For those worried about cholesterol and high blood pressure medications..

[bulkbiker]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...oling-pills-explain-fall-life-expectancy.html

I know it's in the Mail but for once a decently written article.

 

[hankjam]

Forgetting to take the S*****s on a long haul was a stroke of luck.

 

[NicoleC1971]

Thanks for posting. I know my step mum was told by her GP during a recent 'M.o.t' type visit that there was an initiative to reduce medications in the over 60s because it was recognised that there were potential harms in taking piecemeal medications without really knowing what the long term effects of combining those chemicals are (other than generating profits for pharmaceutical companies obviously...)

 

[Rachox]

Fantastic article (even if it is the Daily Mail!). I was probably one of those that just took meds if the dr said so. Not now, since joining this forum due to my type 2 diagnosis. Every cloud eh? The knowledgeable folk here have taught me to research and question all my medications.

 

[Guzzler]

I am on two drugs which are specifically prescribed to 'prevent' the possible harm done by a third drug. I tried to give up the primary drug in question last summer but failed, however, I plan to try again soon even if it means that I only manage to go on a lower dosage I will be pleased.

This 'Payment by Performance' needs to be scrapped. It is far easier, with regard to time constraints, to send a patient away with a prescription rather than to take time to deal with a patient on an individual basis taking everything about them into consideration.

 

[Guzzler]

In another part of the forum a member posed a question about a drug that his GP said could be taken in the event of a cheat meal. I have heard of the drug (Acarbose) but now that I am in the habit of checking side effects and contraindications I searched for patient information. I was surprised, to say the least, but when I asked myself what my reaction to this would be it was to say to the GP 'Would you take this drug on top of Metformin for the sake of having a cheat meal?'.
Of course, I know what the answer would be but I may just test out this question on my young (he looks about 12) fit and healthy GP and just watch his reaction. Small things amuse small minds

 

[AloeSvea]

I like the way you plan to deal with your GP @Guzzler. Your post made me interested in Acarbose - I know quite a few folks who can't bear to lower their carb-intake so I wanted to know what this drug was like and hadn't heard of it, so looked it up. Possible side effects of -

• Allergic reaction such as skin rash, itching, swelling of the lips, face, and mouth or difficulty breathing.

• Signs of problems with your liver such as yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, pain in the abdomen.

Wo ho! Dy-na-mite!

 

[pollensa]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...oling-pills-explain-fall-life-expectancy.html

I know it's in the Mail but for once a decently written article.

Thank you for sharing this absolutely brilliant article.

I quote the conclusion paragraph, if I may, which I think puts it all into perspective, and says it all really!

"So the population was not ‘sick’ after all. But it has been made ‘sick’ by the consequences of over-prescribing — resulting almost certainly in many shortened lives."

 

[Mbaker]

Fantastic article (even if it is the Daily Mail!). I was probably one of those that just took meds if the dr said so. Not now, since joining this forum due to my type 2 diagnosis. Every cloud eh? The knowledgeable folk here have taught me to research and question all my medications.

Well a stopped clock is right twice a day.

 

[AloeSvea]

The guy who wrote it is a writer-ex-GP himself isn't he? James Le Fanu. Interesting guy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Le_Fanu

 

[Tabbyjoolz]

This is a cracking piece and I have just ordered James Le Fanu's book Too Many Pills.

 

[slip]

It's frightening! Glad I don't see my GP very often if at all!