RE: http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,169685,00.html

What's ironic is that antidepressant use will generally prevent you from joining the military. I'm not so sure that antidepressants WORK for such a large percentage of people as their marketers would have us believe. Recent studies bear this out, they may be little better than placebos. Some small sampling of people will actually become suicidal or unstable on these meds (this happened to someone in my own family.)

But seeing as how MENTAL HEALTH professionals are being evacced out of Iraq for psych reason, I'm not sure what the Army is supposed to do about it. What we need is another 200,000 soldiers, even if they are just doing short two-year enlistments like the old draftees used to do. Then we could give people enough time to heal at home, and we could permit actual PTSD cases to stay home on following deployments. As it is, they are often sent back here again. Which could really disrupt treatment, to put it mildly.

quote:

The Army estimates that authorized drug use splits roughly fifty-fifty between troops taking antidepressants -- largely the class of drugs that includes Prozac and Zoloft -- and those taking prescription sleeping pills such as Ambien, Time wrote. The magazine noted that the high number of soldiers on antidepressants is mirrored by that of the general population. Time also reported that there are sharp divisions among military physicians: Some have said that the effects of using such prescriptions on soldiers in war zones are not adequately understood, while others contend that using prescriptions for mild depression symptoms avoids costly removals of soldiers from the fight.

Another reason why "Stop Loss" is actually doing more harm than good, maybe even killing our men and women in uniform... unless they take their meds?

More grand leadership from those who started this insane, never-ending war in IRAQ. The troops are now just as much in need of psychological treatment as their leaders.

It is astounding.

Happy pills to keep the military happy...and get them addicted, so when the time comes they have to downsize the military again for whatever reason, they have it easier to find people to kick out. "So you took sleeping pills and happy pills while deployed? Bye bye!"

My concern with having our troops on antidepressants is based not only on what I've read but also on personal experience. Antidepressants may "take the edge off" for people whose anxiety levels are high - but if the dose is not right, they can cause apathy, grogginess and slowed reaction times. That's the last thing I'd want in someone who is responsible for the safety of those around him/her and must remain vigilant at all times. Sorry to be a peacemonger here but my feeling is that if war is too high a price to pay (and it would seem it is), perhpas we should seek other ways to acheive our goals...

Antidepressants aren't addictive, but require controled withdrawal to prevent "crashing." Ambien has been shown to induce short-term memory loss. Ambien is mildly addictive as a non-benzodiazipine hypnotic.

The combination of Ambien and SSRIs (Prozac, Zoloft0 can be problematic. Data from a clinical study in which selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor- (SSRI) treated patients were given zolpidem revealed that four of the seven discontinuations during double-blind treatment with zolpidem (n=95) were associated with impaired concentration, continuing or aggravated depression, and manic reaction; one patient treated with placebo (n =97) was discontinued after an attempted suicide.

Source: http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/zolpid_ad.htm

IN VIETNAM IN 1969 SOME TROOPS (NOT ME) SMOKED DOPE TO CALM THEIR NERVES FROM A VERY RUDE DAY OF COMBAT. DRUG USE WAS ILLEGAL THEN BUT WIDELY PRESCRIBED, LEGAL AND EVEN ENCOURAGED FOR OUR TROOPS NOW. I NEVER SAW A FELLOW MARINE STONED ON PATROL OR IN A FIREFIGHT SINCE THE MARIJUANA WOULD SLOW REFLEXES AND THOUGHT PROCESES. FOR THE LIFE OF ME AND ALL THE MARINES AND SOLDIERS SERVING IN BOTH WARS I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE MILITARY COULD DO SUCH A THING. IT WILL GET MORE OF THEM KIA AND WIA WHEN THEY ARE ON SUCH MEDICATIONS. THE SHRINKS PRESCRIBING THESE DRUGS TO TROOPS IN A WAR ZONE SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR DEATHS AND INJURIES. IT IS NOTHING SHORT OF MALPRACTICE ON THE DOCTOR'S PART TO DO SUCH A STUPID, CRIMINAL THING

