I've been a Pharmacist for over 30 years. It is hard to believe I have been doing this since the 1990s but time flies I suppose. Of course my training is about what to use for what condition and for how long.
Now there are many times when medication is absolutely required. Right now I'm dealing with a wart on my foot and guess what, an acid plaster is just the thing. My son just came back with a bunch of mosquito bites from a camping trip and a pretty bad sunburn. I know just what to use to help him through it. However how about when I had a sore tooth a few months ago? My tooth hurt. A lot. Now as a pharmacist I often get asked about what to take for a toothache like that. I have people grabbing Anbesol (Benzocaine), or Ibuprofen, or asking me if I can give them morphine. Now don't get me wrong...all of those items have their place and might be useful but here is the thing--it wasn't my first choice.
In this case the answer is : See the dentist
With strong pain killers I might be able to go for a few more days with less pain but its still going to hurt. The medicine might be able to help get someone though for a while. Benzocaine might even freeze it for a while so it actually doesn't hurt. In the end though its just a mask and when the pain comes through the mask? A very good chance things will have gone from bad to so much worse.
Here is the thing though...I had Acetaminophen and I had Ibuprofen...but the most useful thing for the short term for the pain? The thing that got me through the night until I could see the dentist? Imagery techniques and self hypnosis. It takes time to learn the techniques but if you do there is mild to moderate pain relief without medication. Is it a cure? Absolutely not. Did I need to see the Dentist ASAP? Absolutely.
But as a Pharmacist I know that EVERY medication that is behind the counter has a reason for being there. Medications have side effects..sometimes severe. Medications can be expensive. People think that the medication is the fix but so many times the medication works well with some other type of treatment. In some cases even better if you change your lifestyle so you don't need the medication in the first place.
There are a lot of medications that are available that may just not be worth it, or at least is being taken for much longer than I'm happy with. However, I also have to be very cautious about what I say because something that is optional for one person may be absolutely necessary for another.
Diabetes medication? High blood pressure medication? Cholesterol medication? I'm often asked "Do I have to take this for the rest of my life?". It leaves me in a tough place. The quick answer is: Yes. You will be taking it for the rest of your life. But is that totally true? Not for everyone. Many of the people who are taking these types of medication are obese or morbidly obese (fat or super fat). If they don't treat their high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and related medications their risk of heart attack, stroke, and other complications is much higher. However... if they lost all the excess weight? IF they limited their calories, started doing weight training, swimming, and generally getting their body back to healthy weight. What is going to happen? Well, they could still need the medication because things don't go away but I've also seen people happily get off lots of medication because they ate better and worked out harder
Sleeping medications? I see so many people abuse them and get hopelessly addicted to them. It makes me so sad to see. Why? Sleep hygiene therapy. Relaxation therapy. Psychotherapy or mental coping techniques or sometimes just getting out of a bad situation can make the sleeping issue go away. No drugs and no addiction required. Again though, that isn't for everyone. Some people are going to fail on non-medication techniques and do have to be on the medication long term even with the risk of addiction.
The risk goes on. Gout medication? Sometimes diet can solve the issue. Antidepressants? Sometime there are other options. Weight loss? Drugs often aren't the answer. The problem is that sometime they are and they are life changing.
At the end of the day I'm very glad that there is the availability of medication that is out there today. I've seen so many people helped by it that I would be a fool to say that medication is ineffective. I know where it is an absolute lifesaver.
But I also know that treating your body with respect and maintaining it in good working condition can save people from taking a lot of unnecessary medication. Also respecting your body also means respecting your mind and mental health. Getting exercise. Avoiding cigarettes. Drinking in moderation. Getting proper rest. Eating a proper diet. Treating the body like the wonderful machine it is and not taking it for granted all so very useful in not needing medication.
Am I glad I had ibuprofen and tylenol when I had my toothache? Absolutely! Was I glad the dentist had freezing agent when the tooth was removed? Absolutely! But did I get additional help from non drug measures? Absolutely...and I'm so glad that I learned them.
And that's my take on the Hive learner post prompt "No more medication". Thanks for taking a moment or ten to read this far.
