I will read the articles tomorrow after my final but had to respond in the meantime.

I understand your perspective and completely agree. Similar situations and results: first treatment back in '76, since then promises, resistance, all my fault, (some fault yes, as I too have been a difficult patient but not all my fault.) Never occurred to some providers it was partly theirs: lack of knowledge, inability to see in depth, or think in other ways. For their lack of ability and frustration, we get blamed for not getting better and responding to treatment even if we are cooperative. However, it is the nature of the illnesses that no one knows for certain and no one should be placing blame, just working on how to help one another and ourselves.

The docs are closely aligned with pharmaceutical companies; it's how they use them that is the concern. My current pdoc relies on them for information and benefits from samples. A past pdoc was more impressionable and why I changed, was receiving other benefits from his reps for using their pills specifically in his treatments. Current one has prescribed a low dose of a med 40-80 mgs that normally is 120-180 for most with my disorder but I react just fine on this lower range. Pharmaceutical rep actually lectured him that it cannot be therapeutic and that it needed to be increased. Thank goodness he is responsible, did not listen, and told the rep to get the hell out of his office. He reminded me everyone reacts differently to meds, there is not one standard despite the studies because they are limited in scope and every illness is different, unique to that person. No one med or dose fits all. The companies are pushing their pills though and the more the better; it's their livelihood, their profits, and the bottom line. This has to be balanced.

I hear your frustration and understand the concern with the profession and treatments. Fortunately as time goes on, we all know more but too many things go unanswered and unaddressed. In the meantime, we need to make sure we educate and advocate for ourselves to try to balance out the rest where we can.