Unnecessary medications?

[gardnmom]

I have a new concern about what we are and are not being told about our health.

Recently my DH was told by his DR that the reason for his very frequent urination was

due to a slightly enlarged prostate. He put him on a fairly new prescription , Avodart,

He was recently called up for jury duty and was dismissed because of his inability to wait 3 or more hours for bathroom breaks. (Criminal trial) They insisted that they must have a statement from his Dr. verifying this statement.

The upshot was that the Dr. who put him on this med refused to verify it. Would not sign a paper stating that this was true. When we questioned them about this, we were told that they did not diagnose this. It seems that they decided that since the majority of males over the age of 50 do have this problem that they assumed that was his problem. They did not consider this a “lie” because the statistics were in their favor.

I have to wonder how many other people are put on meds because the statistics said they shoud be?

[Linda]

high sugar also cause the same promblem.. did the dr. check him for that??

We are very lucky(maybe our dr. isn't, poor guy) but we ask lots of questions about any meds he gives us and a lot of why's what cause? etc. He knows we will also do reserach on any meds and our systoms and what ever he may think it might be.

 

So what is the Doc. going to do about your DH now. Sure hope it isn't anything bad

and what happen about Jury duty???

[gardnmom]

He has borderline diabetes, which we monitor and are keeping it under control with diet.

Dr. ran some test for possible prostate cancer. negative. Thank God.

His blood presure is also slightly elevated, but also under control (with medication). The Dr. is not going to get a chance to do anything more for him as DH fired him.

He will be called up again in the next 3 or 4 months, for jury duty.

[logcabinmama]

Oh, dear, Lois, this is bad, I had not thought about people getting medication they don't really need.

 

It sure sounds like your DH needs a different DR. I know I could never go that long at a time without going to the bathroom so I just asked my DR. to send a letter to the court house and that is all it took. No questions asked, I know we have a good dr, and wonder what we would do if he would leave here.

 

Hope you can find a good DR.

 

(((((HUGS)))))

 

 

 

[Guest Guest]

Lois, thank you for bringing up this topic. Due to my tia, I have all kinds of doctors trying to put me on depression meds and for what purpose I dont know. Im not depressed or anxious. Is it because they think women are more emotional than men? I cant believe the number of docs pushing pills people dont need. Do they get a kick back or something? I refuse to take meds that I dont need. the side effects are too great. I called the pharmacy and they said anti-depressants are not used for imbalance problems or vestibular disorders which I have. Its unbelievable. thanks forletting me get this off my chest. Karen

[gardnmom]

Drs today do seem to assume that we all need some kind of "antidepressant" Don't you know that it is not "normal" to feel sad for a day or two. Some of them are idiotic fools in my opinion.

Here is a site for information about prescriptions their side effects, etc., including some natural meds that may also help.

http://www.rxlist.com/

Are you familiar with Dr. Lorraine Day? Her website is here:

http://www.drday.com/

 

[lowlander]

Hi everyone. I know I haven't been visibly around for awhile, but I do visit and read every now and then, when my internet is working. This post struck me enough to reply. Or at least part of it did. I know what you are saying about unnecessary medications. My grandmother was on so many at one point in her life that she would be taking whole handsful at a time. Then after several years of this, my parents moved her our west to where we live and the doctors here changed her meds. She was cut in less than half of what she was taking.

 

Apparently what had happened, or what we could figure happened was: her doctor would put her on on medication, then she would need another for somthing else but the first one continued, she would go to the hospital and they would perscribe something new, but not take her off what she was on and so on...until she was so many unnecessary medications that it would boggle the mind. The doctors out here were shocked and promptly removed her from a good portion of them. She felt better that she had in a long time and lived for many more years, than her doctors in her home town had given her to live.

 

Now the second thing:

 

Someone mentioned depression and medications. I just want to say that all my life, for as long as I can remember, I have not felt normal.(jokes aside) I was always an extremist. One end of the emotional spectrum to the other. High highs, low lows, and not much in between. This was "MY" normal. I inherited a trigger temper, so that didn't help matters. I was stubborn too. But I would do things that were just not "right". Nothing really "bad". But things that the average person would think were bizzare. In fact part of me knew that this was not normal behavior. But I could not control myself.

 

As a teen they told my parents that I needed medications. I was a normal teen, but the meds would "help" me to cope. Boy were they wrong. It intensified the situation. I got way out of control. I was bouncing of the walls. I went off the meds on my own, as I "knew" that they were not helping me. I became bulimic and anorexic at 17. By 19 I had the anorexia under control. But bulemia is like being an alcoholic. The tendencies to "fall off the wagon" are always there. It's just what you do to "control" them. Once you are bulemic you always will have those tendencies. It becomes a form of control you have over yourself. (yet, in fact, you are "out of control")

 

I lived with my odd extremes of behavior for most of my life. When things happened to me (ie: the death of my grandfather, the death of my husband), I would lose control entirely. I would "become" actively bulemic. My moods would swing, to extremes. I would become depressed. But no one would diagnose me as "depressed" or otherwise.

 

I lived with this until one day I could live with it no longer. I found myself at a crossroads, yet again. But something this time made it different. I was about to make one of my "odd/extreme" choices, but instead went to my doctor. (a different doctor) I cried in her office for an hour. She kept checking in on me and gave freely of her time. I was brutally honest with her about "ALL" my strange thoughts and behaviours. She perscribed something for my obvious depression.

 

Then my sister told me about a web site with information about bipolar disorders. I wnet and read whatever I could get my hands on. I read other things as well. I went "informed" to my doctor and gave my findings and my history. I was placed on another medication, that as far as I am concerned, between the two, have saved my life.

 

For the first time in almost 40 years, I have been living what seems to be a normal live (for about 1 1/2 years now). I feel happy (yes, I can still feel sad, angry, etc.). I feel alive. I have no bulemic urges. I have no extremes of anger or elation. I feel as if I can finally live life.

 

To me it has been an incredible change for the better. My family can stand me now. I can finally stand myself. No more weird thoughts. It is how it should be.

 

So basically, what I am saying is several things. Finding the right doctor is important. Talking to your doctor is very important. Being informed is too. And sometimes medication "IS" a necessary part of your life. Ask questions, read information. Do your homework. And most of all, if any one of you, see yourself in this at all, in any way - Stop the insanity and get help. Right now!! Before the next stupid thing you do. Just stop!!! Do not pass go, head straight to your doctor's office and tell them you need their time and help. If they can't do it, find a doctor who will.

 

Life can be good. I finally am living my life not just existing in it, waiting for the next disaster to happen.

 

Be strong. You can do it.

[gardnmom]

very good advice, Spitfire, and welcome home.

We missed you.

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just add the last bracket