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medication - do you take any?

Libre

Libre

Member
I bitterly resent the fact that I have to take daily:
a blood pressure lowering pill;
a cholesterol lowering pill;
a pill to relieve poor circulation in my left leg;
a multi-vitamin for the hell of it.

My wife makes me take them. Makes me feel like an old fart. Guess I should get a rocking chair and a supply of Depends.

I complained to my doctor that I'm too young to be taking all these pills. He says he couldn't care less if I take them or not. He says I should stop taking them, and when I shortly die, he'll run off with my wife and live off my insurance money.

I never took any medication - nor would I - when I was single. Of course, I was somewhat younger, but not much - I've only been married about 4 years.

They say single men have the shortest life span of single men, single women, married men, and married women. I understand why. Single men don't have a wife to make sure they take their pills. Single women know better and take care of themselves.

I'm 55 years old, and I feel like I'm taking enough pills to supply a nursing home. Maybe I should reject all this medication and try to improve my health with diet and exercise. And maybe I'll grow a pair of wings and be an angel right here on earth.

My father died when I was 12 and he was 41. They didn't have these pills in those days.
100 years ago the average live expectancy in the United States was 47.

Guess I'll keep taking them - if only to f**k up my doctor!

How about you - do you take any pills? What are you taking? Do you resent it?
 
Sadly I must take medication. I suffer from Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression) and Anxiety. I take the following:

  • Lithium - 1200 mg daily
  • Effexor XR - 225 mg daily
  • Lamictal - 100 mg daily
  • Abilify - 5 mg daily
  • Xanax - 1 mg (or more as needed) daily

I am currently disabled because of my condition. I have a positive attitude and live life to the full. Reading is one escape for me as is writing (private- for my eyes only). This forum helps me lots too. I love to talk about books very much. By doing so, I forget about my illness.
 
Aqua, I think you are to be admired for your courage and honesty.
Mental illness is something too many people are scared to talk about and it is something we need to be much more open about.
I am recovering from depression and an anxiety disorder that I've had for the last 8 years and am taking medication for both.
It's great that you have a positive attitude - it gives people in the same situation encouragement and hope. Thanks:)
 
I take a medication twice weekly intraveniously. (spelling?) I have a blood disorder called hemophilia which doesn't allow my blood to clot. So I get bruised up alot. My medication is called Recombinate, and is made from donated human blood.
 
AquaBlue said:
Sadly I must take medication. I suffer from Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression) and Anxiety. I take the following:

  • Lithium - 1200 mg daily
  • Effexor XR - 225 mg daily
  • Lamictal - 100 mg daily
  • Abilify - 5 mg daily
  • Xanax - 1 mg (or more as needed) daily

I am currently disabled because of my condition. I have a positive attitude and live life to the full. Reading is one escape for me as is writing (private- for my eyes only). This forum helps me lots too. I love to talk about books very much. By doing so, I forget about my illness.
Click to expand...

Kudos to you for being honest and witnessing to others about your plight. You most definitely have my respect.

As for me, the only "meds" that I'm on is some weird alternative thing that is supposed to hold my back in place. It's called Cataplex-F. I sometimes wonder if my chiropractor got his degree at a state university, or if he dropped out of the state u., did acid, and went to "school" in some yogi's tent in god knows where.:rolleyes: ;)
 
WOw. I guess I should be happy I only have to control my cholesterol and blood pressure. Well, the "claudication" is vexing. That's the poor circulation in the leg.
Bi-polar disorder and hemophilia are way out of my league. I hope you both (and all others) get well. Sounds so dumb, but, well, I mean it.
I'm not a total stranger to major illness though. The leading theory about what caused my claudication, is the radiation treatments I had to my lower abdomen 20 years ago (testicular cancer).
Gaak. This thread has taken a morbid turn. I really didn't mean to get too personal or to pry. I assume everyone knows that only those that feel like it need to volunteer anything.
 
Oooh, claudication sounds bad. Couldn't you lose your leg from that?

I can't get rid of hemophilia (unfortunately). It's a genetic disorder. So I had it when I was born, and I'll have it when I die. But I'm very glad I was born in the last decade. Most people who had hemophilia in the 80's have died of AIDS because of contaminated blood donations. One of my much older cousins (42 I think) contracted AIDS from this, and I feel very grateful that is isn't me in that situation. I would be completely out of it. And if you were born before 1930, there was no treatment, and most with the disorder bled to death by the age of one. I could have it much worse, but luckily, I don't and am eternally blessed for it.

It's not as bad as you'd think. I've gotten used to the bi-weekly shots. It's just a part of my life, and has become a part of me. Like any physical handicap whether it be an amputated leg or cystic fibrosis, you learn to deal with it and go on with life. I have a couple friends (who I get to see on Friday!!!) who also have it. I also have a pair of cousins afflicted with the same disorder. It helps alot.

Wow, it felt good to get that off my chest. Everyone who knows me knows this, and I thought you all should too.

p.s. This hasn't gotten morbid; it's gotten truthful. Would you rather have people telling lies to exaggerate their problems and make others feel sorry for them?
 
Vespertilio91 said:
Oooh, claudication sounds bad. Couldn't you lose your leg from that?
Click to expand...
It's possible, in severe cases. Thank God mine isn't that bad. The effect of it is, my leg gets tired from walking only a short distance. If I stop and rest it recovers quickly though. It's distressing because I've always been a FAST walker. I'm short for a male (5'4") and have often had much taller friends. So early on I learned to fly down the street. Now I can't. Now little old ladies in walkers pass me. Not really. But it does suck. The pills help some, though. The doctor said, if I start getting ulcers on my feet or if it wakes me up at night, that's when we have to get really aggressive about it (surgery).
 
sirmyk said:
I should...
Click to expand...
Maybe you can get by with just coffee and cigarettes, and some good old fashioned dope. I did for years. Ahhhh, the good old days.
Still drink coffee though. They'll NEVER take THAT away from me!
 
