Epilepsy Talk
Generics: Important Statement From The American Academy Of Neurology | March 6, 2020
The American Academy of Neurology reports:
“The AAN opposes generic substitution of anticonvulsant drugs for the treatment of epilepsy without the attending physician’s approval.
The FDA has allowed for significant differences between name-brand and generic drugs.
This variation can be highly problematic for patients with epilepsy.
Even minor differences in the composition of generic and name-brand anticonvulsant drugs for the treatment of epilepsy can result in breakthrough seizures.”
Please read this article. It’s from those who know best and truly have OUR interests at heart!
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Resource:
The New York Times
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/package…angenerics.pdf
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Epilepsy Talk 
After reading this, I said to myself THANK YOU GOD,, that someone at AAN is doing something for US. I called them to say how I approve what they are doing to try to get the FDA & BIG PHARMAs to change their was of making the BRAND & GENERIC drugs & that more restrictions from congress & the president can make that happen in more than 1 way. If everyone calls the AAN maybe they could add a petitiion on their site to get OUR FAVOR & SIGNATURES to make these drug companies & FDA & CDC to make our drugs 100% SAFE to take, and that would be for ALL & EVERY neurological drugs, including the ADD’s/Anti Depression Drugs or AAD’s Anti Anxiety Drugs. MAYBE someone here on FB can start up a petitojn like this & it can get sent to the A A N for the BRAIN & LIFE magazine to publish on what WE NEED & WANT. It’s time FDA, NIH & CDC gets their responsibility & accountability to get INFORCED & DONE NOW.
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Comment by James D — March 6, 2020 @ 2:51 PM
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 1 PM ET, April 26, 2004
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY AND AMERICAN EPILEPSY SOCIETY DEVELOP GUIDELINES FOR TREATING EPILEPSY
https://www.aan.com/PressRoom/home/PressRelease/179
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 6, 2020 @ 3:04 PM
I called the AAN to see if they would post a survey about their issues on how FDA approves any generic name drug comparing the brand names & alike. I suggested that they can have this available for us on FB epilepsy groups & in every neurological medical office in the country. They were happy that I called them & they were going to pass my suggestions to management, as I hope they would consider doing something like this so that many more people who suffers with bad AED’s gets heard, with out having to contact the AAN directly as I did today. I would call it a (win-win) for us & the AAN, so to make it that all neurologists will KNOW what they are telling us to take, as they really do not know what is in the drugs until they get told by YOU,, and THAT IS WRONG that we have to have MORE seizures 1st, ”for some of us” to know what is in a drug we are taking.
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Comment by James D — March 6, 2020 @ 3:13 PM
BRILLIANT!
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 6, 2020 @ 3:18 PM
The article is so mind boggling to think that too many lives are unknowingly taking risk with their lives hoping that the generic medications will cure their medical hardships, one wonders what else is the FDA covering up from the desperate patients to market unreliable products.
And knowing the risk & fatal consequences for Epilepsy patients to happen, one wonders why would the FDA permit the “generic variation” to compromise the standard of safety & protection desperately needed & expected from the original medication to cure the neurological disorder?
What’s the point of taking the generic medications if the safety standards is already made to be dysfunctional due to FDA approved “wide variation” from the standard medication?
Shouldn’t the FDA held accountable for gambling with human lives, permitting dysfunctional products to ruin helpless patients for the empty promises of controlling their epileptic seizures?
Sadly, it feels like we’ve been defrauded for a very long time by the very establishments who claim to represent our wellbeing.
May God have mercy to our souls.
Gerrie
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Comment by BahreNegash Eritrea — March 6, 2020 @ 3:21 PM
Fraud is all around in the world of pharmaceuticals.
Aside from the very danger of generics, look at the price gouging of name brand meds.
