain, genetics, and aytypical anti-psychotics are known to cause diabetes. be careful. you might wanna talk to a physician about what you can do to keep yourself from getting this disease. once you have it, there's no turning back.

hmmm. three people have posted in here, but more people have voted. if you vote, leave a comment, damn it!