Why do I need a prescription for everything? (sinus, allergy, pain)

[Trucker7]

I can understand needing a prescription for narcotics or antibiotics, since they are responsible for the creation of drug-resistant bacteria. But, why do I need a prescription to buy the asthma medication (Proventyl), that I've been taking for the last 20 years. You need a prescription even to buy a nebulizer, which is nothing more than a glorified air compressor.

So, if I get a mild asthma attack at 2 in the morning and can't find my inhaler, instead of driving to the 24-hour Walgreens and paying $15 for a new one, I have to go to the ER, wait two hours, pay a $75 co-pay, expect more bills in the mail, answer a bunch of questions from the triage nurse, the doctor, and the respiratory tech, get the magic paper, go to the 24-hour Walgreens, then go half asleep to work because I spent most of the night in the hospital.

Last year, a went on a trip to Spain. After I got there, I realized that I left my asthma inhaler at home in the US. All I had to do was walk into a pharmacy, answer a few questions from the pharmacist, pay her €5, and I was on my way to enjoy the rest of the trip. What a difference!

[texdav]

If you have a emergency of course gop tot eh emrgency room. But you col dalso go tot eh pahemacy that your prese3crption is filled noramlly and they can give enough to get by until you casn get a refill ok'd. Personaly i have never had this rpooblem since I always make sure were my prescriptions are and refil them on time.

[emilybh]

You need a prescription for "everything" or actually just drugs because there are risks involved in taking them unlike natural medicines which are derived from nature and are safe and have not been tampered with by man. Drugs on the other hand have been manipulated to provide certain desired results but at the same time there can also be side effects that could cause more harm. Here for example are the side effects of Proventil:

SIDE EFFECTS: Side effects include nervousness, tremor, headache, palpitations, fast heart rate, elevated blood pressure, nausea, dizziness, and heartburn. Throat irritation and nosebleeds can also occur. Allergic reactions may rarely occur and may manifest as rash, hives, swelling, bronchospasm, or anaphylaxis (shock). Worsening of diabetes and lowering of potassium have also been reported. In rare patients, inhaled albuterol can paradoxically precipitate life-threatening bronchospasm

This was taken from: albuterol (Ventolin, Proventil, AccuNeb, Vospire, ProAir) - drug class, medical uses, medication side effects, and drug interactions by MedicineNet.com

[emilybh]

One thing you might want to do if you'd like to not have to take so many prescriptions is figure out the underlying cause of your conditions. Generally whatever foods you crave the most are doing the most harm to your body. For example, Dairy products and Wheat products create a lot of mucous which exacerbate asthma. If you stop eating mucous producing foods; give your immune system a chance to get nice and strong for several months, you may find you no longer have asthma or need your inhaler.

A doctor who has been to medical school for natural medicine would be able to further help you do this and recommend natural medicnes to expedite the process and get you to the point where you could go back to your conventional medical doctor who would then tell you you no longer needed the medications. There are many many people who are able to do this but it means doing something that is a little different from what the masses do (which is to just continue to take prescription drugs for the rst of their lives). If you did what I'm suggesting, you could actually fully regain your health or at worst drasticly reduce your need for so many prescriptions.

[sskkc]

I know what you mean. I don't have health insurance anymore. I was on the last few puffs of my last inhaler when I finally got sick enough with something else to finally see a doctor. While there, I got a refill, but they want to do further tests, so they would only give me 1 inhaler... no additional refills. As I have been known to misplace them (when you can't breathe, you're not thinking clearly) I like to have more than one lying around. But the doc says I need several thousands of dollars worth of tests because I said I use my inhaler 1-2x a week... anything more than once a month apparently means it's "not working" so he thinks I probably need several other meds and at least one different daily inhaler. Forget it!