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 6, 2020 @ 3:31 PM
While greed continues to be the driving force behind the pharmaceutical corporate empires defrauding the helpless general public in desperate need of medical remedy, the FDA collaborating with the pharmaceutical corporate empires to defraud the helpless general public turns out to be unconscionable insane, if NOT illegal crime.
Unfortunately, not too many of us have enough resources to challenge the FDA & the pharmaceutical corporate empires.
Let’s just hope the FDA will come to learn how to carry out it’s obligations for the general public, some day.
Gerrie
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Comment by BahreNegash Eritrea — March 7, 2020 @ 11:08 AM
I take 2 AEDs, one is non-generic (Vimpat), the other is Zonisamide, generic for Zonegran. I just had a blood test to check my level of Zonisamide and it is WAY too low, despite the fact I’ve never missed a dose. I see my neurologist next Tuesday and will bring the AAN letter up before discussing ramping up my dosage or switching meds. Thank you so much for posting!
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Comment by Sarah — March 6, 2020 @ 3:26 PM
If only doctors listened to their OWN neurological experts.
Who’s “in charge” here?
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 6, 2020 @ 3:33 PM
I wonder if the same thing applies here in Canada?
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Comment by Kathy S.B — March 6, 2020 @ 9:49 PM
?????
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 6, 2020 @ 9:53 PM
When I noticed that I felt a difference between the generic versions and the name brand pills, I checked it out and told.my doc that I wanted to switch to the name brand. I also got a bit repetitive, telling any new doctor I had. We’re our own best advocate!
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Comment by catsissie — March 15, 2020 @ 1:18 PM
If not us, then who?
I admire your persistence.
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 15, 2020 @ 4:50 PM
The statement about the FDA allowing significant differences between generic and brand-name drugs makes me feel ill.
I often ask the pharmacist what the out-of-pocket cost for the generic and the brand name drug would be, just in case the insurance company is going to be a problem.
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Comment by HoDo — March 6, 2020 @ 4:46 PM
Is there any way to know, for a given drug, what the difference IS between the generic and the brand name? Or what exactly the filler is made of?
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Comment by HoDo — March 6, 2020 @ 4:51 PM
The generic has approximately 20% of unknown filler.
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 6, 2020 @ 4:57 PM
I am not a big fan of unknown, especially if it’s soy, to which I am super-sensitive.
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Comment by HoDo — March 6, 2020 @ 5:10 PM
The unknown is scary.
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 6, 2020 @ 5:15 PM
Interestingly enough, the containers my vitamins come in list fillers and coatings – vegetable cellulose, stearic acid and silica on this one – while none of those for prescriptions do. So much for the wonderfulness of FDA oversight.
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Comment by HoDo — March 6, 2020 @ 6:17 PM
It’s a shell game, which one is the ball under. 🙂 My doc started me on Greystone for gabapentin and i was fine with that, then the pharmacy substituted aurobind brand as my meds, which i noticed hurt my stomach. So i told them to get me the greystone, well they couldn’t. I called greystone and they said they don’t make the drug anymore, it’s like WTF !!!!! So rather than taking 3 pills in morning noon and night i took 2 instead and my stomach didn’t hurt and it didn’t effect my seizures. They tried to get me some other special order brand, but that was a failure.
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Comment by Zolt — March 6, 2020 @ 8:32 PM
Goodness if I was to get started about brand name and generic medications I would simply start with all of the scars on my body starting from the 27 stitches in my head all the way to knees and ankles popped out of sockets AND LOSING TEETH!!!!!!! And then ask everyone “IF THEY HAVE SPOUSES, CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN, GRANDPARENTS, FRIENDS, LOVED ONES? AND IF THEY DO WHAT WOULD THEY DO TO HELP THEM??!!!!!!! Just so they can ensure they will be able to give them a hug, kiss, loving words or even words of wisdom and love?!”
