Neuroleptics and connection with the development of pituitary tumours
Grace Jackson comments on the issues surrounding neuroleptics and some implications for the pituitary gland. There are reports that neuroleptic medication (such as Resperdal) has been implicated in the development of pituitary tumors (see links below). I agree with Grace that doctors do not get enough information about these drugs and that any parent or individual thinking about using these meds for their children or themselves needs to be properly informed of their potency.
"...pituitary tumors are usually accompanied by pretty glaring symptoms, e.g. for males, hypogonadism and sexual dysfunctioning, including breast development. For females, a cessation or irregularity of menstrual cycles, and possibly lactation in the absence of pregnancy/suckling.
For males AND females: if the tumor is large enough, visual disturbances detected by neurological exam as "field cuts". The problem is that psychiatrists do not, as a rule, perform routine evaluations of prolactin levels (with a benign adenoma, the prolactin levels can be 3X to 25X times higher than normal (or more)
Ironically, when I was working for the Prison system in NC, we DID actually have a protocol in place to check PRE-Risperdal prolactin levels on any MALE patient who would be receiving Risperdal, and to then track prolactin levels every 6 months.
The other problems associated with sustained elevation in prolactin include loss of bone DENSITY (esp. in older patients), possibly an increased risk of breast cancer, possibly an increased risk of heart disease, and in men, an increased risk of enlarged prostate."
Consumers cannot receive the information that they need in order to form a truly 'informed consent" to care, because the physicians themselves either cannot, or will not, provide the necessary information.
In most cases, I believe that psychiatrists and other physicians are quite simply ignorant of the toxicities I say the word "toxicities" because I am deliberately attempting to underscore the FACT that these drugs are foreign chemicals in the body, and many but not all of them actually damage the brain.
Doctors are also NOT taught the history of psychiatry, so they do not understand the fact that the intentional infliction of brain damage has LONG been the prevailing method of "improving' symptoms. In other words, patients do not realize that the underlying "philosophy" of care has depended upon chemical lobotomy.
Grace suggests "Doctors do not appreciate the toxicities, because they read textbooks and continuing medical education materials which are provided by the Pharmaceutical companies, or which are produced by doctors who are heavily paid by the pharmaceutical companies".
Either way, the consumer suffers through a severe lack of information blind trust is NOT a good basis for medical care.
See also:
http://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/news/20060531/schizophrenia-drugs-tumor-risk
http://www.drugwatch.com/risperdal/side-effects/
by Wenn Lawson June 2006
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