Quote:
Originally Posted by hope2soon
as a pharmacist I will give you my unscientific view of patients. By far the healthiest patients I see are the ones on the fewest medications. I have seen 90 year olds who look great and people who are 65 look like they have one foot in the grave. While genetics is certainly a factor, there is also attitude. Some patients want a medication prescribed for everything. Instead of making lifestyle changes they want a pill. A great example is Prevacid--thousands of people were put on that mediation for stomach upset when they may have been better off losing weight or modifying habits. The patients I consider healthier, avoid taking medications unless absolutely necessary. They realize they all come with side effects. As people age, the risk of side effects increase yet the doctors feel pressured to prescribe something or the patients don't feel like they got what they came for. Also, in the litigious atmosphere they are in, the doctors feel they have to prescribe meds to cya (cover their a#$%). I have more and more respect for the doctor my mother had in her senior years who asked her if she was going to take something if he prescribed it and if she said no, he didn't order it. Myself, when I look for a doctor, I look for one who doesn't prescribe a lot of meds.
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EXCELLENT POST. From what we've seen, the side effects from the first prescription lead to the next specialist and the next "drug" and on and on.
We do have doctors up here who believe "less is more".........
Our pet peeve are the arthritis drugs with the side effects of lymphoma, cancers of the blood, tuberculosis, fungal diseases, and on and on.......
Good gracious..........morning stiffness is no fun; neither are swollen joints but the side effects mentioned above are definitely not welcomed.
I had quite a few friends and neighbors who never ever smoked a day in their life come down with fatal lung cancers........had chemo and radiation for a year or so........ultimately passed on,having lost all feeling in their hands and feet......nerve damage. Also blood clots from the "ports"; constant hospitilizations. Most recently I read that SOME arthritis drugs can lead to LUNG CANCER?????????????? That was a new wakeup call to me. I will continue to use "heat" and topical salves or rollon menthol and herbal type relief........but refuse to take anything orally.
Yes, we do remember that "pink stomach" pharmaceutical ad that we'd see at dinnertime.........I think it was the same drug?
Also, years ago (not too long) there was a cardiologist who falsely claimed on t.v. commercials that he also took a certain drug........you no longer see him on t.v. Obviously, he did it for the money.
They must think people are total idiots. We also have pharmacists as friends and neighbors and do appreciate your sound honest input.
I agree that a lot of folks are NOT happy until they get an RX.
There is no magic pill for today's ills.
My husband believes that the pharmaceutical companies "run" the networks..........that's all that's on the commercials during prime time news..........plus ABC evening news has turned into a health show with Diane interviewing Dr. Rich every day..........and then that theory flips and flops by the next month or so............