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Comment by Kathy S.B — March 6, 2020 @ 9:58 PM
Doctors and FDA AND PHARMACIST very quickly forget even they could get epilepsy from a fall and bang on their heads!! Nobody should ever have to go through what we do just to prove we are ACTUALLY ALLERGIC AND CAN’T TAKE GENERIC MEDICATIONS!! We’re all ready all dealing with seizure (which they won’t understand) until something happens to them. Then they’ll seek us out!! THAT I CAN PROMISE YOU!!!!! Until then TURN YOUR CELL PHONES ON AND RECORD YOU PRESCRIPTIONS PRIOR TO TAKING THEM TO THE PHARMACY AND EVEN DOCTOR AND RECORD EVERYTHING!!!!!!! And GET PICTURES!! Then (like in my case) GO TO THE DENTIST AND GET A LETTER STATING the medications are affecting your teeth and same with the optometrist!! Recently AGAIN MY PHARMACIST TRIED TO SWITCH ME TO A GENERIC MEDICATION FROM A BRAND NAME MEDICATION AND I CAUGHT IT!!!!!!! Trust I DID NOT JUST WALK AWAY QUIETLY!!!!!!! I asked how much is the brand name of that medication? Then told my pharmacist I will pay the difference then myself, BUT I KEPT ONE WEEKS WORTH OF PILL PACKS and brought that in with me to my doctor last week and asked him if he cleared it or not? He wasn’t even aware of the change and had it switched back to a brand name medication.
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Comment by Kathy S.B — March 6, 2020 @ 10:14 PM
That’s negligence on everybody’s part.
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 7, 2020 @ 9:03 AM
Even NOW THEY ARE STILL NOT THE RIGHT ONES AND I KEEP TELLING THEM THAT!! But I am not being heard. Makes me wonder if we phone the makers of the FIRST ORIGINAL MEDICATIONS WE WERE ON COULD WE GET OUR MEDICATIONS THAT WAY THEN? Thank you
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Comment by Kathy S.B — March 7, 2020 @ 9:58 AM
I don’t know if you can contact the manufacturers and get prescriptions directly. Although you might be able to get samples from them. But that’s not good enough.
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 7, 2020 @ 10:16 AM
Well I suppose IT NEVER HURTS TO TRY!! We NEVER KNOW UNTIL WE TRY!! 🙏🏼🦅😇💗😘
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Comment by Kathy S.B — March 7, 2020 @ 10:17 AM
Did you know that many of the components of our meds come from China and India? So, if we have a shortage, we’re in deep do-do.
The Coronavirus Outbreak Could Disrupt the U.S. Drug Supply
“U.S. health officials have warned that the coronavirus outbreak could lead to drug shortages. Just how much does the United States rely on pharmaceutical products from China and India?
China is the second-largest exporter [PDF] of drugs and biologics, or drugs from natural sources, to the United States and the largest for medical devices, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
It is believed that about 80 percent of the basic components used in U.S. drugs, known as active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), come from China and India, though the exact dependence remains unknown since no reliable API registry exists.
The United States also relies on these two countries for its supply of generic drugs, which account for 90 percent [PDF] of the medicines that Americans take.”
https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/coronavirus-disrupt-us-drug-supply-shortages-fda
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 7, 2020 @ 2:59 PM
Once again that goes to show we have ALL GOT TO WORK TOGETHER AND NO CREATE ANY ISSUES WHEN PEOPLE ARE THE LEADERS OF COUNTRIES INCLUDING MINE!!!!!!! Our countries used have the capacity of being self sufficient!! Whatever happened to that?!
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Comment by Kathy S.B — March 7, 2020 @ 4:38 PM
I just finished almost 2 months of antibiotics because of one neurologists neglect I am not taking anymore chances now!!
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Comment by Kathy S.B — March 6, 2020 @ 10:16 PM
Keep up the vigilance.
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 7, 2020 @ 9:20 AM
It’s funny how the name of those brand name, Colour, size of our medications become seared in our memories!! And yet when we act on it ourselves we’re not believed!! The pharmacist MUST KNOW THE MAKERS OF THE ORIGINAL MEDICATIONS WE WERE ON!!!!!!! Because they call the medications I’m on “brand name” BUT I SWEAR THEY STILL AREN’T!!!!!!!!!
