"From Milligrams to Kilograms" (silent film)

When one considers how many pharmaceuticals the people of our nation ingest on a daily basis, it's hard to imagine just how much of these chemicals we take into our systems over time. We measure drugs in milligrams but throughout our lives all those little pills and capsules add up. Imagine what a solid block of Fluoxetine (better known by its trade name of Prozac) would look like, equal to the weight of every milligram a typical depressive ever took or will take throughout their lifetime. Then imagine taking a big bite out of that block. That's essentially what we do with our medications. Only we swallow a tiny bitter pinch of the chemical in the form of a tablet or capsule. Instead of chewing it like a nasty tasting piece of candy. Maybe that's why we don't think about it. We "take" pills, we don't "eat" them.

A few years ago, I decided to save all of my pill bottles to get an idea of the sheer volume of medication I took over that period. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with those bottles (as well as some leftover meds from old prescriptions that I also decided to hold onto [nothing narcotic]). Then I thought perhaps I could make a short film of myself contemplating this very thing. But to make it a bit more interesting, I decided to list all the drugs I took, their dosages as well as the specific instructions written by my prescribers (does anyone see an actual doctor anymore?). For the most part, the instructions are pretty typical, but there is one interesting note you might want to look out for.

I chose not to use the trade names of these medications (except for the tags below) for a couple of reasons . I didn't want anyone to think I was endorsing a drug from a particular pharmaceutical company. They do enough advertising in magazines, TV, the internet and even in our clinics and doctors offices. Ever notice that the pens and notepads at your local clinic are pimping one drug or another. The drug companies give away these freebies to hospitals and other medical facilities as a form of not-so-subliminal advertising. Everyone needs to write notes. These "gifts" are useful and gladly accepted by the staff. Of course, eventually, a patient is going to ask, "So, just what is (trade name) for?" Then the doctor or nurse tells them and if the drug-makers are lucky, that patient might say, "I think I have that." And a new prescription is written.

I also chose to use the chemical names to remind us that these are in fact chemicals we're ingesting, Not food or herbs. These things do not occur in nature (except for the Niacin, of course). They are designed by chemists in laboratories. And these names don't just represent a simple concoction of ingredients. They are the names of the very molecules that are created to perform a specific function in our bodies. And since no two bodies are exactly alike, multiple chemicals are developed to do the exact same things in different ways.

I want the viewer to know that I am not against the use of prescription medication. I take a number of different pills for different reasons (they're all in the video, though most of them I no longer take) but I am concerned about the overmedication of our country. I cringe at every commercial I see for a new prescription medication for insomnia, erectile dysfunction or an affliction that seems just plain made up (Restless Leg Syndrome? Are you serious? This is a real condition?). These commercials used to end with "Ask your doctor." Now they end with "Ask your prescriber" because most people don't see doctors anymore for their general care. They see Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners. I suppose for basic medical care, that's okay (These people also work for less money than doctors) but should we really be putting them in the position of treating their patients like guinea pigs for some new drug that just got cleared by the FDA for whatever obscure syndrome the pharmaceutical companies have convinced us is afflicting the nation at epidemic proportions? Does your average NP or PA know enough about all these new "legitimate" designer drugs to competently predict how they'll interact with their patients' other medications or are they just going to write a scrip because their patient saw a commercial and is convinced that they have all the symptoms the drug companies told them to look for? It worries me.

The film ends with a poem I wrote in 2007 about how annoying taking all those drugs can be.

Also, my dog, Philip makes a cameo.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• prescription
• drugs
• medication
• meds
• prozac
• ativan
• Lorazepam
• Depakene
• Convulex
• Cymbalta
• Seroquel
• Ketipinor
• Lamictal
• Vistaril
• Lopid
• Zocor
• Prilosec
• Zantac
• mevinolin
• Antideprin
• Deprenil
• Deprimin
• Deprinol
• Depsonil
• Dynaprin
• Eupramin
• Imipramil
• Irmin
• Janimine
• Melipramin
• Surplix
• Tofranil
• Wellbutrin
• Zyban
• Correctol
• Niacin
• Remeron
• Joseph
• Joe
• Puente
• Utah
• filmmaker
• Sanpete
• County

[Globodyne]

If you don't have a medical condition bad enough to warrant medications, then don't take them. Just don't belittle those who do. Medications saved my life and allow me to function somewhat properly as well as improving my quality of life.

When taking any medication you have to weigh the benefits and the risks, and only when the benefits outweigh the risks do you take a medication. Note I am not on a single medication that I myself haven't asked or wanted to be on.

[josephpuente]

@Globodyne I'm in the same boat. :-)

[MrBidwin]

We all want to save money but there are ways that few people know about. Some are really fun rather than the problem of always trying to get money off food. I found a really great way to get massive discounts off all sorts of items.

[Cakerolled]

That is crazy. I started seeing a psych about a 6 months ago and he pretty much writes me a script for anything as long as I ask for it in the right way. Right now I'm on Dexamphetamine 30mg, Ambien 10mg, Oxazepam 15mg to sleep as needed. I was quite flawed as to how willing he was to perscribe me this stuff. My GP looked at me like I was a junkie when I asked for temazepam. The shit you Americans get makes mine look like rabbit shit though.

[aroundtheworlda]

Thanks have some good days I spose just a lot of shitty ones too.

[josephpuente]

@aroundtheworlda

Hang in there.

[aroundtheworlda]

This is my life.

Id be dead without them. Im not so sure that would be a bad thing though.

[telewebservices]

This isn't my church

This isn't where i heal my hurt.