DOMN49---GREAT CLINICAL REPLY TO THE STORY. I HOPE OTHERS UNDERSTAND THE STUPIDITY OF THIS.

quote:

Originally posted by buddhabelly:
IN VIETNAM IN 1969 SOME TROOPS (NOT ME) SMOKED DOPE TO CALM THEIR NERVES FROM A VERY RUDE DAY OF COMBAT. DRUG USE WAS ILLEGAL THEN BUT WIDELY PRESCRIBED, LEGAL AND EVEN ENCOURAGED FOR OUR TROOPS NOW. I NEVER SAW A FELLOW MARINE STONED ON PATROL OR IN A FIREFIGHT SINCE THE MARIJUANA WOULD SLOW REFLEXES AND THOUGHT PROCESES. FOR THE LIFE OF ME AND ALL THE MARINES AND SOLDIERS SERVING IN BOTH WARS I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE MILITARY COULD DO SUCH A THING. IT WILL GET MORE OF THEM KIA AND WIA WHEN THEY ARE ON SUCH MEDICATIONS. THE SHRINKS PRESCRIBING THESE DRUGS TO TROOPS IN A WAR ZONE SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR DEATHS AND INJURIES. IT IS NOTHING SHORT OF MALPRACTICE ON THE DOCTOR'S PART TO DO SUCH A STUPID, CRIMINAL THING

It's all about the numbers.

I remember the Vietnam War with clarity, as my husband served during this period of time. He came home and we moved onto a military base, where others were coming home from more serious duty. Drugs were running rampant and little children played amongst all of it. It took years and several changes in command to clean up. On the other hand, we are dispensing 'drugs' that would otherwise keep the individual out of the military all together. I would rather see a soldier prescribed an antidepressent than the soldier result to social meds. Social meds have a longer and more destructive influence on the individual's mind and body. A doctor prescribed antidepressent actually helps the soldier in a healthy way....and is monitored. It is a sorry state of affairs that we ask a soldier to expend himself to longer tours of duty than is healthy for him in the first place.

I've said it before on another thread, say it again here... Oxycontin is destroying nearly as many lives as crystal meth here.. we are a way over-medicated society here and 'over there'.. they're gambling that they can safely transition the boys off of that **** when they bring 'em home.. hope they have the resources in place to make it work... if it can be made to work... the history of prescription meds is a saga of unintended consequences...

quote:

Originally posted by JERSEYANGEL1:
I remember the Vietnam War with clarity, as my husband served during this period of time. He came home and we moved onto a military base, where others were coming home from more serious duty. Drugs were running rampant and little children played amongst all of it. It took years and several changes in command to clean up. On the other hand, we are dispensing 'drugs' that would otherwise keep the individual out of the military all together. I would rather see a soldier prescribed an antidepressent than the soldier result to social meds. Social meds have a longer and more destructive influence on the individual's mind and body. A doctor prescribed antidepressent actually helps the soldier in a healthy way....and is monitored. It is a sorry state of affairs that we ask a soldier to expend himself to longer tours of duty than is healthy for him in the first place.

I disagree... antidepressant medication has to be evaluated constantly to have a positive effect. Our boys and girls can't get that constant monitoring over there. Not to mention, anti anxiety anti depressant anti anything medication is not going to solve the problems of 3 or more tours in combat and the autrocities that some of our boys and girls witness while there. The human mind can only comprehend so much before it starts to overload and that can't be "fixed" with drugs.

Sounds to me like we really have a bunch of little boys in the military these days. I no it is difficult to be in a war zone but why is the military letting them take these relaxing drugs during combat. Sure sounds crazy to me.

"Little boys" ???? WTF? Over,

How much combat time do you have?

quote:

Originally posted by retired1987:
Sounds to me like we really have a bunch of little boys in the military these days. I no it is difficult to be in a war zone but why is the military letting them take these relaxing drugs during combat. Sure sounds crazy to me.

