As people in America, we have the advantage of one of the most sophisticated medical systems available. We can go to a wide range of doctors for our problems and they usually send you home with a prescription for your troubles. Pharmaceuticals are a huge industry and in these modern times there’s a pill for almost any purpose you can fathom. But have you ever stopped to think about how many of the pills that you’re taking right now you actually need?
How many pills do you take on a daily basis? How many of them do you actually need? If you can’t answer the second question it’s perfectly understandable because a lot of people naturally trust their doctors and don’t realize that they might be putting chemicals into their body that they don’t actually need. When we go to the doctor complaining of an ailment our first priority is feeling better and our natural assumption is that we’re sick. But what if you aren’t sick?
I don’t mean that in a weird way but what I do mean is that you may actually be confusing a side effect of your medication as a sickness. Pretty much all medications have side effects to them and a lot of common medication side effects are also symptoms of a lot of common illnesses. So you are technically sick but are you sick enough to need another prescription? The answer is probably no but a lot of people are piling on medications that might be doing more harm than good to treat what are essentially the side effects of another medication.
The vicious cycle of piling on the pills to treat the aftermath of one of your other pills is more common than you think. I’ve taken a number of medications over the years and over the last few years I really began to scrutinize what I was taking. I realized half of my pills were treating side effects of my other pills. Once I became more knowledgeable about all the extra nasty chemicals I was pumping into my body just to tolerate some of my prescriptions it really made me think. I started paring down what I was taking because I realized I was taking and spending money on pills I really didn’t need.
But how do you go from one or two prescriptions to a whole tray full of them without really needing some of them? The answer lies in a few areas but I’m going to focus mainly on the factors of instant-gratification and consumerism. These are two of the biggest driving forces in why people in America have become such rampant pill poppers.
Instant gratification is something that we’ve come to expect in America. Whether it’s a response to a text, a burger and fries, or a monetary rebate we want it now. This instant gratification attitude affects our medical treatments in a big way because we miss out on better ways to take care of ourselves. Medical professionals and pharmaceutical companies home in our instant gratification desires and look for the fastest solution to our medical dilemmas. Sure, there are better ways to treat your everyday problems but why go to that effort when you can just pop a pill?
Now there will always be situation where you do indeed need the aid of a pill but alternatives are often skipped when doctors know the most readily accepted option by their patient is a pill. This is also what lays the foundation for consumerism to take hold. Pharmaceutical companies know that Americans love a good miracle pill and have a penchant for self-diagnosis as a bonus. The result is hundreds of medication commercials acting as a proverbial snake oil man to millions of Americans who have a weakness for over-thinking their headaches and gas. It can be very easy to get sucked in and think your tension headache is actually a condition two in every fifty adults suffers from.
It’s not to say that people are stupid. This is simply marketing doing its work. To add to the confusion many Pharmaceutical companies make efforts to grease the pan by visiting medical professionals and making them less willing to tell you no when you storm in demanding a pill you think you need. Is it a bit unethical? Technically it is but have you ever seen some of those sweet branded pens pharmaceutical reps leave? Pens are like gold bars in an office setting.
But in all seriousness, it can be very easy for both sides to get a little distracted when it comes to distributing pills. I don’t think most doctors are the devil but a lot of them aren’t taught to explore alternative treatments or ramp treatments up from the least to most risky. They’re taught to dispense pills whenever possible because this model has been shown to be popular,expedient, and successful. Part of the pill epidemic is because people want it that way and not because of the medical community pushing it.
So how many pills are you taking each day? Which ones do you actually need? If you’ve never thought about it before today, I would implore you to take a second look at that pill tray and figure out the answer to the second question, because you might just be one of the many people medicating a side effect.
One of the things that pretty much all of us are guilty of at one time or another is laziness. We have a lot on our minds so any chance to let someone else take the reins becomes an oasis in the desert. This can be a big pitfall we saunter into when it comes to the doctor. We understandably want to leave the issue to the doctor after we give them our laundry list of symptoms so we don’t question when they hand us a prescription. Popping a pill is a quick and thoughtless solution that suits most people just fine because it doesn’t require them to exert extra effort looking into their own health and other existing options.
But what does the term “patient responsibility” mean to you? How about the term “self-care”? Patient laziness is more of an epidemic than taking pills for side effects because a lot of us just don’t have the time or desire to be an advocate in our own health. I’m not saying you don’t want to be healthy or that you don’t care about yourself but the idea of going the extra mile in understanding your own health can be a daunting looking task at first glance. That’s why we’re going to discuss how you can be a more knowledgeable and possibly happier patient in two easy and life-changing ways.
