Glass Chatroom Board

@Carma48, @gabla
True, true, true! The doctors have all fallen in line, though. After having my 3rd child the doctor handed me a fistful of scrips as I left with my 12 hr old child. I asked what each was for and gave 4 back to him. He said "you might have pain, though!" I said, "worse than the 13 hrs of labor which I did with no drugs?" I then asked if his wife would be coming by to handle this 7# baby as I'd be in no condition to handle her if I took the PERCOSET he prescribed! He laughed nervously. I never saw him again. And I did fine at home with lots of naps and some help with housework.

DH had knee surgery and got a scrip for 90 oxycodone. We asked him to rewrite for 21 --- a weeks worth if you're not abusing it. He said just 'save the rest'. At the pharmacy we asked to have just 1/4 of the scrip filled and were told that would take physician approval. We ultimately took the scrip and put the unused pills - about 70 of them - in the police collection box. What a waste. Insurance paid for an excess that we didn't need or want. Many seniors are flushing them down the toilet which puts them in the groundwater and explains partly why such an increase in hormonal disease. Others are targeted by druggies for break-in. And even some are becoming dependent on unnecessary opioids.

TV has convinced people that no matter what hurts there is a pill to fix it. Whenever I complain of arthritis, allergies, headache.... the inevitable answer is 'what are you taking for it?". If I reply that I'm going to drink a big bottle of water and lie down for my headache, I get very odd reactions.

The tail end of the TV ad for poisonous pills is a high speed recitation of possible side effects up to and including death. Then it's right back to the idyllic scene with the happy patient enjoying the sun on the lake, pain-free and full of vitality.

If you question a doc about side effects you're told the odds are miniscule. If you ask what you can do other than meds there is a look of such consternation on doc's face. Huh? What can YOU do?

It's all so sad.
Janice