As much as Seroquel bites, you have to remeber that it's like a bijillion times better than the old anitpsychotic meds for one reason: It doesn't produce Tartadive Dsykenthisia.

This issue, which is very much at the core of my heart, goes like this:

I took a psychology class a while ago, and when we got to the schizophrenia chapter, we were talking all about meds and stuff.

"If you see people with schziophrenia back before atypicles came out," the teacher stated. "you'll see that they have Tardadive Dykethisea: their hands shake, their mouths tremble, they look like they have Parkinsons Disease. And what's more, NOTHING can reverse it."

The teacher was very pleased with herself. She had a big smile on her face, and began immitating the motions which those patients have. She was having a hell of a time.

A few months before this class, I had been in the hospital. I wouldn't take my medication (I'll talk about that some other time), and therefore they all had to hold me down and give me an injection. They were administering Geodone -- even though I had originally been on Risperdal and Abilify which was a good combimnation. But my doctor wanted to try the Geodone because it came in an neat, nice little liquid to be easily administered to psychotic patients.

But the Geodone didn't work. I was still going to parties and seeing people getting murdered. It was bad.

"The Geodone isn't working," said my doctor to my mom. "I think we'll need to try Haldol" (one of the older medications).

"No!" my mom let out. "She was doing SO well on Abilify -- we have to try that again!"

"But Abilify doesn't come in injectable form," my doctor replied. "I guess what we'll have to do is grind in up and administer it by the NG tube."

And so, everyday five staff members trasoported me, screaming and crying to my room where they put the tube up my nose (which is a VERY uncomfortable procedure)and administered the crushed abilify. And they did that everyday for weeks on end. Anyway, finally, when I was able to think more clearly, I agreed to take it on my own.

I think I digressed, but the point is about Haldol. My doctor was willing to put me on a medication which may have given me uncotroable twitching and shaking for the rest of my life -- which, again, is NOT reversable even if you switch medications.

MY BODY COULD HAVE BEEN DAMAGED FOR ALL OF ETERNITY.

So anyway, compared to something like Haldol, Seropquel is quite tame, though I don't in any way mean to be dissmissive of the suffering that goes on in terms of the side effects.

And about my psyhology teacher, who thinks this is all a big joke... well, I don't want to be too mean, but you know exactly how I feel about her.

Good points all. However, Seroquel can produce TD as can the other atypicals. I've seen this numerous times with patients at our state hospital and in group homes, etc. The APs just don't generate it as often or as profoundly as the old antipsychs do. So that's a tiny plus in my book.

My basic point is we need more and better meds, ones that are much gentler on patients, if the pharma companies and docs are going to push them so hard on patients.

You're right about the atypicals causing TD -- I did read about it somewhere, but didn't mention it in my comment because I just wanted to bring my point home. (Being a journalist in training, I probably shoudln't have done that!)

Anyway, I also like your point about getting better meds. Us patients do deserve better treatment, much better treatment. My only question is how realistic is this idea? Maybe researchers are really doing all they can to make things better.

But I doubt that. From reading all your stuff about how pharma companies work, they're probably just sitting around doing nothing, cause hey, patients are being forced to buy meds no matter what -- it's not like coming out with new stuff is going to become more profitable. Do you agree with that?

By the way, thanks for commenting on my comment -- I love it when people challenge me!