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Comment by Kathy S.B — March 7, 2020 @ 10:03 AM
Yes IT IS THE FILLER!! At least with me it was.
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Comment by Kathy S.B — March 6, 2020 @ 10:31 PM
And what a steep price you paid. 😦
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 7, 2020 @ 9:05 AM
Yes I sure did!! Honestly because of that it made me even more vigilant now about my medications then ever before!!!!! Makes me wonder how many other epileptics like me have my problems with generic medications and what do we do if our medications begin to run short now because of what is happening now around the world?! It’s sad how we can keep telling the pharmacists we can’t take any genetics and yet they still try to keep giving them to us first!! Especially when it their fault not ours. Yet we still have no legal grounds to stand on because we’ve taken them for years!!!!! And it’s only COME OUT PHYSICALLY NOW (with me anyways)
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Comment by Kathy S.B — March 7, 2020 @ 9:56 AM
Several years ago when the generics first came out and were proposed to me by the pharmacist, I first did research online about the ingredients and about how much difference in the active ingredient there might be.(Keppra and Depakin) The answer was either up to 20% more or 20% less. I have never accepted generics.
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Comment by andy — March 7, 2020 @ 3:51 PM
Yes Andy, you’ve got the numbers right.
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 7, 2020 @ 4:03 PM
Hah! If you want to know the fillers and coatings that are part of your prescription medication, go to pillbox.nlm.nih.gov ! All the info. Amazing!
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Comment by HoDo — March 7, 2020 @ 5:03 PM
Once again HoDo, you’re a fount of information!
THANK YOU!
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 7, 2020 @ 5:42 PM
My wicked past, in which I was forced – FORCED, I tell you – to do research, combined with a curiosity that my family still finds deplorable (“You’re so INQUISITIVE “) sends me barking wildly into the woods after various rabbits of information. Now and then I retrieve one, with great glee.
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Comment by HoDo — March 8, 2020 @ 9:46 AM
🙂 🙂 🙂
(I was a health and wellness writer. Which meant research, research, research. But I’m not as good as you!)
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 8, 2020 @ 10:50 AM
Dear Phylis, let’s go out for coffee and be modest together.
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Comment by HoDo — March 8, 2020 @ 12:26 PM
I love to! Where do you you live?
I live in Pennsylvania. It might be a long commute!
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 8, 2020 @ 12:35 PM
I live in Oakland, California. Let’s see what we can do about a halfway point once this virus thing has lost its power.
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Comment by HoDo — March 8, 2020 @ 1:51 PM
Chicago???
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 8, 2020 @ 7:14 PM
Denver?
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Comment by HoDo — March 9, 2020 @ 7:46 AM
Too, too far. As much as I love Denver, the flight is just about as long as that to California! 😦
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 9, 2020 @ 10:28 AM
Probably not Omaha or Kansas City or St. Louis. Minneapolis?
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Comment by HoDo — March 9, 2020 @ 11:20 AM
How about a weekend in NYC. Hotel is my treat!
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 9, 2020 @ 12:12 PM
Thank you !! for your generous offer. As I am a senior with other health concerns, I have to weigh what’s actually do-able. At the moment, Chicago is more do-able than New York, but that may change. Sigh. Let’s give it a bit.
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Comment by HoDo — March 9, 2020 @ 5:13 PM
Ok. Think on it. And let this pandemonium pass…
I’d love to meet you!
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 9, 2020 @ 5:40 PM
I’d like to meet you, too. Enthusiasms in common, yes. If you have access to me personal email, please feel free to use it. Meanwhile, be well.
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Comment by HoDo — March 9, 2020 @ 6:10 PM
to HODO: bravo! only you know what it is like to live with the malady and the meds. Anybody who denigrates your doing your own research needs to bark up a different tree!