Be Inquisitive
A lot of times whether it’s from tight schedules,not feeling our best, being scared,or even a little too much trust in another person we don’t feel inclined to ask questions at the doctor. This is a huge mistake. Being an advocate in your health means wanting to know the facts,wanting to know about the nature of the treatments, and wanting to know if you’re getting the best course of treatment for your issue. You have every right to ask your doctor questions and you’re paying for their time and probably the gas in their sports car. The biggest favor you can do yourself next time you go to the doctor is to exercise your patient rights to being in the know and ask your doctor questions. Investing in your health and well-being is one question away at any given appointment. It will not only make you feel informed and confident about your medical treatments but also signal to your doctor that getting better is truly important to you which might get you better service and more genuine attention in the end.
Be Informed
Knowledge is power and that’s especially true with a medical situation. Being sick in any strain is scary but when you understand your condition and the treatments that go with it, that vote of confidence can make a huge difference. When we understand our medical situations more it can dial down how scary they are and also help you invest in your health more as opposed to blindly accepting what a medical professional says and hoping it’s right. Making an effort to understand your ailment and the treatment options is something that’s accessible to anyone.
For starters, let’s look at that pamphlet that came with your pills when you picked them up. It’s not just there because your pharmacy secretly hates trees. It’s actually got some useful information in it like the most common side effects,medicine interactions,and a ton of other informative goodies. And while you’re there at the pharmacy, do yourself a solid and get a second opinion. A lot of us just pick up our prescriptions in a hurry and decline talking to a pharmacist but a few minutes of your time to ask questions and check for any possible interaction with a pharmacist can give you a wealth of information and possibly save your life. Sometimes doctors can miss possible medication interactions or you might have come up with a question after you left the doctor. Often times pharmacists have a deeper knowledge of medications than a doctor and it costs you zero dollars to take advantage of it and become a better informed patient. It’s a free way that you can invest in your health and be completely sure that you need and won’t be at risk taking a medication.
But you can also go way beyond that pharmacy pamphlet. Investing in the latest copy of the Physician’s Desk Reference is an easy and very great way to be able to educate yourself about any medications you’re taking. It goes beyond the most common side effects and lists all of them so you can identify if you might have an uncommon one going on. It also tells you about the uses of the medication and all the known interactions. It can also help you figure out when something going on might be a side effect of your medication and not a new mystery illness or even help you find alternatives if one medication isn’t quite working out for you further down the line. If you can’t afford the PDR check something reputable online like WebMD. Just make it a point to research before you put something new into your body.
The process of determining if you’re taking pills you don’t need is much simpler than you might think. When considering whether you need a pill or not, you need to determine three factors.
- Can I identify an actual medical condition that this pill treats?
- Can I live without it?
- Do I feel genuinely better when I take this pill?
Now it needs to be said that before you stop,change,or start any medication you need to consult a doctor. Some medications are very dangerous to go cold turkey on. What is okay to do is prepare yourself and really consider the pills you’re taking carefully prior to consulting a doctor about a possible medication change.
But let’s look at the questions you’re considering here. First off, you want to be able to identify an actual diagnosed medical condition the pill is treating. As long as you can readily identify an actual medical condition related to the pill it probably has a purpose but if you can’t identify what the pill is treating then it’s a red flag it might not be an absolutely necessary medication. Pills you’re taking should have a concrete and significant application. With the enormous amounts of chemicals going into our body on a daily basis,adding to that cocktail with a needless prescription drug is hurting you more than helping you. Some prescription drugs have serious consequence and can weaken or damage your body over time so if you don’t need it,continuing to take it can actually be shortening your life or endangering your health.
Secondly, you want to consider if it’s a life-sustaining drug. If it is something you to some degree need for quality of life or daily function then it’s probably a pill you do need to maintain taking but if you can live without it in good quality you might want to consider if it’s worth keeping.
Lastly, consider if the medication is truly helping you. If the medication truly makes you feel better or creates significant improvement it’s probably something worth continuing but if you feel worse or unremarkable with it,consider if it’s an absolute need or if there might be a better alternative to it. Anytime the gain is not significant but you still have to live with side effects, it’s a good sign some kind of change needs to happen with that medication. You may not need it or you may just need it adjusted or changed. Make sure the pill is worth the risk and really adding to your quality of life.
Once you have some idea of where you want to make changes in your medications,make an appointment with your doctor and discuss your concerns. Let them know that you have concerns about making sure you’re only taking necessary and effective medications. You may even want to take that time to ask if there are safer or natural alternatives or even newer treatments you can look into as a substitute for the pills. Medical advancements are made every day and the worse thing they can tell you is no. It’s hard to be completely free of prescriptions but limiting them to just the ones you absolutely need can be a great step to taking care of yourself and being a little more invested in your health.
