- Joined
- Mar 26, 2002
- Messages
- 4,940
We live in a society where lots of people are on medication, and many of them actually need them. I say this because too many people like a fix in a pill instead of changing their behaviors. In spite of this, I am lucky enough to be the father of two special needs kids who have to have medication every day. I also have two aging parents that for better or worse are on a laundry list of medications as well. I don't think many people consider the impact of our medication dependent society, and how this will physically and emotionally impact even short term preparedness.
If you are lucky enough not to be on any medication or be responsible for anyone on medication, I first want to explain how those that are will have an impact on you.
Even when a doctor prescribes a medication and gives three refills, many insurance companies will not authorize a refill until you are close to the end of your current bottle. This is especially true with controlled substances. So in the wake of an event, you are likely to encounter people who either failed to plan accordingly or got caught up in the chaos and lost their meds. This can cause a ripple effect from everyone from the addict who cannot get his Methadone to the Mom who does not have medication for her child. Having a son who is Epileptic, I can tell you how stressed out my wife and I would be if during a preparedness situation my son was without his medications and had a seizure. So even if you are not on medications, you could still very likely be impacted by the desperation of those who are, or are responsible for others.
For those of you who are on medication, do you have any idea what the effect would be of going without it? The scariest thing about medication withdrawal or side effects is the broad range of symptoms they can present. Every thing from blurry vision, to unconsciousness, to death. These can make first responders and caregivers that are used to being able to "see" what is wrong feel overwhelmed. Especially when they realize that it is a medication issue and none is available.
Most of us know people who have a large box of medications and plan their day around taking them. Are these people in your life going be be weighing on your mind?
Everyone jokes about how whenever there is a threat of bad weather how everyone goes to the store for milk, bread, and toilet paper. Next time you are at Wal Mart or a larger store that has a pharmacy during one of these events, try going over to the pharmacy for a little observation. You will not die without milk, bread, and toilet paper, without medications you or a loved one may. And like everything else, the emotion that eminates from perception may be more deadly than reality. People can become desperate and overwhelmed with little justification. Something to keep in mind.
If you are lucky enough not to be on any medication or be responsible for anyone on medication, I first want to explain how those that are will have an impact on you.
Even when a doctor prescribes a medication and gives three refills, many insurance companies will not authorize a refill until you are close to the end of your current bottle. This is especially true with controlled substances. So in the wake of an event, you are likely to encounter people who either failed to plan accordingly or got caught up in the chaos and lost their meds. This can cause a ripple effect from everyone from the addict who cannot get his Methadone to the Mom who does not have medication for her child. Having a son who is Epileptic, I can tell you how stressed out my wife and I would be if during a preparedness situation my son was without his medications and had a seizure. So even if you are not on medications, you could still very likely be impacted by the desperation of those who are, or are responsible for others.
For those of you who are on medication, do you have any idea what the effect would be of going without it? The scariest thing about medication withdrawal or side effects is the broad range of symptoms they can present. Every thing from blurry vision, to unconsciousness, to death. These can make first responders and caregivers that are used to being able to "see" what is wrong feel overwhelmed. Especially when they realize that it is a medication issue and none is available.
Most of us know people who have a large box of medications and plan their day around taking them. Are these people in your life going be be weighing on your mind?
Everyone jokes about how whenever there is a threat of bad weather how everyone goes to the store for milk, bread, and toilet paper. Next time you are at Wal Mart or a larger store that has a pharmacy during one of these events, try going over to the pharmacy for a little observation. You will not die without milk, bread, and toilet paper, without medications you or a loved one may. And like everything else, the emotion that eminates from perception may be more deadly than reality. People can become desperate and overwhelmed with little justification. Something to keep in mind.