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Comment by andy — March 8, 2020 @ 10:09 AM
I’ve lost everything due to Epilepsy. I didn’t know my license were suspended. I got pulled over one night because a piece of ember from my cigar dropper on my seat. I tried to knock it from the seat and went over the line. When I was pulled over of course he knew I wasn’t drinking. Still checked my license with no problem. Told me they were suspended. I told him I I didn’t know it. I asked what for. (Said, due to me being mentally sna physically handicap). Because I have Epilepsy that’s what it shows in the system. Of course I started tearing up and I too get a ride back home. So ther DMV has me labeled as handicapped physically and mentally. It’s heartbreaking and nothing I can do about but accept it because the seizures don’t stop. They only get worse for me. It feels like now ther only thing there’s to do is breath and wait for the next one to come along. Sorry I’m talking out of depression now.
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Comment by jjayp75 — March 9, 2020 @ 1:25 AM
Jjayp75,
I understand & sympathise with what you’re going through, because I went through the same difficult hardship you’re going through before I learned how to accept & overcome the struggle in living with Epilepsy from ALL members of this informative & educational website, sharing their inspiring stories & precious experience on this forum.
Therefore, you’re NOT alone. We’re all here to support you & support each other.
Stay strong & you’ll overcome this ordeal & rebuild your life step by step like many of us did after overcoming the first few weeks/months & shocking experience of living with Epilepsy, just like you’re going through.
Once you managed to control your siezures, your Neurologist can always help you to reapply, renew & reinstate your driver license.
Remember, this’s NOT the end of the world.
Gerrie
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Comment by BahreNegash Eritrea — March 9, 2020 @ 7:12 AM
I think most of us have been through the shock and the deep depression, you are not alone in that. The loss of the freedom of driving is significant. The loss of health is difficult to bear.
What this site gives you is resources to solve the problems that arise daily, and company on the journey. Please use us.
As to the grief – and a grief counselor might help you here – I am reminded of the saying, “You think you have lost your hand, but you have lost what you hold in your hand.”
Sending you every good wish.
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Comment by HoDo — March 9, 2020 @ 7:53 AM
It is not the end of the world but yes, at times it can sure feel like it . Case in point; I have consistently begged my pharmacies to not change drug mfg. Well, due to coronavirus and shortages I had no choice. Seizure, second and third degree burns gotten during sz, many visits to Dr’s, ER, burn specialists, etc., potential exposure to virus, and now we hear how shii**y the generics are anyway. Wow
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Comment by skolly9 — March 9, 2020 @ 7:54 PM
Oh Skolly and the news only gets worse:
The Coronavirus — What Does It Mean For You?
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 9, 2020 @ 9:47 PM
Yes Skelly,,, Thanks to Epilepsy, going through the disabling seizures, medical rollercoaster, pharmaceutical fraud/mismanagement, economic crisis & social isolation, there’re times that it feels like the sky is falling down & the whole world is collapsing.
I agree with you that life with epilepsy is not picnic.
Therefore, I don’t mean to underestimate the frustrating struggle to cope with Epilepsy & deal with the hardships in finding stability in medical treatment & social status.
But as Shakespeare once pointed out,,, “I use to get angry because I did NOT have shoes, until I saw a man who got no legs”.
Therefore, I believe we ALL have the opportunity to make the most out of life, like millions of victims of Epilepsy before us or we can just give up the fight against Epilepsy & dwell with the nightmare in paralyzing agony.
In my case, I learned a whole lot of lessons from ALL members of EpilepsyTalk, on the difficult journey on how to accept & cope with epilepsy, I’m fortunate to make it this far, overcoming the disarming nightmare I had NEVER known before epilepsy.
Accepting the difficulty journey to cope with epilepsy, I’ve learned to believe I survived the hardships I got to live with.