It’s an unfortunate truth that even if you want to make changes to your medication,you aren’t a doctor. Additionally, finding alternatives to lessen your pill intake will take determination,effort, and possibly money. That being said,it’s well worth all those things if it improves your quality of life. So let’s look at some ways that you can work toward changes in your medical treatment.
Switch to a Doctor that Cares
While most doctors aren’t out to get you, a lot of them will fight you being too involved in your own treatment initially because it’s an atypical situation. Some doctors really are about the money,cramming in as money patients as they can in a day, and prescribing as many pills as they can. Some doctors are simply not dynamic enough to really invest in you as a person. Some doctors just aren’t a great fit for every patient. If you aren’t happy or comfortable with your doctor, make an effort to find one that understands and cares. Having a doctor you feel safe and confident discussing your medical issues with is key to good health because it gives you peace of mind and makes you more willing to go to the doctor and tackle medical problems that arise. A good doctor will take the time and effort needed to properly treat you and listen to your concerns.
Always ask About the Least Harmful Alternatives First
Medical advancements are being made all the time but your doctor won’t automatically bring them up because most of them are trained to jump right for a prescription pad. You need to make an effort as a patient to broach a conversation with your doctor about whether other treatments and alternatives to a potentially harmful prescription pill exist. Some examples would be questioning about other forms of medication,shot alternatives,extended release versions of a pill to reduce how many you need to take in a day, or even medications that are similar with less serious side effects. Your doctor isn’t avoiding these conversations for a sinister reason but unless you show an interest in the topic of alternatives it probably won’t occur to them to look at them either.
Consider Herbal or Natural Solutions
While natural alternatives can’t aid with every condition, they might be able to help with some. While I don’t advise you sign up to the idea that herbs will cure all and allow you to shed all prescription pills, I would advise you keep an open mind. Explore what your options are in natural alternatives and fill in gaps where you can with the safer alternatives. You may still be stuck with some of your prescriptions but it never hurts to look. You may discover some natural aids that can either replace something you’re taking or at the very least supplement it and reduce the damage done to your body.
Ensure That it’s not a Vitamin Deficiency
Something I’ve learned over the last few years of my life is that a surprising amount of issues can stem from simple vitamin deficiencies. It’s actually very likely that a good range of common symptoms and issues aren’t something you need a script for but something you need a vitamin boost for. If you’ve never done it, check with your doctor about doing a blood panel to check your various vitamin levels because you may be taking a pill for a condition that doesn’t exist when all you need is a nice safe vitamin alternative without the junk chemicals.
Consider if Lifestyle or Diet Changes are a Possible Solution
I would like you to consider the phrases “You are what you eat.” and “living hard and fast” for just a moment. We live in an indulgent and fast-paced world where it’s very easy to lose track of what we’re putting into our bodies and how well we take of ourselves on a basic level. While changing your diet and lifestyle habits won’t cure all,it never hurts to consider that most of us can stand to do a little better in that department. If you see that you’re on a lot of pills and have a low quality of life,take a good hard look at what benefits a change of what you eat and how you live would bring. You might find that some of your pills are actually an attempt to not have to make behavioral changes and better choices. If that’s the case,do yourself a favor and take a renewed interest in your well-being before you pop another pill you don’t need and cause possible damage.
Aim to be on the Lowest Dosage Possible
One of the possibilities if you do absolutely need a certain pill is to see if you can lower the dosage to the safest level possible.It’s not a perfect alternative because you’ll still be ingesting the pill but at the very least you can try to reduce how much of it you take in on a daily basis. Most medications have recommended dosages for starting out and a good doctor will understand the medication and how to gradually monitor and adjust it. Keep in mind that when you do change dosages you may have to be patient and observant to get the right level for you. The right level will be optimal results with the least amount of disruptive side effects.
Is There an OTC Alternative?
OTC medications aren’t necessarily better than prescription drugs but they can in some cases be safer alternatives with less side effects. For instance, I have prescription pain pills for my fibromyalgia pain but I also have Aleve as a safer option if my pain isn’t extremely severe. Exploring whether there might be a somewhat safer OTC alternative to a prescription pill can not only be good for your health but also easier on your wallet in some cases.
In Conclusion…
I hope that if you read this article that you not only learned something but have the means to take your health back a little. You might find that when you say no to a pill you don’t need and find better approaches to your health, you’ll actually feel better. The less unnatural chemicals you pump into your body, the more your body can work as intended and heal in truly beneficial ways. We can all benefit a little from taking a second look at our health and taking the next step in investing in our future.
