Posted by laima on July 24, 2006, at 17:30:55
In reply to Re: Has anyone seen the Cymbalta Commercial?, posted by cloudydaze on July 24, 2006, at 12:51:03
Dear cloudydays and tired mommy,
I was just headed back here to take another look at my post, as I seem to have been having trouble accurately grasping the site's civility rules-in addition to expressing myself accurately and clearly. I'd like to try again, just in case.
I definately agree- depression hurts a lot of people- not just the depressed person, and the commercial is absolutely legit in pointing that out. I am hurting my family badly: they feel helpless, they want me to feel better--and I helplessly feel terrible for it, for not feeling better, etc.
I am still not a fan of drug commercials on tv for the reasons I already mentioned, and speculate that maybe print ads might be less emotionally manipulative (if I can use that word, "manipulative" in a light as opposed to judgemental way? Maybe there is a better word to use that I can't think of?) But I concede, commercials can help educate people- I just think they can, generally speaking, also be misleading, manipulative, or inappropriate many times, especially when actors start portraying doctors and offering advice.
For me, it's the extremely melodramatic flavor of the cymbalta commercial that bothers me most about it, as well as the implication that cymbalta might be the one and only antidepressent able to address the physical pains that can accompany the, if this is the right word, "mental" symptoms. If depression is relieved with another medication, do the physical manifestations not go away? I think they do, from my own experience. And I know my family was beside themselves back when I was relieved by another medication from Lilly- prozac. They were frantic, on the other hand, when I experienced severe worsening of depression during my cymbalta episode. So, while I agree that cymbalta can be wonderful and very helpful for many people, I am concerned that the commercial suggests that some of its qualities are utterly unique to it, and that the drug is a major breakthrough.
I also admit that yes, Eli Lilly has obviously good qualities as well as what I perceive as less than noble qualities. And the drug developing researchers and the marketing people are two different departments, is that right? But we need the medications, so it's not so simple to call the company good or bad. And Eli Lilly did bring us Prozac, a truely remarkable and historic breakthrough for people with depression. I used it for many years and it literally gave me back my life-probably plain saved my life. ( I wish it still worked for me, but that's another story.) I'm not a fan of cymbalta because of my reaction to it.
We really are lucky to have so many medication options today.
Cloudydays, I hope I didn't offend you by disagreeing with some of your ideas or with any klutzy language. I respect your experience with Eli Lilly, too.
Respectfully,
Laima
poster:laima
thread:667854
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060724/msgs/670094.html