Therefore, just like I learned to appreciate & treasure the experience of ALL members of this forum, I hope many more victims of epilepsy will learn to feel that the struggle had just begun & therefore, it’s NOT the end of the world.
Best wishes!
Gerrie
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Comment by BahreNegash Eritrea — March 9, 2020 @ 11:03 PM
Gerrie, no offense taken. Just venting after a very frustrating few weeks. After a career in social work as well as dealing with my and my loved ones struggles, one must always believe there is light at the end of the tunnel.
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Comment by skolly9 — March 10, 2020 @ 7:57 PM
Yes Skelly, I totally understand the frustrating journey to cope with epilepsy.
I live in it everyday.
Thank you for letting me know that you understood my comments in coping with epilepsy.
And Yes, you’re right nobody said it’s going to be easy to hold on too, through all that difficult times but we are ALL still here making the most good out of difficult times.
I’m pleased to know you’re doing much better.
Best wishes!
Gerrie
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Comment by BahreNegash Eritrea — March 11, 2020 @ 6:36 AM
Very interesting article just appeared today:
https://www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/exclusives/85333?xid=nl_medpageexclusive_2020-03-10&eun=g1202771d0r&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MPTExclusives_031020&utm_term=NL_Gen_Int_Medpage_Exclusives_Active
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Comment by Sarah — March 10, 2020 @ 8:07 PM
Sara,
Thank you for sharing the link for the brilliant article.
Bravo Valisure,,, 👍
Challenging the BigPharma corporate empires & standing up to FDA’s complicity, Valisure will certainly earn much respect, admiration & credibility by the voiceless masses desperately seeking better quality medications to cure their health hardships.
Valisure procedures should be adapted & made part of FDA’s license requirement for medical manufacturers to follow & sell their products to doctors, hospitals, pharmacies & generral public.
Basically, the higher the quality of the products, the more chance to cure the medical difficulties of the patients.
Petitioning to the Congress & carrying out FundMe on the mass media, Valisure should be supported by ALL those who seek better health care for all.
Cheers to Valisure! 👍!
Gerrie
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Comment by BahreNegash Eritrea — March 11, 2020 @ 7:25 AM
Ah, but first they have to get the FDA to comply.
With all the favoritism and corruption, that may be very difficult to achieve, indeed.
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 11, 2020 @ 9:40 AM
OMG. What an article. Hooray for Valisure. They’re even challenging the FDA!
I want stock in this company. I want to write them a love letter.
Obviously, I can’t. But what I can do is to tell everyone: READ THE ARTICLE ABOVE.
Brilliant Sarah. Thank you so very, very much.
Maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel for regulating the contents and consistency of our drugs.
Wouldn’t that be a dream come true!
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 10, 2020 @ 8:33 PM
Sarah, that article made my day! It gives me a sliver of hope that people who take medications may some day not be seen as just lab rats.
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Comment by skolly9 — March 11, 2020 @ 2:42 PM
Thanks to skolly9, Gerrie, BahreNegash, and, of course, Phylis for your responses to my posting. I’m so glad I could contribute something to this online community! Extra kudos to Phylis for her close analysis of the original paper in her subsequent posting. I wanted to reply earlier, but felt too tired and overwhelmed after my neurology appointment yesterday– the third medical appointment in two weeks. The burn out: trying to describe my seizures in minute detail, how long they last, how often do they occur, any changes, any new side effects from AEDs, do I feel better/worse since last meeting, on and on… yet relief to find a place to vent, knowing others are in the same boat and share the same hopes for safe, reliable meds!
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Comment by Sarah — March 11, 2020 @ 5:37 PM
Yes Sarah,,, You are NOT alone.
We’re ALL in the same boat & deeply understand & share the same experience, the constant struggle on how to cope with epilepsy & the frustrating ordeals to deal with the medical establishments & prescriptions.
