This week was about treating teenagers with anti- depressants.Yet again he shone a spot light on the Pharma industry. Need I say more!!!
I watched Dr Chris van Tulleken on TV last night - Thyroid UK
I watched Dr Chris van Tulleken on TV last night
Written by
crimple
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69 Replies
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I think he is brilliant at shining the light on these medical scandals. Maybe one day the message will be heard but I fear there is too much money and lining of pockets involved for it ever to completely change. Good start, however...
Worries me greatly - especially with talk of giving someone in schools training to recognise depression. I have not seen the programme - which channel please ? Thanks for the post 😊
BBC1 - it's available on iPlayer.
BBC 1 The doctor who gave up drugs. he and Chatterjee and Michael Moseley are my favourite doctors, along with Malcolm Kendrick of course. Pity we can't clone them!
• in reply toMarz
Off topic-but maybe not. Where do some people get their ideas? Training school personnel to act like psychiatrists!. I think I can top that. With all the school mass shootings here in the US now the 'brains in control' are talking about arming teachers. What will be next? Servers in fast-food restaurants?
I find it scary how much calpol is dished out. Sweet, pink and sugary and totally harmless... right?! Watching the programme now. Thanks for alerting us 
Yes, awful ~ and this week, the connection between Danone and the non dairy milk for infants! 😕 I'll probably get shouted down, but breast is best ~ and also best at avoiding yet more corruption, it seems. They have no morals, even where tiny babies are concerned.😔 xx
PS I hope you realise how much changing your pic has fried my fog soaked brain lol!😄 x
• in reply toShinyB
I just looked up calpol (in the US and wasn't familiar). Something else popped in my mind and that is teaching children almost from birth that medicine is the quick answer for pain and discomfort. Sometimes pain needs strong relief but teaching children that their lives must always strive to be pain-free is not, IMO, a good life lesson.
ShinyB• in reply to
And it certainly isn't the 'quick' answer with all the potential side effects and long term effects!
I was put on antibiotics for two years for teenage acne - of course at that age I just swallowed the pills because acne seemed worse than death lol, but the damage that did to my digestive system. Yikes.
I saw it too Crimple and the one on Calpol the other week. I think its very very sad and although the content was child/adolescent related you can relate it to all medication i felt. I may be speaking out of turn but this is just my opinion that the teenage girl featured to me didnt seem depressed, withdrawn yes, lacking in confidence yes..but i did feel that the woodland therapy was helping her tremendously and when she sang karaoke at the end...well...just goes to show...
Many teenagers are more than likely low on B12 - Folate - Ferritin - VitD - wonder if they check ?
That's the only bit of the programme that annoyed me..... there was no mention of Vit B12, or diet, etc. Not surprised in the light of my youngest daughter going to GP recently for depression, and despite knowing my daughter was vegan, GP immediately gave her a prescription for sertraline ~ no tests, no questions asked at all ~ out the door in two minutes😱.
Turned out she hadn't been taking her B12 regularly and the complex wasn't sufficient ~ she's fine now. (touchwood). Sorry to sound cynical, but GP must have been rubbing her hands together when she saw my daughter coming ~ all that extra 💰💰💰! The programme showed sertraline had NO benefit compared to a placebo ~ surprise surprise!
Talking to my daughter last night about it, she says loads of the children at her former school were on it....what the hell is going on??? x
So scary. It is time rewarding Docs well for prescribing AD's was reigned in - and B12 needs to be OTC. Big Pharma again .... Not treating the root cause is providing Big Pharma with squillions for treating loads of symptoms. I need to lie down 😴😴
Yes, it sends me into orbit with rage, the pharmas are laughing all the way to the bank and NHS is seriously in debt. Wonder if Mr Jeremy Hunt has been watching and whether it has got him thinking. Should be compulsory viewing for all MPs, health workers etc
Probably too busy watching the stock markets around the world. Stll I bet he isn't sitting by his pool in he sun working out how to stretch his pension !
Jeremy has probably been rubbing his hands in glee. The more people on drugs, the quicker the NHS will collapse, and the better for shareholders it will be when it all goes private.
And when he retires from politics he'll no doubt get a high-powered, well-paid directorship with a grateful healthcare or pharma company.
