United States president on anti-psychotic meds?

What is your opinion? Should a leader be allowed to lead this country while under treatment for severe depression, delusions, etc?

According to Reuters today, Saturday 31, this is the case with George W. Bush. I beleive this might change a few voters minds in the near future.

I believe anti-psychotic is a bit extreme.

ok. I worked for years in a pharmacy and these are anti-psychotic drugs. They are when ordinary Joe Schmoe is prescribed them. Not to sound like i'm petty, but this issue should be raised and debated.

What drugs are they? Can we confirm the story?

Those meds totally mess with your mind. You just don't have the same thinking process while you're on them. And they don't run smooth for every person. Some people experience "hills" & "valleys" while on them.

If we're lucky, the meds just "mellow him out" so he's all zen & stuff; not the ideal state of mind for a leader of our country, but relatively harmless.

If we're not lucky, our Prez may have a "hill" or "valley."

I think a person on anti-depressants who seems to be tolerating the meds ok is fully capable of doing their job, and maybe even doing it better or happier because they're less depressed or more focused.

But the President---???

I look back on my own brief foray on SSRIs--if the President experienced any of the intermittent, ill psychological effects of the drugs like I have--we are in big big trouble. Paranoia... fleeting suicidal thoughts coming out of nowhere...feeling more anxious and keyed-up before taking the meds...sudden bursts of nervous energy...bigggg-bigggg trouble.

Like in Star Trek, when Kirk wasn't completely mentally in his faculties...didn't they just put him on temporary leave & Cheney, er, I mean Spock would take over?

They are SSRI inhibitors, supposedly for severe depression. Sources say VERY powerful meds- This story is over much of the internet. One source was posted at Jeffrense.com. I realize this source is Anti-Bush, but i've read it many times today and Reuters carried it also.

So we still don't have a credible source or absolute certainty on the medication.

Well, Reuters carried the story Friday- sorry that im not able to give exact location. In any case, the "credible" sources, main stream media, would NEVER carry this. I think we both know that.

It does not surprise me because there have been many reports to the effect that he's acting very erratic. And with all the trouble surrounding this government, it is no wonder.

I would like help- im having problems posting a web address here- I'm on AOL but cant seem to do it. If you give me instructions as to how to do it, I will research these sites and post them here. Thanks

Sorry the only article that I can find on Reuters on this subject is from the following:
www.reuters.com...
Here is a synopsis:
A campaign worker for President Bush said on Thursday American workers unhappy with low-quality jobs should find new ones -- or pop a Prozac to make themselves feel better.
"Why don't they get new jobs if they're unhappy -- or go on Prozac?" said Susan Sheybani, an assistant to Bush campaign spokesman Terry Holt.

The comment was apparently directed to a colleague who was transferring a phone call from a reporter asking about job quality, and who overheard the remark.

When told the Prozac comment had been overheard, Sheybani said: "Oh, I was just kidding."

While recent employment growth has buoyed Bush's economic record, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry has argued the new jobs are not as good as those lost due to outsourcing in recent years.

Nearly 1.1 million jobs have been lost since Bush took office in January 2001.

no, this obviously is not it. I will post as soon as i can figure out how to do it here-

Someone has already started a topic on this you can find it here

www.abovetopsecret.com...

I dont have access yet to that thread but thank you- perhaps i can be beleived now.-

I would encourage you all to read the above thread. This is scary stuff- Why, some people even kill on this stuff.....Call me old fashioned but I dont want to PAY my president 1) to screw up my country, 2) to be high on drugs and delusional while in office.... The plot thickens.....

Why is everyone acting like this!? I too have experience with anti-depressants....you do not get high on them, I still raised a family, held down a job using sharp instruments with moving wiggling live animals....made decisions...some of you are making a mountain out of a mole hill, and I think deep down you know it..I am not Bush supporter, but what's fair is fair. give it a rest!

I dont like Bush much but there just isn't any verifiable and agreed upon proof that he is on any kind of drugs.

- Was

[edit on 1-8-2004 by Wassabi]

His problem is aspartame, but he still believes the propaganda. Sad really, all he has to do is give up diet coke, and all aspartame. Try the 60 day test yourself, and see if you feel better.

Originally posted by dgtempe
ok. I worked for years in a pharmacy and these are anti-psychotic drugs.

If you worked for "years" in a pharmacy then you SHOULD know already SSRI's are anti-depressants, not anti-psychotics. There is a BIG difference. And I'm assuming you were, in fact, referring to SSRI's although you did not specifically state which medication you were referring to.