Little Boys? It is MEN and WOMEN serving our country.

I would like to know how much profit is being made by the VA and drug companies on the Zoloft and Prozac. No doubt some sort of drug deal has been made since these 2 drugs are the mainstay. Contracts and bonuses go hand in hand. There are far better new anti-depressants out there.

There are a lot of suicides in country, I wonder how many are on anti-depressants when they take their life? For some anti-depressants can make you suicidal. Prozac is one of them. There is no way the guys on meds are getting monitored properly. How many have the more is better mindset so they take "extra" to feel better?

quote:

K9GS

"how much profit is being made by the VA...Zoloft and Prozac."

And the answer is...NONE! What makes you think the Veterans Health Adminstration is a for-profit entity? F##king ponderous.

VA buys the stuff, not sells it, in huge quantities and at prices no one else can touch. VA is responsible for the procurement of pharmaceuticals on the Federal Supply Schedule for itself, the Coast Guard, US Public Health Service, the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile and a few others. Not even DoD can match VA's costs. That's just for drugs not available as generics ["brand names"]. When VA shops for commonly prescribed generics off-FSS, they leave the BigPharma on the floor holding their nuts. That's why all the state Medicaid agencies want to buy on FSS and that's why BigPharma threatens to pull VA's FsS pricing if they are ever able to.

So now you know.

Correction: VA does charge co-payments, currently $8.00 for a thirty-day supply (brand or generic)for non-service-connected treatment to veterans in Priority Groups 2-7. But I wouldn't say VA's making any money off it. Former VA Sec Nicholson wanted to raise it to $15 back in 2004, but that idea got crapped on quickly by Congress.

quote:

Originally posted by retired1987:
Sounds to me like we really have a bunch of little boys in the military these days. I no it is difficult to be in a war zone but why is the military letting them take these relaxing drugs during combat. Sure sounds crazy to me.

Are you completely out of your mind? The military doesn't LET them take antidepressants and pain meds in country...the military PRESCRIBES them. By the way...it they were little boys and girls before their first tour...I would pretty much guarantee by the end of their third...they're not!

quote:

Originally posted by retired1987:
Sounds to me like we really have a bunch of little boys in the military these days. I no it is difficult to be in a war zone but why is the military letting them take these relaxing drugs during combat. Sure sounds crazy to me.

Figures: "Private Profile."

"Relaxing drugs???" Hardly. It's not exactly like Dr. Feelgood set up shop in the Green Zone. Jeez, the emptiness of some people's skulls, where the brain's supposed to be.

quote:

Originally posted by K9GS:
How many have the more is better mindset so they take "extra" to feel better?

Dooche [sic]:

SSRIs work by inhibiting the reuptake of the neurotransmitter, Serotonin at the synaptic level. Serotonin and other NTs regulate mood and perception of "being well." The effect levels off when a therapeutic level is reached in the brain. Any more than than that just gets pissed out. So there is no taking "extra" to feel better. SSris don't make one feel better; they make one feel less bad.

quote:

Originally posted by donm49:

quote:

K9GS

"how much profit is being made by the VA...Zoloft and Prozac."

And the answer is...NONE! What makes you think the Veterans Health Adminstration is a for-profit entity? F##king ponderous.

VA buys the stuff, not sells it, in huge quantities and at prices no one else can touch. VA is responsible for the procurement of pharmaceuticals on the Federal Supply Schedule for itself, the Coast Guard, US Public Health Service, the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile and a few others. Not even DoD can match VA's costs. That's just for drugs not available as generics ["brand names"]. When VA shops for commonly prescribed generics off-FSS, they leave the BigPharma on the floor holding their nuts. That's why all the state Medicaid agencies want to buy on FSS and that's why BigPharma threatens to pull VA's FsS pricing if they are ever able to.

So now you know.

Since when does the VA administer/prescribe medication to active duty personnel; especially in a war zone?