Ooops - meant B12 injections should be OTC. 😊
I signed the petition Marz....how I would love to be able to pop to my local chemist and buy B12 injections 💓..... but no.....wall to wall shelving of all manner of poisons though, even for tiny babies ~ choose your destructor! 😳 I suppose they had to have something to 'help' get them over the violation of the vaccines..... win win for pharmas.....xx
This is so true and especially for girls who are on contraceptive pills it's even more important to check these. Contraceptive pills are strong antagonists to nutrients as they often cause low grade inflammation in small intestine and bowel.
Wasn't aware of the Pill - so thank you !
Sorry I didn't provide any links but here is one for example that shows how many different affects they have google.fi/amp/blog.insidetr...
All these changes affect stress levels and we know that just stress itself depletes nutrients and vitamins.
• in reply toJustiina
Very interesting. I didn't know that about contraceptive pills.Doesn't it make us wonder how many women have developed early IBS and have had it simmering (undiagnosed) for years because of birth control pills years ago? Me, for one. When 'the pill' first came out dosages were much higher until over time it was discovered not that much med was required to be effective.
Justiina• in reply to
Exactly. How many weird symptoms for some are simply just contraceptive pills depleting vitamins and/or increasing stress levels.
• in reply toJustiina
Maybe it's up to us to take supplements with our prescriptions. Many docs will think we're crazy but they're not the ones who will possibly have lifelong gut sx.
Justiina• in reply to
I agree , but we should be informed by doctor/medical company or pharmacist. How can we make good choices if we are not told the truth?
I would have done so many things differently if I was told what the medication can do to me.
• in reply toJustiina
Drugs can be like used cars, if we knew the truth we wouldn't buy the product!
So glad you brought up the subject of the pill ~ the most dangerous drug that big pharma ever bestowed upon us! It can cause so many problems, especially at the high oestrogen doses that were initially prescribed, as Hidden points out.
I was put on it at the age of 13😳by my mothers GP to 'control' my ridiculously heavy periods (hypo?) and stayed on it for 5 years, until I was 18, when I found a new, lovely GP of my own who was appalled at what I was taking. And yet I felt wonderful on it ~ full of life, good appetite, etc.
So I came off it, and was admitted to hospital with thrombosis 2 weeks later😰. Not only did it contain impossibly high levels of oestrogen, but also a blood thinner, as a sort of 'belt a braces' precaution, to dissolve any 'clots' that may have the audacity to form!😳.
My own blood thinning capabilities had given up, thinking they were no longer required ~ I was very ill. A friend with the same problem, but different pill, fared worse ~ she actually suffered a stroke, and is still paralysed down one side, and struggles to walk with a stick😔.
So I was lucky.... but continued to suffer with hormone related issues....miscarriages, heavy periods, constant mastitis, (until the menopause), gut issues,etc., but of course who knows if these were the pill or hypo? No one bothers to investigate.....
Then came the mini pill, etc., and they were considered safe again ~ well, we thought ours were safe, and believed it, because we felt well! Contraception has since been the bane of my life and I gave up on all of it early on...
Copper coils that caused a uterine infection so bad I had to be hospitalised...plastic coils that fell out immediately.... caps that had to be used with a spermicidal cream that burnt layers of internal skin off because I was severely allergic to it, hospitalised again..... I got a thermometer! 😊 It caused me no problems👍.
I think it's been responsible for more than we even know... and probably never will, but not long after all my problems, I was offered a questionaire to tick off all the pills I had taken.
