Checking in With Andy Behrman

Tony V Says:

I didn’t have much luck with Abilify and wasn’t one of those happy people in their commercials. However my Pdoc always has me sign a form that he details the possible side-effects and that I am aware of them yada-yada. I have a nice stack of those forms. I don’t get the impression that he is influenced by Big Pharma

susan Says:

liz, the video isn’t loading or coming up…. should there be a video?

herb Says:

Hi Liz,

“The only thing I want to say here, aside from wishing Andy good luck with his fight, is that I wouldn’t want to tar all doctors with the same brush.” — Liz Spikol

Why wish Andy good luck with this fight other than to wish him wellness and remission and as you stated why tar all doctors? Why glorify him as does Phillip Dawdy for someone in my eyes, and as someone commented on Dawdy’s forum, is an “opportunist” and who I now see as an unconscionable profiteer very much like the pharmaceutical companies and doctors Dawdy criticizes.

Based upon Dawdy’s reporting Andy was being paid $400,000/year and worse yet pontificated the drug after taking it for 4 days while experiencing side-effects and yet still hit the marketing road for almost a year. And now he’s looking to write another book.

Give me a break.

As a very, very long-time support person and caregiver I didn’t buy or read his first book so that should immediately answer any thoughts about his next endeavor.

I also have to chuckle after Dawdy and his minions attempts to put me down as both a support person and caregiver based upon my empirical observations of my spouse’s experiences when in fact he states:

“So what got me to wake up to problems I experienced on Risperdal? I was on a date in March 2003 and the woman I was meeting told me that my face was frozen and had no expression to it. That shook me up enough to get off the drug (on which I was experiencing other problems such as weight gain, somnolence and odd heart rhythms ). What woke me up to problems with Seroquel in 2005? My lips started moving one day in a meeting at work and my boss later took me aside and asked me what was going on with me. That got me off that drug fast (on which I was experiencing a host of other problems such as weight gain, back pain, muscle tightness, nightmares, etc.).” — Phillip Dawdy

Thank your lucky stars Mr. Dawdy you had enough intelligence at those moments to have some respect for the observations of others. Some of us support people might just know a little more than you about our loved ones. Dawdy goes on to excuse Behrman’s actions. Maybe for $400,000 a year Dawdy too wouldn’t rage so much against drugs?

“Perhaps with that in mind, you might understand why Behrman was slow to rage against problems caused him by Abilify.” — Phillip Dawdy

Personally I think Behrman and Dawdy in their own ways rant and rage and lose sight of the most important objective; achieving wellness and remission. Most all medications and therapies treating serious mood disorders have potential side-effects with some more serious than others and yet I am knowledgeable that other individuals do benefit from these very same drugs and treatments.

After so many years of reading many forums I find if those people with side-effects had their way all these medications and therapies would be banned. Then where would we be? Maybe then we’ll be back to the days of warehousing the worst of the worst in Willowbrook or Pilgrim State etc then maybe Dawdy and others can redirect their efforts to these kinds of institutions.

No, I’d rather share my personal experiences both good and bad, research and knowledge, uncompensated while endorsing patient and/or support person education and encouraging hope and persistence.

I’ll leave the need for self glorification to the likes of the Behrman’s and Dawdy’s of this world.

Warmly,
Herb
VNSdepression.com

Joe Says:

Since I was the one who posted the Furious Seasons comment cited above, it should be noted that my exact words were, “I can’t help wonder if Mr. Behrman is simply an opportunist.” There is a difference. This was my comment in its entirety:

I can’t help wonder if Mr. Behrman is simply an opportunist. Sadly, some trade on their mental illness for recognition, some for awards and a few for money. Too many only suffer and it is their story which is less often told. (One individual’s poignant recovery story always trumps a thousand stories where mental health consumer fared poorly. It says something about our mental health system that recovery stories are in such demand.)