Libre said:
I bitterly resent the fact that I have to take daily:
a blood pressure lowering pill;
a cholesterol lowering pill;
a pill to relieve poor circulation in my left leg;
a multi-vitamin for the hell of it.

I'm 55 years old, and I feel like I'm taking enough pills to supply a nursing home. Maybe I should reject all this medication and try to improve my health with diet and exercise.
Click to expand...

It looks like you are only taking four pills a day, including a multi vitamin. You really aren't that bad off, particularly if you are in your fifties. The average person your age that I run across takes more than you do. Although, with circulation, cholesterol and BP troubles you should think about adding an aspirin in daily (ask your Dr about it).

I'm only twenty six and I take two prescription pills, two herbal suppliments (four pills each daily) that my doctor has instructed me to take, a vitamin and three inhaled medications daily. I also get a shot every three months. In the past I took two other pills, one for ADHD and another for the anxiety caused by the ADHD pill. I stopped taking those and use diet, exercise and relaxation to keep myself focused. Soon, I'll be adding weekly allergy shots. I hate taking all of these meds, but I know I'd be in a lot of trouble if I didn't. I haven't always been compliant and it always gets me into trouble.
 
i had my thyroid removed at 26 (cancer) so i have to take thyroxine every day to fool my brain that the gland is still there and working. that was 6570 pills ago! and counting...

not too long ago, at a dinner party, someone posed the question of what one item we would all bring to a desert island. fascinating answers, but mine had to be my meds!
 
well, i'm 33 and take far more than you due to the fact that i have severe pain on a daily basis due to a spinal cord injury that was caused by a doctor's error. i have at least one surgery or procedure a month, as well, due to this problem.

i'm hurting particularly bad at the moment and am a bit bitter about it, so i saw your post as whining and it just hit me in a hard way. sorry if i come across hard or rude.

just wanted to say though that some of those drugs could be eliminated by changes in lifestyle and eating habits, although sometimes genetics play such a part that lifestyle has no say in the outcome of health, unfortunately.

i re-read your post and mine and now feel guilty for my tone. it is just bitterness on my part. i am so proud of you for taking the pills and listening to the nagging of your wife (bless her). i have to struggle to get my dh to take medication for something as simple as a headache, and i can't imagine what he'll be like when he gets older and needs more powerful and important stuff! i had to nag him for years to get his moles looked at and only in the nick of time did he get them checked (they were a step away from being malignant and i mean as in melanoma). he has to get moles removed yearly now and they are always the atypical type and would likely turn into melanoma, so he has to be vigilent about that.

aside from all my meds for my spinal problem, i do take allergy meds and stomach meds (as i have an ulcer). i hate filling out forms at doctors' offices about medication. the list is just too dang long!

at least recently they started me on a pain patch, which has decreased my need for pills as often, although i still need some for breakthrough pain. i hated popping pills all the time! it made me feel anxious and guilty, although my need for them is true.
 
Libre said:
WOw. I guess I should be happy I only have to control my cholesterol and blood pressure. Well, the "claudication" is vexing. That's the poor circulation in the leg.
Bi-polar disorder and hemophilia are way out of my league. I hope you both (and all others) get well. Sounds so dumb, but, well, I mean it.
I'm not a total stranger to major illness though. The leading theory about what caused my claudication, is the radiation treatments I had to my lower abdomen 20 years ago (testicular cancer).
Gaak. This thread has taken a morbid turn. I really didn't mean to get too personal or to pry. I assume everyone knows that only those that feel like it need to volunteer anything.
Click to expand...

you know, there are things you can do for the claudication, if it is severe enough that is (at least for insurance or medicare to cover it) - and i am speaking surgically. it is quite minor actually. i used to work for a vascular surgeon. look into it if it is getting to a point where it is interfering with your ability to walk distances or even interfere in daily life.
 
Libre said:
It's possible, in severe cases. Thank God mine isn't that bad. The effect of it is, my leg gets tired from walking only a short distance. If I stop and rest it recovers quickly though. It's distressing because I've always been a FAST walker. I'm short for a male (5'4") and have often had much taller friends. So early on I learned to fly down the street. Now I can't. Now little old ladies in walkers pass me. Not really. But it does suck. The pills help some, though. The doctor said, if I start getting ulcers on my feet or if it wakes me up at night, that's when we have to get really aggressive about it (surgery).
Click to expand...

i said it in another post, but you could do something now to revascularize the affected area. with the pain and level of claudication it sounds that you have, you should qualify for treatment now. have you seen a vascular surgeon?
 
Yes, I did see a vascular surgeon. He's the one that diagnosed the claudication. He said that the procedure would likely be a balloon angioplasty (if I'm remembering correctly).
I don't want no balloon angioplasty.
Wait, a double negative - I'll fix it.
I don't want no balloon angioplasy, no f*****g way!
There, that's better. Now it's a triple negative, logically reverting to it's intended meaning.

Fact is, and all jokes aside, if you saw my other thread about working out, exercise seems to be helping. And maybe it's the med I'm taking too. Eventually, I may need the surgery, but for now, I don't really want to do it.
 
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