The particular one wasn't on there, so the nurse gave another form and said 'is it on here?' The heading was 'contraceptive pills now considered dangerous - no longer available' it was a massively long list, but mine was at the top😳. I don't trust any of them...thankfully my daughters don't either xx
• in reply toMamapea1
The history of contraception choices that began with 'the miracle pill' sounds like the plot of a bad horror story except it's all too true. Once I got off the pill because of side effects I went the IUD route. Mine was an early one-the Lippes Loop- and endured years of painful periods . Then the IUD had to be removed surgically because of problems. It had grown into the uterine wall. Then a few years later-in 1999- I was diagnosed with Stage 2 uterine cancer. No one ever even suggested the IUD might have contributed to the diagnosis but I believe it easily could have played it's part. So after surgery I had abdominal radiation. Now I continue to have various G.I./abdominal problems from the radiation damage. Last year I had my gallbladder removed via the 'mini-lap'. I had a great surgeon who told me afterwards he hoped I never needed any major abdominal surgery as my abdomen had a lot of permanent damage like adhesions everywhere, tissue that showed burn damage and so on. He saw all this during the GB procedure. So now I at least know why my abdomen hurts so often. If this is my story, I'm sure there are many other women with similar lifelong residual problems who haven't had the benefit of a surgeon seeing the evidence and informing them to take care of their abdominal health. Thanks for listening to my rant. Still pissed. irina
Justiina• in reply to
Sounds awful 
• in reply toJustiina
Thanks. It probably sounds worse put into a short anecdote but as it happened little bits at a time it could have been worse. And probably not an unusual story. At least I'm still here to %#@$& about it. LOL. The pill was a great help to many but it was too new and there was no real patient background history for others to learn from. We were guinea pigs and I, for one, jumped on the bandwagon. Over the years I've become leary of trying any meds that are too new. Research is done, I know, but the true tests are actual patient histories. Also, it was a different time. "Girls from nice families" didn't get pregnant if unmarried and along came this pill that solved that problem. Good marketing and a willing public are not always a good combo!. That's my social studies commentary for today. 😊
crimple• in reply to
So sorry to hear about your issues and I am quite sure many others will have experienced similar problems because nobody wanted to be up front with them.
• in reply tocrimple
Thanks. And probably a VERY common chain of events.
Mamapea1• in reply to
Hidden ~ I sympathise with you ~ those IUD's are lethal, horrible things!😝 I'm sorry you were so badly affected, but not at all surprised😕. Looks like we both had a near death experience as a result of 'contraception' ~ not worth it! 💕xx
• in reply toMamapea1
At one point 'celebacy' was beginning to look really good!! (but not really)LOL. And if you grew up as a good Irish Catholic girl here (US) in the 50's getting pregnant was 'not done' The Catholic Church had these 'places' called Florence Crittendom homes where families could ship their daughter off to have their baby quietly and then the nuns would have them adopted. The old 'sweep everything under the rug philosophy and no one the wiser.' Does anyone remember these days? From what I heard it was a very slow 9 months as the nuns droned on about sin, etc. Yuck!
Not long ago I read about researchers cancelling medical trial of contraceptive pills as it was causing too many side effects they thought was just wrong. Or more so it was to record side effects of known contraceptive pills.
I wish I could find that article. They said pills can be very harmful for some.
• in reply toJustiina
As I recall some of the more common side effects were cardiovascular-blood clots/strokes. Scary!
• in reply toMarz
I agree but that remedy doesn't generate income.
The trouble is you just can't tell... depression takes many forms, and it's victims can appear fine.... and not be, by which time it's too late😔. Unfortunately, I have personal experience of this ~ once many years ago with my best friend (who died on my sofa), and just last week, when a close friends son was found dead in woods after after being missing for 3 days😰.
He seemed happy when I last saw him, so I don't think it's worth trying to second guess this ~ too much at stake...
I do agree that the wilderness therapy appeared to be very beneficial ~ I myself find the wilderness of my back garden very therapeutic 😊 moreover, perhaps it demonstrated a definite fault in the way children (and adults) live these days ~ they need more contact with nature IMO, or at least what's left of it! 🌻🐝🍄 x
I wish I hadn't made that comment now about her not having depression in my opinion but you are right that you can't tell
But it's very easy to become pidgeon holed or labelled as having something by the NHS when sometimes there is a crossover of symptoms. As you have said best not to second guess. Sorry about your friend . Very sad and unexpected by the sound of things. Perhaps that's why the NHS dish SSRI pills so frequently to be safer rather than sorry? I know when I was a teenager myself I went through a bad phase so comparing the girl last night with my situation at the time were world's apart and I was given pills back then even which didn't help me and I felt ashamed at myself for taking them.
Oh no! Please don't think I was dismissing your opinion ~ I agree, she did look happy when in the woods and doing the karaoke👍 but we didn't see the off camera bits, so hard to develop an opinion, and even so, my friends boy 'seemed' fine, as I say.
My point was simply that the whole thing can be surprisingly deceptive, and I am more than likely particularly sensitive about the issue as a result of recent, shocking events.😰
I think it was clearly shown on the programme that the pills the NHS are dishing out don't help ~ only one, fluoxetine (Prozac), was found to have any benefits at all compared to a placebo. So why are all the others so widely given, especially to children?