Perhaps Mr. Behrman’s endorsement of Abilify after having taken it for a few days stemmed from his prior experiences with other anti-psychotics. In a 2002 on-line chat he said, Zyprexa worked very well for me, then I tried Risperdal which was wonderful but now I’m on Seroquel, and I’ve had the best luck with it. Regardless, how many of us would do the same with any medication we had used so briefly?

Is Behrman’s coming out now his mea-culpa or just part and parcel of his PR effort for his forthcoming book? It would have been admirable if he had come out so much earlier, i.e. when the side effects set-in which was prior to the expiration of his NDA yet he continued to tout Abilify. Coming out now only raises more questions. How will he make amends to others who were prescribed Abilify based on the misrepresentation he perpetuated by his silence?

herb Says:

Thanks Joe,

For sharing the balance of your thoughts and as I still see it, Andy is more an “opportunist” as you intimated and profiteer and as I also see it this is absolutely no excuse “after having taken it for a few days stemmed from his prior experiences with other anti-psychotics.”

I can’t speak for Andy or anyone but I know better. Each psychotropic medication and/or therapy stands on its own merits and/or side-effects for each individual and if he “assumed” well then we do know the other informal definition of “ass-u-me.”

Once again, give me a break.

Andy really doesn’t have to write another book as far as I’m concerned about his side-effect experiences with Abilify. He need only direct his readers to Dawdy’s site. Phillip’s writings and the comments to his forum can easily fill a book so we don’t need Andy. Once again, I feel Andy’s attempting to profiteer and will milk his mental health challenges in one form or another for all its worth.

Worse yet at least in my opinion is Dawdy’s lack of any condemnation of Andy’s actions especially that of Andy’s admission that he took the money and essentially lied, deceived and prostituted himself for an entire year. I’ll simply presume Andy was in desperate need for money.

I’m also curious to know if Andy made any kind of disclosure statements relating to his compensation from any and all sources prior to or after any of his speaking engagements or interviews.

Once before I questioned Dawdy as to the definition of journalism at which time he went ballistic upon me. Once again, with the facts before Dawdy and his questionable reasoning I again question his definition of journalism.

I waited several years before sharing any experiences, knowledge and research as it relates to a particular therapy. I did so because I was first requested not to do so as my spouse was a study subject and secondly I wanted to be sure that what I was observing from my empirical notes and data was in fact attributable to her newest of therapies. Then too when I embarked upon my website I also reported all the aspects of the therapy including the benefits as well as the side-effects which I included by also directing potential patients and patients to the first hand information and experiences of others.

My wife and I also never joined, promoted, endorsed or received any remuneration [as a study subject and part of the protocol she did receive a nominal reporting fee] from any company sponsored product or wrote any book for profit or otherwise and the website I established sharing those experiences, research and knowledge never accepted any website advertising or asked for or requested any kind of donations. Nor have I lambasted or called for the banning of any medication or therapy even knowing the detrimental side-effects my spouse experienced from several of those treatments simply because I also know of individuals utilizing the same therapies and benefiting.

I am for sharing one’s personal experiences and gaining knowledge. In fact I often learned more from the side-effect experiences of others to my advantage as a support person and caregiver. Unlike the comments I read of some others on various forums; who am I to deny or attempt to deny someone else’s informed and un-coerced medical decision and choice for a potential opportunity to achieve wellness and remission.

Warmly,
Herb
VNSdepression.com

Jared Combs Says:

I’m a pharmacist. I’ve been practicing for 13 years now. In pharmacy school, it is never suggested to us that drug companies might lie to or mislead us. We walk out of school with the naive belief that the FDA does its job with no conflicts of interest, and that the drug companies deliver us accurate and honest information. The sad truth is that money is more important to most of them.

When a doctor or pharmacist gets the medical literature on a particular new medication, it’s all we have to go on. If it says that the incidence of rash with a particular med is 2%, we have to go by that. If the company conveniently fails to mention certain side effects or excludes test patients for its own benefit, then there’s a problem. Do I believe they do that? Absolutely. Probably not all of them, but I believe money drives these actions.

