Would you rather take meds or would you rather suffer?

My choice and your choice. I take my meds and in this way have prevented many vertigo attacks. I suffer enough and choose not to suffer needlessly regardless of what others who are not in my body say.

 

I prefer to take my meds. I'm not a huge fan of being curled around the toilet!

 

I am opposed to needless suffering for anyone including myself.

 

Do I like taking dozens of pills? no. Do I like spending quite a bit on those pills? no.

But considering the alternative: vertigo, dizziness, nausea, brain fog, not being able to go to work, falling down, running into things, panic attacks, losing day after day.....well, you get the picture.

 

...What prompted this thread? Did someone say it was better to suffer than to take meds?

Rick

 

Meds here. Wish it wasn't the case but it is.

 

Since I started my meds 4 weeks ago I have 90% of my life back until then I had been confined to bed for nearly 4
months. So for me its the meds.

 

I do whatever humanly possible to avoid meds. As someone who has severe lower back problems sustained from a motorcycle accident a few years back, I know what extreme pain is. Only during severe pain flair ups will I take ONLY three-days's worth of a prescribed anti-inflamatory so I can move. This only happens about once or twice a year for me.

That being said, I am wholeheartedly against the rampant use of anti-depressants, anti-anxiety meds, and behavioural modification meds (especially in young children). These drugs fundamentally modify the way our brain's chemicals are NATURALLY produced. They are personality, mood, and emotion destroyers. Only in absolute worst-case scenarios (after all kinds of psychological and cognitive behavioural therapies are exhausted) do I condone the LIMITED and SUPERVISED use of such drugs.

It is one thing to require a pain med because of extreme pain that a person has no control over and another to pop a pill simply because one is feeling sad, tired, moody, nervous, etc...in other words, feeling the range of our God-given emotions....

 

Well, it is good that meds are not dispensed without supervision Nassman!

I don't know why you wouldn't treat suffering if you could, and I have, did and know that was a great answer for me.
What a relief just to know they are there "in case," that sure alleviated a lot of stress for me.
Lisa

 

Rick, there have been posts over time wherein people state they have been prescribed meds but won't take them even though they are hurting, some very badly, indeed they are suffering. They won't take meclizine or the benzo so they suffer the vertigo hell. THere are also people who have posted who are clinically depressed but will not take a medication tht might give them a lift out of the abyss. I just want to see what people have to say.

 

I am with Nassman on this in part.

Also you have to remember taking pills over a period of time actually allows the body to become immune to it. So, they stop working and on to something else, hence the vicious cycle continues.

Positive thinking and having the 'will' to change your lifestyle is the key. I know we all have rough times with this illness, but Im thinking do I want to spend the rest of my life letting this consume me?
Not a chance..Im want better times..I want happier times, and so that starts with me right?

Yes it does..and we need to go inside ourselves and bring out that gift, nurture it and let blossom.

Pills are not the whole solution...only in part.

Bluesky

 

I have no problems taking medication if it is going to help my health. As a single mother of two kids, I can't afford to not work (diability only goes so far). Medication helps me get to work and make it through (or at least half way through) the work week. I also feel that without medication, my kids would suffer. There are SO many things that I wouldn't be able to do with them, or for them. In my opinion, why should they have to suffer a normal childhood because of my disease?

 

Understandable on all accounts. I just know for me that my life is sooooo much more livable with a little help. No, my depression, panic attacks and Meniere's are not just every feelings. In fact, for 2 years I tried to cut through the endless despair I felt with alternative means, but nothing worked. So, if AD's, valium, etc help me live a useful and sometimes even enjoyable life, so be it.

 

When I need to I got to go the med route, why suffer unnecessarily?

 

I just tried a recent trial of antivirals that did not work. All the meds I took before have not helped during this attack, which has been since March of 08. I am willing to try alternative methods, but my insurance does not cover most of them. For now dyazide and valium as needed are the only meds I take. I suffered enough, if the meds keep me working I'll keep taking them until something else comes around or I go into remission.

 

.

 

I see many children prescribed medication for being A.D.D. whenever I hear a parent say that, I think just about all kids are A.D.D. how do they determine which ones need medication. My sons class has several kids on meds. And I just cant stop wondering.....

I have an artist friend who is extraordinarily Obsessive compulsive, he refuses treatment of any kind as he believes it will kill the artist in him. He avoid triggers to his condition he has no cellphone, computer, GPS, video games or other electronic distractions. He says that they would consume him. And he is right they would.

When I responded to (yes) I was referring to me and only me. Not my wife not my children and certainly not any of you my friends as this is a personal decision that you should not be judged upon.

Choose wisely.

Great response Di.

 

It is a personal decision.
For me, I said I would never: take valium, or have any surgery.
I took valium for ten years with no bad effects, only great help, and have had 4 ear surgeries.
For me it is interesting because when my symptoms worsened greatly, my world did too, and that is what changed my perspective. I lived without meds while I could.
Lisa

 

An eloquent and perfect summary.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31782102/ns/health-more_health_news/wid/11915773?GT1=31037

 

The only drugs I took for my MM were Serc, diuretics, antinauseants, and Lorazapam. I did have a reaction to the first diuretic that I took, but switched to HCL. Weirdly, a potassium conserving diuretic gave me troubles. HCL did not conserve potassium. I limited the use of my antinauseants to only those times that I actually felt queasy. I did not use it prophylactically. Also, I was more aggressive with the use of Lorazapam. Here, I would take some if I felt there was a reasonable chance that I was going to have a vertigo attack.

Of course, people should take medicines to avoid suffering. But it is not always black and white. For example, I am currently taking prednisone to help with symptoms from a blood disorder. It has helped a lot, but I also have to deal with some pretty nasty side effects. The side effects have gotten bad enough that I am weaning (which brings another set of problems) myself off the medication.

I think a person has to take a look at the big picture and make decisions that work best for them. Sometimes this means that compromises have to be made.

Joe