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Taking medication isn't always a negative thing. I am deeply grateful for my thyroid medication since my thyroid was removed when I was in my thirties. I use eye drops which keep glaucoma from ruining my eyesight. Wouldn't want to miss out on those nightly drops! And I take vitamin supplements in case my eating is off track for a while. Pneumonia and flu shots. I literally never get a cold or the flu.
DH is seventy and takes nothing other than an occasional Alleve for old football injuries. He comes from a family who live healthy until the last minute and then go all to pieces. My father's side of the family was the same way. Good genes.
I remember people in their sixties when I was a kid and those people were old! Walked with canes, all crippled up with arthritis, no teeth, half blind. They looked like people in their late eighties look today. (With apologies to you in your late eighties who are still fortunate enough to be in good health.)
For many of us it is modern medicine and increased knowledge about self-care that has improved our generation's health.
It's all about wise choices. Research the side effect and drug interactions and only use the ones which will make a difference in quality of life. Use them exactly as directed. And never make changes without consulting your doctor first.
Too many people think rx drugs are magic and overdo. And too many others make health decisions for themselves without realizing what the eventual consequences of their choice may be.
Years ago when I was a late 20something (e.g. 90s), there was this little pill and I'm not talking about the little blue pill or the little purple pill. I'm talking Prozac. From there, a plethora of other psych drugs. At first I was a bit naive about this. Later I came to realize many of my cohort were taking something.
We are in for a bitter harvest.
I took myself off meds for depression. I did it slow and careful, but after multiple times telling the doctor that it wasn't working right and was making other minor things into big one, and been blown off. Pills can help but there's sometimes lots better ways of dealing with things. What I found is psych docs don't really place much importance on the side effects of their pills on your physical health. When I moved I called the local center and asked if I would not take meds if I should register and they said no.
All these people taking especially all these anti depressents will some day figure out that it has a huge cost too.
I took myself off meds for depression. I did it slow and careful, but after multiple times telling the doctor that it wasn't working right and was making other minor things into big one, and been blown off. Pills can help but there's sometimes lots better ways of dealing with things. What I found is psych docs don't really place much importance on the side effects of their pills on your physical health. When I moved I called the local center and asked if I would not take meds if I should register and they said no.
All these people taking especially all these anti depressents will some day figure out that it has a huge cost too.
I have taken antidepressants for many years. I hope I never have to stop using them. They have gotten me over many rough patches. It's a chemistry thing, not just something you decide in your head. The symptoms are real (at least they have been for me). I have had to change pills every now and then. Eventually the one I have taken for years is not working very well anymore, so the doctor gives me another kind. Sometimes it's just what I needed, or not, in which case the doctor suggests another kind and I'll take it and it works.
Depression/anxiety are not made up illnesses. They are real and can ruin one's life if they don't take advantage of medication that helps.
Taking medication isn't always a negative thing. I am deeply grateful for my thyroid medication since my thyroid was removed when I was in my thirties. I use eye drops which keep glaucoma from ruining my eyesight. Wouldn't want to miss out on those nightly drops! And I take vitamin supplements in case my eating is off track for a while. Pneumonia and flu shots. I literally never get a cold or the flu.
DH is seventy and takes nothing other than an occasional Alleve for old football injuries. He comes from a family who live healthy until the last minute and then go all to pieces. My father's side of the family was the same way. Good genes.
I remember people in their sixties when I was a kid and those people were old! Walked with canes, all crippled up with arthritis, no teeth, half blind. They looked like people in their late eighties look today. (With apologies to you in your late eighties who are still fortunate enough to be in good health.)
For many of us it is modern medicine and increased knowledge about self-care that has improved our generation's health.
It's all about wise choices. Research the side effect and drug interactions and only use the ones which will make a difference in quality of life. Use them exactly as directed. And never make changes without consulting your doctor first.
Too many people think rx drugs are magic and overdo. And too many others make health decisions for themselves without realizing what the eventual consequences of their choice may be.
