A Thoughtful Life

Anyone who has been reading my blog for long knows that I am somewhat “crunchy” (green living, granola eating, tree-hugging, attachment parenting). I stay away from medicine unless absolutely necessary, but I also know that sometimes a prescription is the best answer.

I’m a huge believer in doing your own medical research (on REPUTABLE sites!!) and becoming a “partner” with your doctor for your health care.

To that end, may I say, that I always research prescriptions before I take them. I try to do the same for family members as well. And thank goodness I do!

Recently, a family member was given a prescription that had side effects ranging from nausea and extreme fatigue, to depression and suicidal thoughts. Ummm… EXCUSE ME???? At what point are the side effects of the medicine WORSE than what it is cures. Added to that, this particular drug is extraordinarily addictive and shouldn’t be used for more than 4 months at a time. AND there are other drugs out there that do the same things.. but don’t have all the nasty side effects or the addictive nature. I found out later that very little of this information was given to the family member. I’m sure there just wasn’t time in the 3 minutes the doctor was able to devote to his patient. (No.. that was not a slam on the doctor.. it was a slam on the health care industry.)

And yes, I know that not all people will experience the side effects listed for this drug… but if you don’t KNOW what all the side effects are you can get into trouble. Depression can be a slow slide, and it may be too late before you realize where you’ve landed.

My point to you is this: Always double-check your prescriptions. Know what side effects are, and be on the lookout for them. Know what the alternatives to the drug are. Make sure that you are a partner in your health care and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Do your own research, and help make decisions about your health. Just remember to use reliable sites in your research.