Originally posted by dgtempe
They are SSRI inhibitors, supposedly for severe depression. Sources say VERY powerful meds

"Severe" depression is not one of the uses for Prozac, Prozac Weekly, Sarafem (fluoxetine). There are several types of depression that the general public may not be able to distinguish between. Again, if you worked at a pharmacy and needed "sources" to tell you this, I'm surprised. So to refresh your memory, here are the current ACTION, USES FOR, and INVESTIGATIONAL USES for Prozac, Prozac Weekly, Sarafem (fluoxetine) which is an SSRI.

* Taken directly from 2004 Mosby's Nursing Drug Reference *

ACTION: Inhibits CNS neuron uptake of seratonin but not of norepinephrine.

USES: Major Depressive Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Bulimia Nervosa, and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder.

INVESTIGATIONAL USES: Alcoholism, Anorexia Nervosa, ADHD, Bipolar II Affective Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Cataplexy, Narcolepsy, Kleptomania, Migraine, Obesity, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Schizophrenia, Tourette's Syndrome, Trichtotillomania, Levodopa-Induced Dyskinesia, and Social Phobia

Originally posted by dgtempe
Why, some people even kill on this stuff...

And so have people who take Tylenol or Aspirin... What's your point?

Yes SSRI's have side effects (as do all medications) and YES; hallucinations, delusions, and psychosis are listed as being possible reactions. But they are rare. Our own member CC having been one of those few that have experienced it. But the president lives in a fishbowl and *almost* everything he does is under scrutiny.

But, being that this is the President, don't you think the doctor that's unlucky enough to have to prescribe his meds is watching him VERY closely? If I were a doctor, I would HATE to have such a high-profile patient.

Edit to add the ACTION of SSRI's

[edit on 8-2-2004 by andhow]

as if the president wasnt psychotic enough- I am not a doctor of Medicine but i do Know that these are mood-altering drugs.....

Which proves my point. Any doubts about Bush psychosis?

Originally posted by dgtempe
as if the president wasnt psychotic enough- I am not a doctor of Medicine but i do Know that these are mood-altering drugs.....

Which proves my point. Any doubts about Bush psychosis?

This is just rediculaous...total BS....mood altering to a degree silly...please read the post before yours... and as I said, I am NOT a bush supporter...just a fair minded person.

Gee- I did not post this here to offend you personally. Lighten up, please. I have been around for a long time and never heard of a president taking these kind of medicines. Given the fact that Bush's stability is questionable, I beleive that this is worth probing into.

Thank you for your extensive knowledge of these medicines-Perhaps you know a lot more than the rest of us, or perhaps you held onto the old containers when you took them- never the less, YOU are NOT the president of the greatest nation in the world. George Bush is, so let us try to debate this issue sans your dissertation, please.

By the way, SINCE i am not the leader of the free world, i would love to pop something mood altering right about now. Anybody?

Originally posted by dgtempe
I am not a doctor of Medicine but i do Know that these are mood-altering drugs..... Which proves my point.

Again, I have to say if you worked in a pharmacy then you would know more about this very commonly prescribed medication than what you're proven thus far.

They are not "mood altering" meds in the way you are attempting to sensationalize them.

Originally posted by dgtempe
I have been around for a long time and never heard of a president taking these kind of medicines.

Just off the top of my head here, I'll point out that JFK and his wife were rumored to have taken amphetamines daily. Talk about mood altering! Have you been around long enough to remember that?

Originally posted by dgtempe
Perhaps you know a lot more than the rest of us, or perhaps you held onto the old containers when you took them- never the less, YOU are NOT the president of the greatest nation in the world. George Bush is, so let us try to debate this issue sans your dissertation, please.

Sarcasm noted.

I never claimed to know more than anybody else. And NO, I never hung onto the containers once I finished my meds. I'm fully aware of the fact I'm not the leader of the "free world".

All I did was share information with everyone, because the information you supplied in your posts was misleading. You are the one that said you worked in a pharmacy, and since you did - you should know much more about such a commonly prescribed medication than what you've shared.

Quite frankly, I'm bothered by the position you've taken in regards to people who have to take Prozac. There is SUCH a social stigma in regards to mental health, and this doesn't help. I have taken it. I asked for help when I needed it, and I have been discriminated against, made to feel ashamed and inferior, and made fun of. Sensational news stories, gossip, innuendo, and POSTS like these do not help.

Yes, the President may be taking it - but whatever the condition is that is the REASON for the prescription should be the big concern.

Originally posted by dgtempe
Gee- I did not post this here to offend you personally. Lighten up, please.

I am offended at the way you insinuate that you are an authority figure on a medication (you worked "for years" at a pharmacy), yet proceeded to give misleading information about it.

If you WEREN'T familiar with it, then you should have said so, up front, so your post wouldn't have been taken the way it was.

Besides, this is the predictions forum, yet you stated:

Originally posted by dgtempe
Not to sound like i'm petty, but this issue should be raised and debated

If you want people to "lighten up" then why do you wish to debate in the first place?