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11-22-2014, 01:53 PM
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#1
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,660
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Are you on drugs?
I am planning to not take all the prescription drugs doctors prescribe.
Why should I need them in older ages if I never needed them before?
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11-22-2014, 01:55 PM
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#2
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Texas: No Country for Old Men
Posts: 50,004
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Good plan. No need to prolong the inevitable...
__________________
Numbers is hard
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11-22-2014, 01:56 PM
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#3
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: South Texas~29N/98W Just West of Woman Hollering Creek
Posts: 6,671
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Quote:
Why should I need them in older ages if I never needed them before?
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When you ran this by your primary care physician, what was the response?
__________________
Part-Owner of Texas
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read. Groucho Marx
In dire need of: faster horses, younger woman, older whiskey, more money.
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11-22-2014, 02:04 PM
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#4
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Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Eastern WV Panhandle
Posts: 25,302
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Sometimes you find that the quality of life is better with than without. But hey, give it a try.
__________________
When I was a kid I wanted to be older. This is not what I expected.
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11-22-2014, 02:04 PM
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#5
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 17,773
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RetireAge50
I am planning to not take all the prescription drugs doctors prescribe.
Why should I need them in older ages if I never needed them before?
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Which ones would you take? How will you decide? Why would you not take "all the prescription drugs doctors prescribe?
(I wish I was on drugs but take only otc vitamin D and an all purpose multiple vitamin when I think about it.)
__________________
“Would you like an adventure now, or would you like to have your tea first?” J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
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11-22-2014, 02:45 PM
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#6
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 13,130
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I thought this was a poll and would have answered "No".
Currently, I don't need any drugs (prescribed or not prescribed ).
If you don't want to take any, make sure you run that by your doctor as some have nasty withdrawal effects. Anti-depressives quickly come to mind.
__________________
Have you ever seen a headstone with these words
"If only I had spent more time at work" ... from "Busy Man" sung by Billy Ray Cyrus
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11-22-2014, 02:54 PM
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#7
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Chicago area
Posts: 431
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Sometimes lifestyle changes can produce results that would make the drugs moot. Maybe that is what you mean?
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11-22-2014, 03:21 PM
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#8
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Western US
Posts: 1,205
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I think that is an artery clearing, blood thinning, pressure lowering, beta blocking, prostate shrinking, libido boosting, mind altering, sleep inducing, appetite suppressing, acid inhibiting, mighty fine plan.
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11-22-2014, 04:54 PM
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#9
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Conroe, Texas
Posts: 18,645
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RetireAge50
I am planning to not take all the prescription drugs doctors prescribe.
Why should I need them in older ages if I never needed them before?
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You will probably save a lot of money, too. And to save even more, just skip the doctor visits.
__________________
*********Go Astros!*********
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11-22-2014, 05:18 PM
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#10
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 7,968
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I love drugs. I take all the ones the Doc recommends. Better living thru Chemistry!
30 years in New Orleans - food, booze, tobacco and all night venues.
heh heh heh - pills, diet and exercise, nuts and twigs I am still above ground and a whole lot healthier. BUT! Ah the memories.
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11-22-2014, 05:57 PM
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#11
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 845
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An acquaintance of mine neglected to refill his high blood pressure medicine about 2 years ago. Just a few weeks later, he had a stroke at the age of 58. His left side and his balance were affected. He sometimes needs to use a cane now.
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11-22-2014, 06:14 PM
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#12
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 16,543
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I'd probably be dead now if I hadn't taken prescription drugs when my ruptured appendix led to an infected abdominal abscess.
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11-22-2014, 06:50 PM
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#13
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,326
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I share the OP's healthy skepticism of Big Pharma (if that's behind his/her statement). I'm 61 and on zero prescriptions (but a few supplements that probably just make my urine very expensive). I quit taking statins after they gave me tendonitis; my cholesterol is borderline high but the good cholesterol is a big part of that number.
DH is on some meds that are so important to his health that I'd skimp on the grocery bill if we had to in order to pay for them (thank God we don't), so I'm not anti-prescription. I'm just a believer in cheap prevention and using the least invasive/drastic measures to get healthy even if sometimes it takes a bit longer. I take antibiotics about once every 5 years.