What’s wrong with being an opportunist? The man has a story and a gift for writing. Why would he not write about it? Some folks when their steak is too done send it back. Some just sit there and eat it. Andy is more of a send it back kinda guy. He is passionate and devoted to helping people with Bipolar.
Hindsight is 20/20 guys. I can understand how a person might be strongly persuaded to say certain things while being tempted with thousand dollar bills. Looking back, there are lots of things that I’ve done that I wish I had not. All I can do now is go forward. Mr. Behrman is going forward.

herb Says:

Hi doc Jared,

“The man has a story and a gift for writing. Why would he not write about it?” — Jared Combs

Thanks for you’re sharing and take on the situation. Bravo for Andy’s gift for writing and story telling and if he thinks he should write about it, good for him too. I’m also reminded that Reverend Jim Jones was a superb orator and why should he not similarly share his message. Only I’m not one who would buy either of their gifts to civilization.

Personally, after some 46 years as a support person I’ve listened to many a mood disorder narrative up front and personal and probably more interesting than he’s had to share but then again, there is no speaking for one’s personal tastes.

I’m also happy and glad to read that you too have matured and am no longer naïve about real world happenings.

“What’s wrong with being an opportunist?” — Jared Combs

There’s nothing wrong with being an opportunist especially if it is to the betterment of mankind and at least in my opinion as long as it is not at the expense or detriment of others through lies, deceit or subterfuge whether for monetary or other personal gain which I believe Andy has exhibited

“He is passionate and devoted to helping people with Bipolar.” — Jared Combs

And so too are many individuals I have had the pleasure to know through these many years who without any fanfare or notoriety or ever being compensated for their efforts have helped other individuals with serious mood disorders. I’m also glad Andy and you are proceeding forward in your lives as are many of us seriously challenged in one way or another only I don’t have to be naïve by wasting my income purchasing product(s) from someone who has exhibited in my mind questionable character and morals. I’ll simply read Liz’s forum or Dawdy’s forum amongst others and their take on any new book from Andy and the subsequent comments of their readers.

What truly disturbs me far more is the impropriety of a number of leading psychiatric professionals, thought leaders and researches similarly caught up in this payola. Whether or not they too lied, were deceitful and/or committed subterfuge as it pertains to their research and subsequent study data and whether their presentations to other professionals was tainted is truly an even more unnerving thought to me. This is certainly a more important issue than Andy being an opportunist and deceiving his readers and listeners except for the fact that Andy was Liz’s forum topic of discussion and I felt a strong need to share my thoughts knowing of Andy’s promotion of more than a decade and to the best of my knowledge also never noting any disclosure as to his financial relationship(s) or other with pharma until recent events.

Warmly,
Herb
VNSdepression.com

Gail Says:

Can someone in this online community help me understand whether Abilify is a good drug or not? The doctor just went on a 10 day vacation and after reading the above I’m wondering whether his trip wasn’t financed by the pharm. co.??! Side effects don’t seem to bother the doc.much.

herb Says:

Hi Gail,

“…help me understand whether Abilify is a good drug or not?” — Gail

I’ll share with you my short version as a response to your question.

I consider a psychotropic drug and/or therapy beneficial or “good” if it yields a reasonable degree of wellness and remission for my spouse with the least amount of side-effects or where we have the ability to overcome the side-effects and still maintain the remission.

All individuals are unique and so too their response(s) to medications and/or therapies as there is simply no way of knowing in advance who will or will not benefit and/or encounter potentially serious side-effects.

This process is one which I personally have for decades referred to as the “Trial and Error Approach to Wellness.”

No one will know better than you or possibly your loved ones from their careful and attentive observations as to how well or detrimental a treatment is doing. Then again, have you already investigated and/or exhausted what I consider the least or non-invasive approaches toward wellness such as vitamins, supplements, talk-therapy, physical exercise etc, etc.

