DRUGS

[CWO3ROBBIE]

Prescription drugs that is.

The current health care debate has caused me and many others to take an increased interest in the status of health care in the US.

 

During some of my research I came across the following information. "The first line of defense in health care is usually prescription drugs. Research has shown that 90% of prescription drugs work for less than 50% of the intended population".

 

In other words, 9 out of 10 prescription drugs work less than half the time!!!

 

This leads to the conclusion that we could save a large amount of the money we now spend on health care if we knew what worked for each individual.

 

OK! I will now throw this open to discussion. First I would like to know if any of you have had medicine prescribed for you that didn't work?

Did your Doctor look to see what meds had been prescribed for you in the past?

Are you one of those RARE INDIVIDUALS that experenced "Side Effects"

Are your medical records accessible when you travel?

 

[CWO3ROBBIE]

Yeh! They started me out on Lipitor, six months no problems. Cholesterol below 200. Then WHAM!!!
All those "Rare"" reactions. Went to Zocor. Same result. Then they came up with something that included taking 6 tablets 3 times a day. I decided screw this. Haven't taken anything for two years and I'm still alive.

[CWO3ROBBIE]

L. J. I'm lost. To what are you refering? Let me know and I'll reference them.

[CWO3ROBBIE]

L.J. I just learned a valuable lesson. Always book mark your research results. I can't find the source. I remember it very vividly. Just can't remember where I found it. Here is an article that says the same thing but not with the authority of the article I was quoting. I'll keep looking.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-203588/Most-drugs-waste-t...

[CWO3ROBBIE]

I just read an article in this mornings NYT that the government is giving its blessing to the use of Crestor as preventitive medicine.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/31/business/31statins.html?th&em...

WHAT!!!!! They are going to take perfectly healthy people and convince them to start buying a drug that could ruin their liver and their whole muscular system for the rest of their lives? This is wrong in so many ways that I can't even begin to comprehend it. It is reported daily that we are in the midst of an epidemic of obesity, and we are going to start prescribing drugs that will convince people that they don't have to put out any effort to stay healthy? Here! Buy this drug from us and head right on down to the "all you can eat buffet". Don't worry, be happy.

[darroll]

I take Zocor and have had no problems.
Medicare and other insurance won’t pay for it, they will only pay for generic drugs.
You have to go in for a blood test that will tell if its killing your liver.
My cholesterol was pushing 500, I think I need it.
I love cholesterol, I guess.

Yea I’m off of jury duty for two years. The pay is great, ten bucks a day, nice people though.

[darroll]

Hang in there.
The Chinese have had an extreme jump in diabetes.
Is it the hamburgers with their white bread, mayonnaise, French fries, pickles?
The Chinese don’t play politics with health and I’m sure they will find out.

[blondie 11]

I take the satins and blood pressuremeds and do not worry. I know what the results can be not taking it. My oldest brother had a massive stroke at 45 yrs of age and died 2 years later. He did not take his medicine because of the side effects. No thanks, I will not lie in a vegative state for 2 years.

[CWO3ROBBIE]

Now we are getting into a very touchy area. Blondie, do you think he should have been forced to take those meds?

[Merry]

Recently they petscanned my husband and I asked for 2 copies of the CD to be burned to show the doctors and they LOVED that. With the VA , you have to pay attention to what is going on with the records. His med list is often inaccurate but only slightly. Medicare is covering what they won't cover which is only one med, but my gripe is that the meds he had to try as an alternative made him sick to his stomach while sleeping. So I would sleep while he was awake and then stay up while he was sleeping to make sure he didn't choke on that.

[larry kremis]

Merry? There's no way to get him off the alternative meds?

[Merry]

Larry he's off those nasty meds but OMG I have a stockpile of pills that are NFG. And he still runs to the bathroom and gets sick at night once in awhile. The way that it was explained to me is that for the govt. contracts they can get prozac , ect. for maybe anywhere from a penny or fraction of a penny a pill to a couple of cents. I laugh cause I've got this image of Veterans playing poker with thier surplus medical supplies.............................but then I'm weird and very comfy with that. I did have to reject the whole notion of him going on Haldol. OMG , that stuff gives you facial ticks big time. How miserable is that> but overall we think that the VA is doing an above average job. UM with the CDs , the Doctors appreciated seeing them firsthand and we could deliver them faster then they could get a hold of them, but SSSSSSSHEESH we traveled from Northern Maine all the way to Boston for a 20 min consult. Not that it wasn't worth it but I'm looking forward to the time when technology will step in and make trips like that which are extra hard on disabled Vets obsolete.