Bigger, Stronger, Faster
OK, this might get slightly controversial.. There is a film coming out in three days’ time called Bigger, Stronger, Faster. Its trailer is at http://www.apple.com/trailers/magnolia/biggerstrongerfaster/hd/ (hi def trailer at http://www.apple.com/trailers/magnolia/biggerstrongerfaster/hd/). Now I haven’t seen the film yet, so I want to make sure that I don’t make any ignorant assumptions about the film. The trailer is obviously trying to ’shock’ people into going to watch the film (sorry - movie!) and I’ll leave it to others to form their own opinions on the film itself.
There is one brief scene in the trailer showing the words ‘Whatever the cost’ and then a guy sat at a stadium asking "if you had to take a drug with the known side-effects of anabolic steroids, to keep your job right now and support your family, would you do it?" and this has really got to me. Basically because there are ethical similarities with my own situation at the moment (despite me not actually using anabolic steroids).
For those that don’t know, I developed the condition known as epilepsy eight years ago. This means that the way that my brain’s cells send chemical messages to each other has changed. This has altered the excitability of my whole brain in a way that predisposes it to seizures. I need to take this opportunity to thank the people at the gym that have helped me when I have gone into seizure - Adam247 and Jdavidson1987 in particular.
When I first developed the conditions, doctors simply handed me some drugs and said ‘take these twice a day’. I ended up unable to look after myself (I was manager of a University’s Fitness Services at the time) and hence I had to go and live with my parents. Nobody knew what was happening: my Mom thought I had a brain tumor, my Dad thought I was having a breakdown. I still kept having seizures. Funnily enough, the doctors changed the drugs they had given me for epilepsy and the effects diminished in about a week. So I went out and re-trained and rebuilt my life, becoming a special needs teacher.
Seven years passed and during this time I became slowly more and more sick. By November 2007 I was unable to work at all, had Chronic Fatigue, lowered immunity and a digestive system that was intolerant of more and more foods. I was still having seizures. So I took matters into my own hands and stopped taking the epilepsy pills. Since that time my health has gradually improved. (I have kept weight training throughout all of this).
Here’s the bit that ties in with that film. The doctors have told me that I MUST take their drugs again, because the drugs will reduce the seizures that I have. They predict that I will either be killed by a seizure or injure myself during a seizure. They have told me that they will not treat me unless I take these anti-convulsant drugs, so I feel that I am being forced into a similar predicament as people that are ‘having’ to take drugs with the side-effects of anabolic steroids in order to keep jobs and support families.
The doctors treating me recently admitted that drugs they want me to take DO have side-effects on the immune system, the hormone system (lower testosterone), the digestive system, sleep (insomnia), vision, skin, memory, concentration and speech. Looking through medical journals such as ‘Neurology’ indicates that there are a number of other side-effects associated with the chronic use of these anti-convulsant drugs, including osteoporosis (brittle bones), and disorders of the blood, liver and heart. A number of psychological illnesses are noted too. These drugs are used to treat mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, too.
So, If I go back to the phrase that I saw in the movie trailer, showing the words ‘Whatever the cost’, I would like to ask a similar question: "if you had to take a drug with the known side-effects of anti-epileptics, to keep your job right now and support your family, would you do it?". I wonder how people would answer….
I have a suspicion that the same drugs companies developed certain anabolic steroids and anti-epilepsy drugs in the 60’s 70’s and 80’s. How interesting that one of those categories is now seen as ‘a dirty little secret’, ’sends the wrong message’ and ’something simply un-American’ whereas the other category is assumed to be safe and repeatedly prescribed to millions of people around the world. I’d say a lot of this involves people’s attitudes, and dangerous assumptions based on information given out by whoever developed both categories of pharmaceuticals.
People getting yelled at for taking drugs on one hand, people getting yelled at for NOT taking drugs on the other… Crazy.
Is there anyone awake at the end of all that??
May 27, 2008 at 2:24 pm
I am awake a very much respect what you had to say, Opinions are a right of everyone but Opinion without perspective can often be dangerous I consider you a person with a great deal of perspective.
I am also aware of the film and have some very strong personal opinions about it but that is a entirely differant discussion all together.
I am glad you posted this, and I commend you for it, and thank you for sharing your personal story. All the Best!