Medication Desperation

[RickJ]

Definately an important aspect of a social breakdown or mass survival situation. I'm currently undergoing immunotherapy for my rheumatoid arthiritis (fun stuff) and have bloodwork done twice a week. Since it's destroying any hope of keeping a steady eating or sleeping pattern and rendering me completely unconstructive I'm weening off of it. Other than that the only thing I really rely on is ibuprophen. I do carry a bottle of mega men's daily vitamins in my survival pack, IMO it's a necessity. A single pill with sufficient vitamins and minerals you won't get from eating a rabbit or a trout every night for dinner can prevent scurvy or about a thousand other easily preventable diseases. I also agree that people overuse medication so they don't have to make simple lifestyle alterations and can keep on living the destructive lives they do.

I agree

 

[udtjim]

I hope that you are speaking for yourself, I sure don't use medications because I have a choice.

 

[SpookyPistolero]

I hope that you are speaking for yourself, I sure don't use medications because I have a choice.

I'm always amazed at how pervasive the attitude is that those taking medications are on them because they are weak in some way. Amazing.

 

[j williams]

When I was in Florida the docs had me on all sorts of crap.Stuff for gout, stuff for acid reflux, BP med,Paxil for abdominal cramps.
I moved down here, reassesed my life and diet and my new doc gradually took me off of everything but added one pill for my tachycardia.I never got anything for my tachycardia up there but a recommendation for surgery. I was in the ER 3 to 5 times a year to "reset" my heart beat.
Down here ? No problems in 5 years now.
Prescriptions :jerkit:
Not necessary.
I'm all grown up so I can buy what I want, when I want.

TO, if ya dont mind me askin, what are you taking for the tachycardia? Diltiazem? Just curious...

 

[Alvaro Candanedo]

Well, I went through an unpleasant experience, in sep./2001. I was attending a ENT congress in Denver and due to the suspensios of all flights, many foreigners were stranded in the USA. I ran out of my BP medication, and it was very difficult to get a prescription. In the end I returned to Panama with 1 or 2 days without taking my medicine, and you just can't do that with hypertension. To me, was very scary to be in a situation where I just couldn't get a medicine which is vital to me.
What is gong to happen when you simply have no way to get the medications you need?

 

[mymindisamob]

I hope that you are speaking for yourself, I sure don't use medications because I have a choice.

Agreed! The condescending attitude could meet with a "KMA". My body has been through some crap and I certainly didn't choose to depend on meds that have made my life possible.

 

[Spuddate]

Is is possible to keep some form/copy of your perscriptions, so if you have to leave due to huricane, etc., you could still get meds at your new location? I understand that if you have to leave the state, this probably wouldn't help.

Spud

 

[SpookyPistolero]

Is is possible to keep some form/copy of your perscriptions, so if you have to leave due to huricane, etc., you could still get meds at your new location? I understand that if you have to leave the state, this probably wouldn't help.

Spud

Keeping the bottles is an easy step. You could also have your pharmacy return the original Rx to you but 'voided' out.

 

[sodak]

I'm always amazed at how pervasive the attitude is that those taking medications are on them because they are weak in some way. Amazing.

Speaking only for myself, when you are in your teens and 20's and very healthy, life is pretty black and white, cut and dried. Back then, I knew everything. If you didn't believe me, you could ask me, and I'd tell you. Fast forward 30 years, and now I understand some of the shades of grey. I also now understand that I've only seen a sample of all the shades of grey that exist...

I've also seen this attitude permeate the "you have to work out" mentality. While I still work out, I'm not religious about it like I used to be - I have too many other priorities. We had a call in radio show that was asking for people's excuses for not working out, so I called in and said "My genetics beat your workout program." They didn't like it, but it's true if you look at my family line.

My Dad always said that the hardest thing to do gracefully is to get down off your high horse.

 

[mercop]

I take one med, and well my wife and kids take several, and I feel they are all needed. My parents are so out of control with it I don't know where to start. Exercise is good but not to the point where you live in the gym, who can do that with a family. It is not about the big things you do once in while, it is about the little ones you do everyday. I think I am going to get off my fat ass and walk down to the post office

 

[udtjim]

Sometimes poor health can sneak up on you, sometimes it comes instantly' like in the form of major broken bones and such that can put a instant end to much opf your physical activities. As you get older those things don't heal like they once did. Lack of physical activities, things can go downhill pretty fast. No two peoples circumstances are idenical and modern meds have been a blessing as well as a curse.

