There are few things more exciting than rolling out of bed early in the morning and running out the door without coffee or breakfast because you need to have fasting bloodwork done. I have to do this on a regular basis and I tell you, I just wouldn't know how to live without the excitement.When combined with an office visit with your doctor, it usually results in no breakfast/lunch until sometime around noon. Hmmm.
The cold I've been battling is actually an allergy attack. Thank you, spring/summer! Combined with the abundant rain and air pollution, this summer will not be fun.
And after reviewing all the stuff going on with the diabetes, I'm now on new meds. I love the paperwork they give you when you start new meds. First there's the very serious exhortation--Read this information sheet carefully before taking medication.
If everyone actually read those info sheets, no one would take any medicine--ever. I started three new meds. Side effects for #1...Dizziness, headache, stomach upset.
#2...burning or irritation inside the nose, coughing, headache, muscle and joint pain, nosebleed or pink color to the mucus, painful menstruation, sinus inflammation, sore throat, upper respiratory tract infection, viral infection vomiting, wheezing. (nasal spray for allergic rhinitis.)
#3...headache, weight gain (this one suggests losing weight to make the medication work better).
Confusing, much? Those were the highlights. The actual sheet are two pages long. I rarely watch television, but when I do, it always amazes me when I listen to pharmaceutical commercials. The cure is frequently far worse than the disease. Faaaaar worse.
I understand the companies are trying to cover their butts so they list every conceivable possibility. I wonder how many people actually listen to the tale end of the commercial when it lists side effects? Do the companies count on people tuning that part out? Or do they count on doctors reassuring their patients? How does that work?
Have you ever taken a medicine that was later taken off the market?
anny
Oh my heart goes out to you. I take about 15 pills a day and if I read those booklets I'd never take any of them.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know I've never taken any recalled drugs but so far I'm an herb and Chinese medicine girl.
ReplyDeleteI have taken some antibiotics before and was amazed that if I took an antacid with one of them I needed to go to the hospital. That was scary because the darn things gave me heartburn and I'd been sorely tempted.
I think if the side-effects were worse than whatever I had, I'd think twice and probably not take them. Too scary.
siiiiiiigh.
ReplyDeleteIt's like reading the software agreements you get when you download programs. Someplace in there is probably a phrase like "...and in 5 years we will seize your bank account and empty it..." and I just signed away my life...
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