off-label use of prescriptives

I've joined a new group on FB for parents and care-providers for children w/ autism.  One of the current threads I've been following and commenting on concerns a person who's child was prescribed a drug that is approved for children w/ autism, but the child is under the guideline age/weight, and the purpose of the script is off-label (fyi- that means the use of the drug for that purpose has not been officially studied, nor is it approved for that use by the FDA)

my big beef is that I get really tee-d off by drug companies using desperate parents who PAY THE DRUG COMPANY to basically be experimental subjects.  Then these same drug companies turn around and say their pre-release research is soooo expensive that they HAVE to have a monopoly on the drug for 7 years and force people to pay up the wahzoo during those 7 years.  and the clincher?  those 7 years are also used for research where you, the consumer, are paying the drug company to be a research subject.

What's happening during those 7 years?  they are starting the Long term results of extended use of the drug.  this is WHY we get drug recalls, and law suits against drug companies because of unforseen drug effects in the general population. 

It is the stupidest thing.  unless I am dying, I will NEVER take a drug that does not have a generic version. 

and now for my vaccine gripe- this is why my kids will NOT EVER get flu shots, H2N2 shots, or the stupid new HPV vaccine shots.  MAYBE when they are older, I may let them get a meningitis shot, but I'm still deciding on that one.  it's the same reason.  these companies RACE to get FDA approval, but they all have little if ANY (H2N2 specifically) research done on them. and Flu shots are hit or miss.  they literally guess which strain will be most virulent and make it for that, but there is really no knowing which strain of flu will be most pervasive in any flu season... I really believe unless you have other complications or are at a high risk of infection/respiratory problems, you should ignore the hype.  Healthy individuals are very likely able to fight most viral infections well. 

I get so mad at how backward this all is.

sept 18, 2004

8 years ago, I was trying to sleep and not think about how I couldn't eat or drink anything.  Also savoring the last few kicks I would feel from the inside, knowing that all future kicks would be from the outside, and not very pleasant.  (I was right).

Love you Bub.  Happy Birthday.

Since I work on his birthday, we took him out to dinner Monday, to a chinese buffet, bc he LOVES picking out his own food himself.

I can't believe how well he does at it now.  I don't have to worry (as much) about him running off, grabbing food w/ his hands, or having a melt-down in public anymore (well- VERY rarely).  It helps that we go to these kinds of places around 4pm, and the only people there besides ourselves are some elderly people (really).  He of course chose chicken nuggets, french fries, fried shrimp, and jello.  I tried to interest him in some fruit, but that was a no go.  I don't really blame him, the fruit looked terrible, but I felt I had to do my "mom duty" and at least try to get him to eat something vaguely healthy.  lol  Also offered corn, and he pushed the spoon away and actually said "no".  How can I force him to eat it after he actually verbalized?

He behaved very well, did not play w/ the window blinds, or try to pour out all the salt on the table (the typical offenses).  His little sister however was awfully naughty during dinner, but then again, what 2 y/o can resist being naughty in public when there is such an audience to perform for?

My mom sent a birthday package that was waiting for us once we got home.  I let Bub open it all by himself, and he really liked what he found inside.  Zbug liked her unbirthday presents as well.  Before we had left for dinner, I had Bub get on the phone to my parents and "count" to ten for them.  So it was an early "thank you" call. 

Still planning a little party for him at the end of the month.  trying to come up w/ ideas.  I'm planning on sending some home-made gfcf "kettle corn" pop-corn to school as a treat for the class.  Bub is still cf, and his favorite friend is gf, so I guess I am destined to keep up the gf skills as well.  :) 

Nubs

There is no such thing as being open-minded

Lately, I've been seeing a lot of my friends on FB posting to their wall things like:

I'm tired of seeing  political/humanitarian/ethical statements/propaganda/bullsh*t/etc... opposite of my beliefs, so if you start posting things I disagree with/find offensive/are opposite to my viewpoint/etc...  I'm going to unfriend you/hide you/cast voodoo curses on you/ etc...

I rarely spout on about my political/religious/ethical points on FB, I leave that for my blog and for actual conversations.  But I read these huffy statements and wonder:

Would you rather have me lie?  Would you rather have me deny my strongly held beliefs?  What would you think if I came out and expected you to change everything you believe because I think you are wrong and I am right?  Isn't it better that people can think and believe what they do based on their own personal circumstances and experiences instead of being dictated into believing what you want them to think?  What would you think of me if I bent to every wind and never took a stand on anything, or just kept flopping around?  How can you be so sure you are right and I am not?  

Would you like me if you had a star on your belly and there was none on mine?  (Sorry, had to add the Dr Suess reference)

Aren't those the underlying questions such a statement begs?

My viewpoints on hot-topics are very ...unexpected (to some people, anyway).   I get misjudged a lot, people think they know what I think, but they don't know the REASONING of what I think.  Here is why:

I don't like drama, and deep down I know I have a great potential to be dramatic.  I don't like that aspect of myself.  I much prefer to consider myself cool-headed and even-tempered.  But Joe can tell you that's not true...boy can he tell you stories of that not being true.  So having come to the admission of this personality flaw, I work very hard to avoid situations where I am likely to become highly dramatic.  To avoid the worst of me from coming out, I keep my opinions to myself, unless I am asked specifically. 

So with this thought, I wonder about people that make statements like the generality of the above.  Why are they so threatened by other people's statements that they go to such extremes to avoid them, and in some cases invite them so they can do the action threatened?  And these statements are coming from people who I know consider themselves to be and claim to be open-minded.

I don't believe in the term "open-minded" anymore.  I don't see any evidence that it really exists.  Everyone has their own biases, but whether they admit to them or shout them out on the top of the mountain is really up to them.  I have yet to encounter anyone when faced with a contradictory point of view will stop and say, "that is a good point, I will have to consider that and possibly readjust my opinion"

Nope, I hear, "you're wrong"  and "I don't agree", or "that's your opinion", or "shut up moron"  or "you are a *insert derogatory slur*"

I wish people would think about that.  Isn't that what those declarations are really saying?  How will there ever be a greater understanding if that's how mankind acts as a whole?  Even more, if you are that closed-minded while claiming to be open-minded, how are you different than the person/people you are addressing?


I think about these things.