I'm up tonight because I was searching "minute clinics". We're traveling (different climates) and when I went to bed last night, I was having some minor trouble breathing. I figured I'd be fine by morning. Nope. Woke up about 2am with bronchitis (I get it at least once a year). Forgot to pack the nebulizer so even though we'll be home by Monday, that could be "too late". So, hopefully one of these "minute clincs" will give me a neb treatment, steroids, antibiotics, an inhaler refill (just in case) and some of that yummy cough syrup. Unfortunately, that will dig into the budget for the trip just as it winds down and possibly eat all our day. But, an ER visit would be more expensive in the long run and would ABSOLUTELY eat our entire day.

As I know exactly what I need by now (down to the dosages), it would be great to walk in and order it all instead of having to go through the whole "rigormorole" again.

[InformationPlease]

Originally Posted by sskkc

I know what you mean. I don't have health insurance anymore. I was on the last few puffs of my last inhaler when I finally got sick enough with something else to finally see a doctor. While there, I got a refill, but they want to do further tests, so they would only give me 1 inhaler... no additional refills. As I have been known to misplace them (when you can't breathe, you're not thinking clearly) I like to have more than one lying around. But the doc says I need several thousands of dollars worth of tests because I said I use my inhaler 1-2x a week... anything more than once a month apparently means it's "not working" so he thinks I probably need several other meds and at least one different daily inhaler. Forget it!

I'm up tonight because I was searching "minute clinics". We're traveling (different climates) and when I went to bed last night, I was having some minor trouble breathing. I figured I'd be fine by morning. Nope. Woke up about 2am with bronchitis (I get it at least once a year). Forgot to pack the nebulizer so even though we'll be home by Monday, that could be "too late". So, hopefully one of these "minute clincs" will give me a neb treatment, steroids, antibiotics, an inhaler refill (just in case) and some of that yummy cough syrup. Unfortunately, that will dig into the budget for the trip just as it winds down and possibly eat all our day. But, an ER visit would be more expensive in the long run and would ABSOLUTELY eat our entire day.

As I know exactly what I need by now (down to the dosages), it would be great to walk in and order it all instead of having to go through the whole "rigormorole" again.

Not trying to be a bitty... but maybe the reason your doctor wanted to order more tests and put you on more meds is to prevent episodes like this one...

You say it's just "once a year" but everytime you get bronchitis, it's damaging your lungs. Eventually, you will end up with COPD as your diagnosis if you don't have it already based on what you've mentioned above...

I'm not hating, trust me, I have asthma too and I'm horrible about it... my lung capacity is so low that everytime they take it on that machine, the nurse leaves in a panic, and runs to get the doctor or tech b/c she thinks the machine i s broken... but really... it's just me having refused allergy meds since 3rd grade and now, at 30, suffering teh consequences of a lifetime of "just once a year."

So, just being devil's advocate...

Hope you feel better soon.

As to the OP... the are rx's involved because there's money involved... when a drug's exclusivity expires and it can be made into a generic... it loses some value, typically... and over time, if it loses enough value, they may decide the way to recoup that value is to go over the counter (benadryl, claritin, other stuff I can't remember)...

It's really about patents and marketing and lobbying... and also, hopefully, about patient safety... if you can imagine how many rx'd patients misuse their medications... imagine how many otc patients would do the same. Look at Tylenol and Ibuprofen... horribly, horribnly, horribly abused as OTC medications... just as many dangerous side effects as some rx'd meds... but not regulated in the same way...

I don't know which side I'm on... I still get frustrated b/c I feel like a criminal when I try to buy real sudafed...

