http://www.greensboro.com/life...53-2fd8972b51b7.html

I read this and identified with the problem discussed in the article, especially concerning blood pressure medications.

Even if you aren't an older person, perhaps you have a parent in this category. It is well worth the read.

"The glide path to overuse can be gradual: A patient taking a drug to lower blood pressure develops swollen ankles, so a doctor prescribes a diuretic. The diuretic causes a potassium deficiency, resulting in a medicine to treat low potassium. But that triggers nausea, which is treated with another drug, which causes confusion, which in turn is treated with drugs."

My mother went down that road. Had a pharmacy's worth of drugs--many to counteract the side-effects of others, and still more to counteract the side-effects of those, and still more...

That doctors blithely go along with that process says a lot about the state of Western health "care," IMO

ALL prescription drugs have side effects. A drug cannot do one thing without effecting another thing. The less drugs you can get away with taking the better. Problem is, most people want to take the easy route and just take a pill for everything......rather than exercising, losing weight, changing their diet, realizing life isn't always happy, etc.

After my heart issues they had me on so many, finally had the doc start weening me off them, as he said, they could start affecting my kidneys and liver. WTF??

I’ll never forget doing drug cards in paramedic school.

Phenegran is used to treat nausea/vomiting. One of its side effects is...nausea/vomiting.

My sister(early 50’s) has liver issues. I think it’s in part to do with all the prescription drugs & supplements of various types she has taken over the years.

There was just an article about increased liver problems with all the meds being taken. One also sees it with certain drugs, ‘we have to make sure your liver is healthy before prescribing’.

This was the case with my father (d. 1994). All the medications Santa Barbara, CA doctors had him on, and their various interactions and side effects, had him out of his mind. Removed from them, he at least got that back.

quote:

A patient taking a drug to lower blood pressure develops swollen ankles, so a doctor prescribes a diuretic. The diuretic causes a potassium deficiency, resulting in a medicine to treat low potassium.

I'm on those for 20 years. No nausea, Dr. monitors my liver & kidneys. No issues with either...

quote:

Originally posted by kz1000:

quote:

A patient taking a drug to lower blood pressure develops swollen ankles, so a doctor prescribes a diuretic. The diuretic causes a potassium deficiency, resulting in a medicine to treat low potassium.

I'm on those for 20 years. No nausea, Dr. monitors my liver & kidneys. No issues with either...

No nausea here, either, but I am taking 4 capsules of potassium daily.

flashguy

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
ALL prescription drugs have side effects. A drug cannot do one thing without effecting another thing. The less drugs you can get away with taking the better. Problem is, most people want to take the easy route and just take a pill for everything......rather than exercising, losing weight, changing their diet, realizing life isn't always happy, etc.

EXACTLY!!!
“Just gimme a pill to fix the problem” is the path to the Dark Side.

It seems like most doctors hear about a symptom and immediately prescribe a drug to address the symptom. It's quite hard to get them to tell the patient what they should do to address the issue creating the symptom.

A past doctor told me he gave up telling patients how they could change things to get better because 85% of them aren't willing to change anything. He says they just want a drug.

About a decade ago, my Aunt pulled a fast one and got my Grandfather to move 2.5 hours to be closer to her which meant all new doctors (he had lived in the previous city for 60+ years). My aunt took him to a what was in her definition a wonderful GP, and a week after a routine visit received a phone call to take him straight to the ER. The ER admitted him to the hospital, my Mom made the 2.5 hour journey, and the eye opening began:

The so called wonderful GP didn't have hospital privileges anywhere and this was a blessing in disguise.

A doctor of internal medicine began quarterbacking my Grandfather's health and she actually took the time to contact his two specialists to discuss his history and reasons behind prescriptions. Both commented that they had never communicated with the GP.

The blood test that prompted the "go straight to the ER" phone call was identical to the 3 previous tests. He should've been sent to the ER after the first test.

When admitted my Grandfather was on 12 prescriptions and felt like shit. When he was discharged he was on 6 prescriptions and felt the best he had in years.

The GP was fired as his primary care physician and the doctor of internal medicine was his doctor for the remainder of his life.

Been there, done that.

Doc put me on blood pressure medication for SLIGHTLY higher blood pressure. Was on it for a couple months. One day about a month ago I felt really bad, and then found myself on the couch practically unable to move.

Side effects of the medication.

Quit taking it, went to the doc last week to get prescription for diabetes renewed.

Told him that I had quit taking the blood pressure medication because of really, really bad side effects. Had not taken anything for blood pressure for a month.

He checked my blood pressure: 127/72!!!!!!!!

As I see it, many doctors have been brainwashed into prescribing meds, and when side effects occur they prescribe more to deal with the side effects, etc, etc etc

How many people are on prescription meds for things that could be solved by a change in life style?

Different diet, physical activities, etc.

quote:

Originally posted by bryan11:
It seems like most doctors hear about a symptom and immediately prescribe a drug to address the symptom. It's quite hard to get them to tell the patient what they should do to address the issue creating the symptom.

A past doctor told me he gave up telling patients how they could change things to get better because 85% of them aren't willing to change anything. He says they just want a drug.

Yes, doctors have a life long patient that way.

But also patients are almost never totally honest with their doctors either. My dad was an alcoholic. He drank 1/3 of a 1.75 liter bottle of vodka per night, perhaps a little more. He would pour it into a 40 ounce glass with ice and a little grapefruit juice.....and have 2 of them. When doctors asked how much he drank, he told them 2 drinks per night!!! LOLOLOLOL

But also, most people are in the situation they're in because of their lifestyle (eating, drinking, lack of exercise, etc.). But they won't do what they need to do to change. So I guess after doctors telling people they have to eat less fatty food and a year later seeing almost all of them still doing the same thing, they treat the lifestyle.

I had my first blood test a little over a year ago. I was 6'3 and 247 lbs.....my cholesterol was high 247 and my blood pressure slightly high at 154/83. I cut out A LOT of fatty food and lost 25 lbs rather than go on meds.....I haven't gone back for another blood test yet, but my blood pressure has come down 15% and I feel a lot better.

I know a bit about this as my sister has been a pharmaceutical rep for the past 15 years.

The reason I posted this is my vascular problems.

Never had hypertension until 2009, and I think it is the result of both hereditary and chemo I took during cancer in 2003.

For years after 2009 and after my first aterial stint, I was on minumum blood pressure medications. I was always active, quit smoking in 2003, very little alcohol. And not overweight.
5'9"/168 lbs
Over the past two years however my BP has crept up, and was like a roller coaster. In Oct of this year it went up to 230/130 for 4 days, I would take 2 days worth of My BP meds in 12 hrs with no effect or reduction.

So I went to the ER, where I was admitted to the hospital to bring my BP down. They succeeded, but with the addition of 2 new BP meds in addition to my previous ones. I took thse meds Oct and Nov, then had fluid buildup in my legs and feet, of course my vascular doctor put me diuretic (2!) to reduce the fluid buildup. Plus Lipitor and a blood thinner and aspirin.

And I am having my liver/kidney functin checked every week.

Right now, I hate even looking at my medication dispenser, when I take my morning meds, about an hour later, it feels like my house has fallen on me .

About the only time I feel good, is the period early in the AM prior to taking my meds and later in the day around 5 when it starts wearing off.

However, I know I cannot come off of blood pressure meds due to my vascular disease, but, gosh, the meds are as bad as my hypertension.