 

[Cpl Punishment]

Modern meds can be overused, but some really are necessary.

Through no fault of their own, quite a few people have gotten conditions that would have killed them not even 10 years ago before the meds that they take were invented. Not everyone on meds is an OTC dope addict.

 

[PayetteRucker]

Modern meds can be overused, but some really are necessary.

Through no fault of their own, quite a few people have gotten conditions that would have killed them not even 10 years ago before the meds that they take were invented. Not everyone on meds is an OTC dope addict.

and yet before the first hospital was raised in North America, society thrived-whether it was through natural selection or differing lifestyles, people lived in adobe huts and tents made of buffalo hides and ate beans, corn, fish and venison as their staple diet, wrapping major lacerations in corn husks and suturing with bone needles and horsehair.

 

[coop1957]

As someone posted before read "One Second After" and you will see all the problems of meds interrupted. Not a pretty picture.

 

[Ultimate]

and yet before the first hospital was raised in North America, society thrived-whether it was through natural selection or differing lifestyles, people lived in adobe huts and tents made of buffalo hides and ate beans, corn, fish and venison as their staple diet, wrapping major lacerations in corn husks and suturing with bone needles and horsehair.

Are you familiar with the average life expectancy of those who lived under the conditions you described?

 

[PayetteRucker]

before or after the white man? quality of life should also be considered, although they may have lived a shorter lifespan, they didn't have half the issues with depression, obesity and other major social detrements that we do nowadays.

 

[Ultimate]

before or after the white man? quality of life should also be considered, although they may have lived a shorter lifespan, they didn't have half the issues with depression, obesity and other major social detrements that we do nowadays.

The first hospital in N. America was in the 17th century I believe. The life expectancy was about 35-40 years during this time.

 

[The Ice Bear]

This is a big thing for me, I'm actually currently going through methadone and oxycodone withdrawls. I would NOT want to do this in any enviroment other than my bedroom. I won't even go swimming in the snow melt runoff. It is the most horrible pain anyone can ever have.

Now I'm not saying tons of people are on methadone and oxy's, alot are but even pills like adderel for ADHD have an addicting tendency, try yanking your kids off those without a docs help, it won't end well.

Basically my whole point, if the world comes to some sort of end, or you become lost and do not have your pills (which you should, they sell small pill cases at REI for like a buck) You need to find a place to hold up and get through the withdrawls of whatever you may be on. I have up to six months of this fun to look forward too, in the wilderness or in a post apocalyptical setting I doubt I'd make it, not out of being a sissy but these things doctors give us are SO toxic on our bodies. Even tylenol is horrible for you.

Now I don't wanna be the token pot smoker advocate, but it will help with pain depending on your strain, it always helps with your stomach, say your vomiting constantly you smoke and 90% of the time it's gone within an hour or two. Why pot does all this I have no idea, I'm not a doctor or scientist, but when your pain management doc tells you to quit opiates and start smoking pot you know somethings up, luckily I have the resources to get a card and get pot when I need it. And sure it gums up your lungs pretty bad, but atleast it's not gumming it up with cancer causing chemicals like cigs do.

Keep a supply of your vital meds on you, with a doctors note. I've had the misfortune of having a bottle of methadone with me while walking home from the pharmacy and got hastled big time by the cops even though i had the reciept and Rx#. Doctors note took care of that, I get bugged by anyone I pull it out, docs note can also get you a state and federal parks pass for free or limited fee. So if you're like me and have chronic brutal pain look into it, all of it, from the extra pills, to the REI pill capsules, Pot, whatever. Theres always a better cure for something medical than most prescription meds, whether its vitamins or plants.

Sorry I rambled so much, I've found thats a side effect of coming off these things, major ups and downs.

 

[sodak]

before or after the white man? quality of life should also be considered, although they may have lived a shorter lifespan, they didn't have half the issues with depression, obesity and other major social detrements that we do nowadays.

Please, don't try and paint a rosy picture on this. Life was brutal and short back then, very brutal and very short. Quality of life was similarly lousy watching those around you starve to death. Society didn't exactly flourish back then, but it did muddle through.

With all the negatives in this thread, I'm very, very thankful for modern medicine.

 

[udtjim]

Me too, delighted in fact.