From my proactive advocacy and viewpoint through the years I would encourage the patient and his/her support persons to be reasonably educated and knowledgeable about medications and therapies both from the standpoint of understanding the potential benefits as well as the inherent potential for numerous side-effects.

Since you obviously can utilize a computer and have access to the Internet there is substantial information both pro and con and it is therefore incumbent upon the patient and/or their support person(s) to be prepared to make informed and un-coerced medical decisions hopefully in collaboration with a trusted, caring, knowledgeable and licensed health care professional.

After that, I cross my fingers, hope for the best while very carefully observing my spouse’s response(s).

I wish you good luck and more importantly, wellness.

Warmly,
Herb
VNSdepression.com

Sekhar Subramani Says:

Why this kid-glove approach to Behrman from so many people?! Sure, we wish him well as someone with bipolar disorder, but the news stories make the pharma seem like the victim of a non-patient-advocate advocate, and I’m inclined to give BMS the benefit of the doubt, as much as I hate pharmas.

Is it because Behrman is shafting it to a pharma and the enemy of an enemy is a friend? Is it because he is a smooth publicity machine operator and you’d rather not cross him? Is it that you genuinely buy his sob-stories of “bipolar made me do it, and the meds made it worse”?

I don’t want to be someone who takes a soft stance on Behrman’s manipulation techniques, because it will reflect poorly on me as a mental health advocate sooner or later. We need people with integrity AND guts to represent our cause.

rona lewis Says:

Andy behrman is a total opportunist. He is a con man…the electroshock didn’t get that out of him, nor his lying or cheating. He lives for the con. He tells lies as a publicist on a daily basis, he makes up stories about himself. He says famous actors are interested in being in his new book that doesn’t even have a publisher, let alone any interest from an actor, but he’ll try to stir up enough of a story, enough publicity to make his desire for a book deal come true. And there’s always the next sap to fall for his bs…he told a number of people that I know who know him that he was planning on doing all of this once his contract was up if they didn’t pay him millions. BMS was idiotic to hire someone who is a convicted felon, hustler, thief, con-man, drug user etc. to work for thim. and the Journal displayed shocking lack of judgment to run a story with Behrman as its main source. I can’t comment on the drug company’s complicity or lack there of, but I do know for sure that Behrman is a total opportunist con man. He does nothing that isn’t self-motivated, if you think this is about the bipolar community think again. He only cares about himself.

herb Says:

Hey Liz,

Now that you’ve brought up this topic about Andy why not consider an investigative piece about Andy and this whole story?

I know little about journalism and the reporting business but I’ve learned through the years there are some pretty shitty and incompetent reporters more interested in sensationalism media than true investigative reporting or even at minimum ferreting out facts.

Phillip Dawdy and his devotees simply are so blinded by his and their raging at and about medications, pharma, psychiatry, doctors etc they’re heaping their praises upon Andy for his expose when in fact they can’t even see the white elephant hiding behind a couple of trees.

It truly saddens me that these folks play nothing but the blame game when there is so much suffering, pain and agony from these serious mood disorders and most all of them fail to focus on the positives by way of education and encouragement to instill hope and persistence. Sensationalism, fear mongering and alarmism practiced on Dawdy’s forum.

I don’t think Dawdy is big enough to swallow his pride for not outright condemning Andy’s actions and what I see as lies and deceit. Now Andy additionally feeds into Dawdy and his devotee’s dogma. Whereas in the case of the many doctors Dawdy has pounced upon for their taking payola I don’t believe I’ve yet to read where he has found any of his reported physicians being indicted by Grassley and/or any judicial agency for lying or deceitfully reporting of their research with the exception of one physician who I vaguely recall personally admitted his deceit.

Certainly in my mind the impropriety or possible false reporting of information by any of the psychiatric professionals and/or researchers is a far greater issue than Andy’s self-promotion and grab at big bucks which I personally think Dawdy is also jealous of.