[yukiko11]

Have you ever thought of Mexico to buy pharmaceutical drugs?
They say you have to have a prescription, but it is not true. My best friend lives in LA and makes a trip down there about 3 times a year to buy antibiotics and high blood pressure medication. These medications were originally perscribed by an american physicician, but everytime she needed a refill, it was $50 for an office visit and $50. for the perscription. She drives down to the border, but the parking lot is on the US side. The pharmacy is right across the street from the border. She is able to buy enough for 4 months for $50. She also buys for me. I have bad allergies that occasionally lead to chest infections. The doctor has always given me the antibiotic ampicillin which works very well, but again, the office visit is $50 and the prescription is $40 for the course of 28 capsules. She buys me ampicillin for $10.00 for 100 capsules. The freshness date lasts about 18 months, but if you keep it in the refridgerator it lasts longer. When it goies out of date, I can afford to throw it out. I know it is the same medication because it has a distinct smell.
Due to health insurance, we are being ripped off every day by our medical providers. I don't believe in self medicating, but if you are on a regular prescription, Mexico is the way to go.
They will not sell you any drugs that are narcotic, or habit forming like pain and sleeping pills, but hormone drugs, high blood pressure drugs, cholesteral drugs and antibiotics etc are ok.

[cjma79]

Originally Posted by emilybh

You need a prescription for "everything" or actually just drugs because there are risks involved in taking them unlike natural medicines which are derived from nature and are safe and have not been tampered with by man. Drugs on the other hand have been manipulated to provide certain desired results but at the same time there can also be side effects that could cause more harm. Here for example are the side effects of Proventil:

SIDE EFFECTS: Side effects include nervousness, tremor, headache, palpitations, fast heart rate, elevated blood pressure, nausea, dizziness, and heartburn. Throat irritation and nosebleeds can also occur. Allergic reactions may rarely occur and may manifest as rash, hives, swelling, bronchospasm, or anaphylaxis (shock). Worsening of diabetes and lowering of potassium have also been reported. In rare patients, inhaled albuterol can paradoxically precipitate life-threatening bronchospasm

This was taken from: albuterol (Ventolin, Proventil, AccuNeb, Vospire, ProAir) - drug class, medical uses, medication side effects, and drug interactions by MedicineNet.com

Oh, and there is plenty side effects from natural medicine also.
Medicine have steps, FDA just dont let all medication to be over the counter. Some medication would never be out while others do.
Is not to make more money, pharmaceuticals would love to have their medication on the shelves and not behind the counter.

[myrc60]

Originally Posted by yukiko11

Have you ever thought of Mexico to buy pharmaceutical drugs?
They say you have to have a prescription, but it is not true. My best friend lives in LA and makes a trip down there about 3 times a year to buy antibiotics and high blood pressure medication. These medications were originally perscribed by an american physicician, but everytime she needed a refill, it was $50 for an office visit and $50. for the perscription. She drives down to the border, but the parking lot is on the US side. The pharmacy is right across the street from the border. She is able to buy enough for 4 months for $50. She also buys for me. I have bad allergies that occasionally lead to chest infections. The doctor has always given me the antibiotic ampicillin which works very well, but again, the office visit is $50 and the prescription is $40 for the course of 28 capsules. She buys me ampicillin for $10.00 for 100 capsules. The freshness date lasts about 18 months, but if you keep it in the refridgerator it lasts longer. When it goies out of date, I can afford to throw it out. I know it is the same medication because it has a distinct smell.
Due to health insurance, we are being ripped off every day by our medical providers. I don't believe in self medicating, but if you are on a regular prescription, Mexico is the way to go.
They will not sell you any drugs that are narcotic, or habit forming like pain and sleeping pills, but hormone drugs, high blood pressure drugs, cholesteral drugs and antibiotics etc are ok.

I'm being ripped off and you are getting a deal if your doctor visit is only $50. It costs me a minimum of $100 to see a doctor when I have bronchitis or a sinus infection. I have insurance but I have had to cut back on doctor visits because the visits are not covered or are transferred to deductible. So in this case the insurance company wipes up while the doctor loses.

[ino]

Originally Posted by Trucker7

You need a prescription even to buy a nebulizer, which is nothing more than a glorified air compressor.

You can make a nebuliser out of an 'air brush' paint sprayer, you know, the ones that do the fine artwork, all you need is a regulator from memory, to regulate the pressure. I have an article here somewhere that tells you how to make one but it would take me a week to find it, do a search for 'air brush nebuliser', you may get a surprise.