Janice M Cali
Drugs & Drug Companies & Allergies
Pills & Pills & More Pills - Today's World
I hate drugs, drug companies and allergies.
That said, I have to admit to taking prescription drugs for various reasons, none of which matter to this rant. What does matter is the drugs themselves, the companies who make them, and allergies.
Here's a simple truth, I am known to be allergic to approximately 12 drugs, these are the ones I'm known to be allergic to, not the ones I am allergic to, just those we know about. Fun huh? Every time a doctor prescribes a new drug I live in fear of an allergic reaction, like I said, fun.
Here's the kicker, I'm allergic to families of drugs, sulfur drugs, used to be able to take, now I can't my body doesn't like them at all, so they are out the window.
I'm allergic to several families of antibiotics, now that's a fun one. I wonder why I'm so allergic to so many drugs. I can actually tell you that, or can you guess? I'll pause here for a few seconds while I wait for your answer.
Time passes
OK, times up. The reason is simple, doctors prescribed antibiotics for everything, even those things that aren't touched by them, from the common cold to viruses, and viruses and the common cold are untouched by antibiotics, but we didn't know that, us the patient, and we didn't have the internet to help us find out.
Drug companies, pushed these drugs, doctors used them, because of promises, income, whatever, they used them, and hence, my body and probably many others, started to say, "Hey, YOU up there taking these things, stop, I don't want them, they are poisoning me, STOP!" When I didn't stop soon enough I first built up intolerance to them, then full blown allergies.
So, what was touted to be there to help can now kill me. Wow does that make me excited or what?
Ever seen an epi-pen? It's this huge pen type needle, that contains epinephrine, which is used to help the heart keep beating and the lungs continue to operate. I carry one everywhere now, and have another next to my bed, where everyone knows where it is. I get to stab myself in the thigh with it if I have a sever allergic reaction, or someone else has that pleasure. I've needed epinephrine once, I don't like it, it's like pumping something into your system that makes you hyperventilate and your heart race, you need other treatments to counteract these effects, what a fun time that was.
And to think I owe all this to the drugs, drug companies who pushed drugs when they were overkill, or unnecessary and doctors who believed they really were helping. Some, did it for money, but I believe in the basic honesty of doctors, most of them, and that most of them believe they are helping, or they are trying.
What's my real rant, I have a physical problem that is painful, I can't take half the pharmacology available for pain, allergies. So I take one of the least effective drugs available, have for years, it doesn't help much anymore, and taking a new pain medicine is a terrifying thought.
Well my nurse friend came up with two drugs that are helping some of her patients with the same physical problems, and some with more sever problems, like MS. I'd really like to try to take one of them, they are Talwin and Neurotic.
Today I looked them both up on the internet, you know that great tool that has been put in the hands of the common man or woman, the one that will give you facts that many people would prefer you didn't have. Well, it is fairly easy to find the uses of drugs, what they shouldn't be used for, who shouldn't take them, who should, what the side effects are, etc. What isn't so easy to find is the actual contents of the drugs. But you can if you are persistent. I can be very persistent.
I searched three sites for Talwin, and finally found the ingredient list, it doesn't appear to have anything I've had problems with in the past, until I came to the color of the tablet, yes, they even had the color and what dyes are used. Yup, you guessed it, it has two dyes, one Yellow Dye #10 & Yellow Dye #6. I just happen to be allergic to yellow dye, I don't know which one, but do you honestly think I'll take the chance it isn't one of those? Think again. Talwin is out.
So, trying to avoid the lovely list of reasons no one should ever take Neurotin, and my God there are a lot of reasons, contraindications abound, reactions are unbelievable, but it doesn't appear to be in a family of drugs I've tried before, nor does it have any dyes that I could find, what a miracle that one is, so I'll probably try it.
One small kicker, or a couple. First, I'm so afraid of new drugs, I can now have a false reaction, meaning react as though I'm allergic to a drug even though I'm not, it's called FEAR! The other, I can never, ever take a new drug without someone here when I do so, preferably a nurse, my friend will do, or my aide, Jerry is dying to try the epi-pen, bless his black little heart (actually I think he'd be terrified of using it but would do so).
So, here's what I think, first drug companies should stop putting pretty little dyes in their drugs, secondly they should start investigating natural ways to help the human body, third, doctors should start thinking about what a human body can tolerate before they give drugs willy-nilly, and most importantly we should all investigate what we are putting into our bodies, find out the alternatives and if they are usable for us.
Next time the cost of said drugs for human and others, like our animals and why a prescription for a dog for a drug that humans can take is three times the cost as the very same prescription for a human being. Think about that next time you buy a drug from your vet and find out it is available for people at a third the cost. But that's a whole other rant, or maybe not...
Happy drugging y'all.