By the way I also note the omission of Dawdy and his followers to have asked whether all along Andy made any disclosure statements relating to his financial arrangements with big pharma prior to or after any of his speaking engagements, interviews etc.

Anyway, maybe you or John McManamy might consider undertaking a piece investigating Dawdy. While you’re at it how is it that Dawdy supports big tobacco?

And a thank you too Rona for sharing your thoughts as I always question my self; am I the only one seeing or thinking of something in a particular way. It’s comforting to have my thoughts and occasionally views corroborated by others and that I’m not out of kilter.

Personally, I think Andy would have been better off just letting this matter quietly drop. And shame on the Wall Street Journal for also exhibiting their penchant for sensationalist journalism over quality content and for being suckered in my opinion.

Warmly,
Herb
VNSdepression.com

Cris Says:

So how do you go about finding a good psychiatrist who isn’t under the influence?

d.blassberg Says:

http://industry.bnet.com/pharma/10002258/bms-nemesis-andy-behrman-annoyed-tom-cruise-and-katie-holmes-too/

Wow. At least he’s consistent!

BMS Nemesis Andy Behrman Annoyed Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Too
By Jim Edwards | May 20th, 2009 @ 6:15 pm

Professional patient Andy Behrman’s last job as a PR agent for high-end baby clothing store Petit Trésor ended badly. He’s suing the shop for $170,000, claiming owners Nina Takesh and Samantha Winch (pictured) didn’t pay him for the publicity he created for their West Hollywood and Brentwood shops.

Behrman became news in the drug business recently after he tried and failed to extract $7.5 million out of Bristol-Myers Squibb in return for not talking about Abilify, its anti-psychotic drug. Behrman was a paid speaker for Abilify, but he says he lied about suffering from its side effects.

While the suit, filed April 27, is a straightforward tale of allegedly unpaid bills, a look at the publicity that Behrman created for Petit Trésor holds some clues as to why the store may have stopped paying him.

In May 2008, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes‘ lawyers accused the store of falsely claiming that the couple bought $350,000 to $400,000 in baby clothes at the store. The cease-and-desist letter was somehow leaked to TMZ, and Andy Behrman was quoted in the TMZ story on baby Suri’s “outrageously expensive designer Scientoloduds.” Behrman admitted to E! that he communicated with reporters about the apparently non-existent visit by the Cruises. MacLean’s magazine quoted Behrman describing his modus operandi:

“When Tori Spelling goes into Petit Trésor, she knows there will be 10 photographers there because I’m going to call,” he says. Even negative publicity has burnished the store’s celebrity cred. In May, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes thrust the company into headlines with a cease-and-desist letter that complained bogus information had been leaked that they had dropped between US$350,000 and US$400,000 at Petit Trésor in the two years since their daughter had been born, in an “off the record” quote to Life & Style magazine “for the purpose of enhancing [the store's] image and obtaining a commercial advantage.” (Behrman says the number was an estimate of what they’d spent in total, not only at the store.)

Two sources familiar with the episode tell BNET that Behrman’s clients were horrified that the Cruise story was not true.

Behrman is claiming he was promised by Petit Tresor:

1% of gross income
7% equity stake
$22,500 in back fees
$7,500 in commission
For a total of $170,000 in fees.
Looks like BMS dodged a bullet. Behrman and Petit Trésor both declined to comment.

(Download a copy of Berhman’s suit vs. Petit Trésor here.)

Nancy Says:

“Can someone in this online community help me understand whether Abilify is a good drug or not? ~~Gail”

After 11 years of being on various meds and combinations thereof for bipolar disorder, my 26 year old daughter has been stable and functional for over 2 years. She’s on Lamictal and a small dose (between 5-10 mgs) of Abilify. She works full time at a women’s health clinic, she’s engaged and living with her fiance and no longer drinks or smokes. Lamictal has been the most successful medication for the mood swings and depression related to bipolar disorder. Abilify has greatly reduced obsessive/instrusive thoughts and irritability. She says that the addition of Abilify has definitely contributed to her stability/functionality/satisfaction both professionally and personally.