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11-22-2014, 06:55 PM
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#14
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 11,318
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It is reasonable to add your own judgement to the question of whether a particular prescription your doctor recommends makes sense. Lipitor and Nexium come to mind. But some drugs are critical and you better know what you are doing if you forgo them.
__________________
Idleness is fatal only to the mediocre -- Albert Camus
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11-22-2014, 07:01 PM
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#15
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: West of the Mississippi
Posts: 17,173
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My mom lived to 92 with high blood pressure. I doubt if she would have made it had she not taken her meds. OTOH, the constant advertising of drugs on TV has made me skeptical of Big Pharma. But, to make sure I am getting all the drugs I need I follow this advice.
__________________
Comparison is the thief of joy
The worst decisions are usually made in times of anger and impatience.
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11-22-2014, 07:15 PM
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#16
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Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: San Diego
Posts: 14,171
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I understand the OPs perspective... I tend to be pretty skeptical of ongoing prescriptions. But if I have an obvious infection (UTI, infected wound, whatever) I want some antibiotics...
I have no ongoing prescriptions. It's pretty easy for me to be skeptical - I have normal BP, low cholesteral and zero risk for EDD. I might have a different opinion if I had those issues. (I'm at zero risk of EDD, though, lol)
__________________
Retired June 2014. No longer an enginerd - now I'm just a nerd.
micro pensions 6%, rental income 20%
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11-22-2014, 07:34 PM
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#17
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Independence
Posts: 7,281
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My impression is that prescriptions tend to accumulate and that once a drug is prescribed it tends to stay prescribed and then new prescriptions have to interact with the effects of the drugs already in one's system. More drugs, more and more interactions.
I dropped Lipitor a few years ago - told my doc I didn't feel my cholesterol had been high and wanted to see if an oatmeal for breakfast regimen would suffice. My numbers did go up, but stayed below when I was first prescribed Lipitor. Currently only on a beta blocker, and not happy about it - I'm a pretty low pressure kinda guy naturally and this gets me downright sloth grade. That said, better than falling down and staying down. Guess I'm in the resist drug proliferation camp but don't BS the doc - they need good data to work with.
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11-22-2014, 07:44 PM
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#18
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SF East Bay
Posts: 4,324
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In answer to the OP, how about simply finding a primary physician who believes in the the thoughtful (as opposed to liberal) prescription of drugs? They do exist. My doctor welcomes questions and is happy to provide as much information as he can about the pros and cons of any suggested courses of action/treatment. As is the case with more and doctors these days, he is a strong advocate of prevention through lifestyle, but will also prescribe medication if he considers it necessary.
No offense, but the simplicity of the statement in your original post comes across to me as somewhat troll-like in nature i.e. it conforms to the "make a bold, simple, and controversial statement, then sit back and watch the responses" style of posting.
In a somewhat related vein, I have been taking a low-dose aspirin every day for the last couple of years. I don't remember exactly why I started, but I don't think it was at the recommendation of my doctor. IIRC, it was simply because of a few articles I read which suggested it was a good idea for men over 50. My vitals are good - I have an athletic heart rate and my cholesterol is within acceptable limits. Next time I see my doctor, I'm thinking of asking him if I should discontinue, as I really don't like taking the same thing every day unless there's a very good reason.
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Contentedly ER, with 3 furry friends (now, sadly, 1).
Planning my escape to the wide open spaces in my campervan (with my remaining kitty, of course!)
On a mission to become the world's second most boring man.
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11-22-2014, 07:59 PM
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#19
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,528
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I am 61 years old and was so very glad that I was not on any prescription drugs. I hate taking pills and only took a Vitamin D. Found out in May of this year that I have a few minor heart problems and I am now on a beta blocker and a blood thinner. I would rather take these pills then have congestive heart failure or a stroke. As far as I know, I will always be on them.
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11-22-2014, 08:02 PM
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#20
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2008
Location: No fixed abode
Posts: 8,764
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I take the fifth. According to the labels it enhances the effect.
__________________
"Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement." - Anonymous (not Will Rogers or Sam Clemens)
DW and I - FIREd at 50 (7/06), living off assets
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