And what’s ironic to note about our frequent appointments with the doctors, wonder & difficult to answer the questions coming from the doctors is how’s for the victims of seizures to remember the fine details of their siezures, when the patients are already knocked out unconscious seizing, confused, disoriented, blacked out & their memories compromised from the seizures &/or the side effects of the medications?
Therefore, I understand that having three doctor’s appointment in a week can be draining, certainly.
In the end, sharing our experiences & supporting each other has become far more valuable than the doctors appointments.
Therefore, thank you for your contribution to this informative & educational forum.
Gerrie
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Comment by BahreNegash Eritrea — March 12, 2020 @ 3:36 PM
Your “venting” is our “pleasure”.
The fact that you came up with that salient article, despite such a rough, tough, time is nothing short of extraordinary.
You are a treasure.
Thank you so very much!
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 11, 2020 @ 7:31 PM
Phylis,
Knowing the urgent need & desperate public plight for reliable medications, what do you think of carrying out public petition for Congress & elected public “representatives” to get involved in VALISURE’s case for FDA to expedite the corrupt bureaucratic nightmare & provide relief to the downtrodden voiceless population, seeking mercy from FDA’s duplicity?
Gerrie
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Comment by BahreNegash Eritrea — March 12, 2020 @ 4:16 PM
Gerrie, I think your idea is a brilliant one, but Valisure is already aggressively addressing the main powers that be — even the FDA!
(“The FDA has asked Valisure to share information on rejected batches with drugmakers.”)
I think that, over time, this organization (and others like it — you don’t want a monopoly) will result in a closer look at what’s being doled out and to whom.
Which, by the way, is in BIG Pharma, hospital systems, and the insurances companies best interests.
Not to mention the patients.
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 12, 2020 @ 6:01 PM
I do protest “downtrodden, voiceless population.” (Unless it’s meant ironically?). We post here, often eloquently. Frustrated we may be, but we have voices, and use them, and downtrodden is tending toward a pity party. -I- think.
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Comment by HoDo — March 12, 2020 @ 4:31 PM
Hodo,,, I totally understand where you’re coming from & I respect your voice, speaking out for yourself & millions of helpless & voiceless masses, waiting, hoping & praying for mercy for the very difficult medical harships they got to live with from the soulless “public” institutions & corrupt medical industry to basic medical treatment options they are deprived from.
Therefore while your contribution is appropriated, you can NOT deny that billions of helpless & voiceless downtrodden masses are languishing to death, deprived of the very simple basic medical treatments the PRIVILEGED take for grant.
As you can see BILLIONS of the voiceles masses totally overwhelmed & panicking over the Corona virus all over the world, you can see the insufficiency & ineffectiveness of the political oligarchies, medical establishments & public institutions failing to control the epidemic & provide relief & reassurance to the general public.
Therefore it’s long over due for your “elected public representatives” to carry out their obligation to “SERVE & PROTECT” the populations they claim to represent by providing effective health services, the false messiahes took oaths & swore to provide.
I hope, you understand my concern & demand for help for the voiceless downtrodden masses who can NOT speak out like you do.
Have a pleasant day.
Gerrie
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Comment by BahreNegash Eritrea — March 12, 2020 @ 5:40 PM
Thank you, Gerrie, I take your point.
Still, the words seem to me demeaning. I wonder if the people you refer to think of themselves in those terms, or if they feel they, as individuals, though disabled, still possess an inherent dignity.
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Comment by HoDo — March 12, 2020 @ 6:07 PM
Someone who’s downtrodden is mistreated by some powerful person or group. An exploited, underpaid worker is downtrodden.
The adjective downtrodden is more often used to talk about groups of oppressed people, rather than one specific person.
A history textbook might discuss the downtrodden masses rising up in a revolution against their rulers, for example.
In the 1560s, downtrodden was first used to literally mean “stepped on,” with the figurative meaning following soon after.
Trodden, “that which is stepped on,” comes from the verb tread.
https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/downtrodden
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Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 12, 2020 @ 10:19 PM