Sounds great, yes?? Well, since the introduction of Abilify and probably because of using various atypical anti-psychotics, including Risperdal, during the past decade, she is now being treated for a metabolic disorder/polycystic ovarian syndrome with Metformin, a drug used for many Type II diabetics. She is at a much higher risk for CV disease & diabetes and her endocrine/reproductive systems are totally out of whack. She is being seen by an endocrinologist, gynecologist, psychiatrist, family physician and psychologist/therapist. Her current psychiatrist has been very forthcoming about the risks/benefits of using Abilify and he recently told her that he’s concerned about long term use. We both understand why he would be and are grateful that she has a competent psychiatrist who is looking out for her overall health. The one drug that he would suggest using as a replacement for Abilify is Geodon. My daughter was on that drug for a couple of years and it made her feel tired and numb and it did not help her in the same way that Abilify has.

He wants to see her in 3 months to see how she’s doing. There’s been extra stress on the job front and he doesn’t think he would be a good time to mess with a medication change. She hates what the Abilify and other AP’s have done to her body, appearance and physical health but she’s terrified that w/o it, she might not be as functional, easy to be with and mentally healthy.

Talk about a horrible Catch 22. If anyone has any similar experiences, comments, information, resources or whatever, please share. Of course, everyone’s reaction to a particular drug is so different and unique, esp when it’s a psychiatric medication and your own brain/body. I’m, of course, extremely upset with Big Pharma and past psychiatrists who have not fully disclosed the risks and side effects of these drugs. But she can’t undo what has already been done and there will be inhererent risks to whatever she and her psychiatrist decide to do or not to do. Btw, she went off all her meds for almost a year and she self-medicated with alcohol and street drugs and eventually hit rock bottom. So please don’t tell me that she doesn’t need medication. We both know the price she paid for going off meds, some of which is too personal/painful to reveal.

Yet I, too, feel that the AP’s can be very dangerous. Someday, somewhere, I truly hope that there are answers to the treatment of this disorder, traditional or otherwise, that don’t cause so much harm. Thanks for “listening.” Liz, I rarely read many of the psych blogs anymore because of the extreme views, vicious attacks, blame games and self-righteous posts that are constantly published but I still try and read yours. You aren’t afraid to voice your strong opinions but you do so with a degree of humility and decency that is rare on other blogs. Keep up the great work. And I’d love to hear from you re: my daughter’s dilemma.

Tomcon Says:

Nancy

I can only speak about Abilify from my own experience with it, which was decidedly negative.

My doctor prescribed aripiprazole, the generic form of Abilify, as a supplement to Lamoltrigine for treating my serious Bi-polar condition. Within a day after first taking Abilify I began feeling “loopy”, as if I were drunk but without any use of alcohol or street drugs. I experienced extreme dissociation and disorientation, along with mild vertigo and nausea. I dared not leave the house. After three days I stopped taking Abilify, and those side-effects ceased entirely after 36 hours.

Two weeks later I decided to give Abilify a second try. Again, within a day I began experiencing dissociation, disorientation, vertigo, and nausea. I stopped taking Abilify permanently. I could never gauge its effects on my mood disorder, because its weird physical effects overwhelmed any benefit.

When I next met my doctor, he agreed with my assessment that all psychotropic drugs have side effects, and that Abilify was not for me. For background, I had previously also found that Lithium physically wracked my system, despite its benefits for other people. Apparently everybody’s bodily system is unique.

Of course my experience is personal and my story only anecdotal. But I would suggest that if your doctor prescribes Abilify — and ONLY if he does — you try the drug, but immediately and objectively watch its particular effects ON YOU. If you develop weird side effects within a day or so, get off the stuff immediately. If not, give Abilify a worthy try and see if it benefits you.

Good luck.