Too many doctors with fifteen minutes a patient will gladly hand out more pills because there isn't time to talk about it. And there is no therapist to go to. I'd add read the information about medical side effects, and more than just the short sheet. See if it applies to you and don't be afraid to say to the doc you don't wish to take it because of your health. One doctor wanted to change a med for no reason except I'd taken it for awhile. I returned in a month with a full bottle. The FDA papers said those with salt deficencies should never take it, with a big red check by it. I have a tendency for that and had told him about the general results of past surgery. He said that really didn't mean anything and lost all validity to me with that one.
I wrote my reply before reading this, but it all shows that those with concerns are not alone. Drugs can be wonderful and give you a life you might not have a chance for, and keep back severe diseases. But I find mood control drugs are so often thought of as the 'magic happy pill'. Maybe a good therapist would do even more good, but they cost more than a bottle of pills. And Big reality check. There is no such thing as the magic happy pill. I found that without antidepressants, I rediscovered the inside resorces to take a bad moment and make it better. Its fine to not always be happy. Sometimes those times when you feel down is your clue to see something you've been hiding away. Too many pills you just lock up that dark vault.
I'm not saying that many people should stop them entirely, but the rule should be only what you need and help developing your own resources.
I am one of the statistics that takes an inordinate number of medications (10) not uncommon to older folks like me. I survive with insulin too. I am truly thankful for "God given" doctors and pharmaceutical science. I haven't had any terrible experiences with side effects. My system seems to take it fine.
[quote=[B]Lodestar[/b];41822092]Taking medication isn't always a negative thing. I am deeply grateful for my thyroid medication since my thyroid was removed when I was in my thirties. I use eye drops which keep glaucoma from ruining my eyesight. Wouldn't want to miss out on those nightly drops! And I take vitamin supplements in case my eating is off track for a while. Pneumonia and flu shots. I literally never get a cold or the flu."
Thank you. I also have glaucoma and have had surgery for it (both eyes), have used many kinds of eye drops (now down to only 2 kinds/day). Without them, or the surgery, I would no doubt be blind by now. Those eye drops and other glaucoma treatments are essential.
Also the vaccines, pneumonia and flu, so grateful for them. I used to get the flu every year and would lose a lot of days to severe illness. I am now facing something with my thyroid gland. An ultrasound has shown multiple nodules on it. I'll be seeing an endocrinologist next month.
Lodestar, would you mind sharing some information about your thyroid and the meds you are using? I'm a little worried, tho the preliminary blood work did not raise any red flags. Thank you.
Perhaps if we tossed in "medicinal marijuana" into the calculation, we might be at 90 percent. Exclude Viagra and Cialis and the number might go down to 40 percent. This is all just guess work.
I'm 72; I have never had marajuana nor any other street drug. I have never known anyone who has.
I take two prescription medications for blood pressure, Lisinopril and Hydrochlorothiazide. I also take an aspirin every day as well as 3000 mg. of fish oil. I did take Tricor for high triglycerides, but learned that fish oil lowers it just as well. I take other medications as needed for acute problems.
My cholesterol has always been between 115 and 130.
It's important to take necessary medicines but no others.
Medicines I've been taking since my 50s include something that prevents my aortic heart valve from blowing blood backwards, a hypertension drug to control the high blood pressure caused by the heart valve problem and the consequent stress on the heart, and a water pill to solve a problem caused by the BP medicine.
I am fairly sure that I'd be dead if that problem hadn't gotten controlled by drugs. The problem has improved from a diagnosis of "moderate" to one of "mild" with treatment---and as the surgery to repair an aortic valve is still pretty risky, I am grateful to the medicines.
People need to worry about the body processes that may not be functioning. In themselves, drugs are not a big warning sign, but the symptoms they address are. I am glad I didn't ignore the symptoms of this problem, even though they were pretty vague. I'm glad I went to the doctor.
I am so tempted not to go to the doctor, and I would much rather not take a lot of pills. But I would like to hang around on this planet as long as possible, so . . .
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