Sertraline in particular has been shown many times to be ineffective ~ they're not safe, in fact many antid's actually INCREASE the likelihood of suicide, and GPs should be sorry that they're not even trying to find any causes of the depression ~ their interest seems to be entirely financially driven ~ this would also explain the massive increase in prescriptions the programme highlighted.
Unless, of course we're to believe that suddenly tens of thousands of extra teenagers have acquired depression in the last 10 years, with NO physical or environmental cause, so therefore have been born with faulty brain chemicals, and these new pills are the answer😳.
It's very common to have periods of depression and anxiety during the teenage years, all those hormonal changes ~ and nothing to be ashamed of if you've had to succumb to the medical lure of antid's ~ I did so myself, and like you, they didn't help!
It just seems a pity that neither of us, like youngsters now, were tested for Vit deficiencies, etc., or even asked why we were depressed ~ it may have had a simple solution, as Marz says, many have deficiencies, but they're never tested. A sad, and even depressing state of affairs😥.
I'm so sorry if my reply sounded blunt and offensive ~ that wasn't my intention at all ~ just an emotive subject for me just now😕. 💕x
Not at all Mamapea1. You were right with what you have said every time. Totally agree with you. Shame they don't routinely check bits with adults too! 🌞
kellybroganmd.com/resistant...
Please do not think I am being dismissive - but wondered if you had come across the website of Kelly Brogan. Perhaps there are some helpful tips there to pass on .... she went to the UK and did somethi ng with Dr Rangan Chattergee .... The above link has just popped into my Inbox - synchronicity or what !
Really sorry you have had difficult experiences .... x
• in reply toMarz
Thanks. Great website-just downloaded some info. And I love synchronicity. It's at work all the time for me even when I don't see it.😊
So sorry mamapea about your friend's son 
<3
Depression can take so many different forms. Some people are very high functioning with it, some can barely function. Many many people cover it up supremely well. There is even something referred to as 'Smiling Depression' themighty.com/2016/05/smili...
surprising or not patients in hospital with a view of greenery/garden recover quicker than those that can only stare at concrete or brick walls!!!!!!!
That ain't news. It's not just seeing the nature but inhaling the chemicals plants produce to fight insects boosts our immune system. Plus plants detox the air around us.
Over here in Finland they reckon in the near future doctor should prescribe nature instead meds.
Especially swamp is healing environment, something special about chemicals or natural toxins released from plants growing on swamps.
Yes, they did a study on that ~ not that you'd need to, obviously😳and I think they did a garden at Chelsea flower show and had it transported to... was it Great Ormond Street roof....can't remember 💭. x
Is this what you were thinking of?
rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs...
nhs70.nhs.uk/rhs-chelsea-fl...
Thank you crabapple ~ that one was lovely too,🌻but I seem to remember the one in my mind (not a reliable place💭), was on the roof of a children's hospital in order to provide respite for not only the children, but the poor parents.... I can't even remember who the designer was... oh dear.... I used to know every detail... I need to up the T3...😊 I love Chelsea... I know some folk think it's a bit 'upper' but I think it brings a lot of things into the limelight, such as this, and if it inspires people to dig up their Tarmac, I'm all for it💓 x
I'm with you on that. The RHS has been been highlighting ways to stop rainwater running off and still have space to park.
How about this one?
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-h...
Yes, another great garden...they've done so many makes you wonder what we would have without them! Be nice if the govt. provided these green areas, but no point waiting for that to happen! I've been a bit involved in RHS greening grey britain campaign, another very beneficial project. I love it, and just wish I had the energy and good health to participate more....it's so therapeutic 🐝 x
• in reply tocrimple
I believe that. One of my nursing jobs in my career was in an old outdated(architecturally) county hospital- you know painted walls-darker brown on the lower half and tan on top-no pictures. Dreary! To me it was depressing just moving around the hospital and seeing nothing but depressing colors and chipped walls. Ugh! And I was well. The patient's rooms and wards were worse.
lynmynottPartnerThyroid UK
Love this doc! Loved the part where he talked to Dr David Healy.
Managed to catch it last night ! Another thing that struck me about baby allergies - I read somewhere that when expectant Mums are low in VitD it can affect the baby's health and I think asthma was mentioned along with allergies. Good programme - thanks.
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