Tablets !

[tyreon]

FWIW I have a chronic systemic arthritic disorder. I have to be on meds. Thus have I read: The native north American Indians were riddled with this particular arthritis. Well,a lot of 'em. Many('red Indians') went around on crutches!! The good news(if there is any): my disorder is supposed to safeguard me 'much better' being infected with HIV/AIDS!!

S'pose it's one benefit!

[hondated]

Good luck Pete and yes I suppose tyreon you could regard that as a benefit.

[gaz]

On reflecting on your replies I think my conclusion is that I should just accept I am meds, axel-knutt word, man up and just worry about it when or if I get ill effects from them.

Your GP will presumably be monitoring your own progress on the 30mg Lansoprazole, see how it goes.

Back in 2009/10 I started on 30mg Lansoprazole daily in respect of gastritis, "probably for life"; I can't quite remember when my GP agreed I could drop down to 15mg but it's getting towards 12 months since I last took any at all .

If the problem returns I know what to ask for.

[hondated]

On reflecting on your replies I think my conclusion is that I should just accept I am meds, axel-knutt word, man up and just worry about it when or if I get ill effects from them.

Your GP will presumably be monitoring your own progress on the 30mg Lansoprazole, see how it goes.

Back in 2009/10 I started on 30mg Lansoprazole daily in respect of gastritis, "probably for life"; I can't quite remember when my GP agreed I could drop down to 15mg but it's getting towards 12 months since I last took any at all .

If the problem returns I know what to ask for.

Thanks gaz that's worth knowing and its great to know that you are now off of it altogether.

[SteveHunter]

I'm the same, I started on 30mg Lansoprazole, then dropped to 15, and I am now off then altogether and haven't had any problems for about 3 years now.

[Swallow]

I am on meds for Psoriatic Arthritis and high blood pressure. In all I take about 14 tablets a day as well as having to inject myself once a month for the arthritis, I'm told that each injection costs £750. Without these meds I wouldn't be able to get out of bed

[Vantage]

In all I take about 14 tablets a day as well as having to inject myself once a month for the arthritis,

I'll never complain about my 4 pills a day ever again.
75mg aspirin to thin my blood.
5mg amlodipine & 10mg ramipril for high blood pressure and cholesterol (last check they were both perfect )
80mg atorvastatin, doc thinks this might reverse some of the damage in my legs.

I gave up completely on antidepressants a few years ago due to various not-so-nice side effects. The last one (I forget it's name) made me feel like I was a zombie 24/7. Never again. Getting out on the bike does way more than any pill ever did.

Injecting insulin daily since 1980 and I still hate the wretched things.

[SteveHunter]

My wife is prescribed EPO, needless to say she is not well and not fit. She does have a sense of humour though, and when first prescribed it asked the doctor if she would be able to win the Tour De France next year. He didn't understand.

[hondated]

Steve that's good news long may it last. At least if your wife also cycles you have a good excuse if you find yourself trailing behind her.
Swallow makes my problems seem minor in comparison. I am just pleased to learn that you still manage to get out on your bike.

Vantage I am sorry to read you are still on pills but at the same delighted to learn that getting out on your bike as helped you stop taking anti depressants.

I just wished our bodies condition correlated, if that is the word, to the age we feel mentally. Which in my case would probably be 18.

Keep turning those pedals everyone.

[bikes4two]

I take thyroxine for an under active thyroid gland, and have been doing so for just on 30 years. Without the thyroxine I would die, so no complaints (or side effects for me).

On first diagnosis I asked the doc if life expectancy would be affected and although he said no, I was sceptical.

A few years later I went for an endowment mortgage and required a medical due to the thyroid problem.

I thought, he were go, higher premiums, but no, no 'uplift' at all! So then I believed the doc 'cos if the bean counters can't find a reason to squeeze more money out of you......

[661-Pete]

My wife is prescribed EPO, needless to say she is not well and not fit. She does have a sense of humour though, and when first prescribed it asked the doctor if she would be able to win the Tour De France next year. He didn't understand.

My recently-retired GP certainly knew all about competitive cycling! At least, he always cautioned me (jokingly) that my taking of beta-blockers would automatically disqualify me from any UCI event . Yet he's always encouraged me to keep going with the cycling - at my modest level.

Is it pure coincidence that he's an Irishman and his surname is Roche? I don't think he's any relation, though....

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
You still on Beta Blockers and riding
I gave up as I couldn't even climb stairs without my legs hurting.
I mean I eventually gave up cycling due to chronic downturn in performance.

[mjr]

80mg atorvastatin, doc thinks this might reverse some of the damage in my legs.

Presumably he thinks the leg damage is due to cholesterol deposits? I was on 40mg atorvastatin (and nothing else) when my legs started to deteriorate concluding in muscle aches and spasms before they switched me off it, so keep a watch on that - but I expect you would anyway.

[Thomas125]

I take Epilim Chrono for chronic migraine and epilepsy. Seems to stop all the major stuff. I periodically get small attacks where I get dizzy and lose my central vision gor a few minutes. I seem to get some warning of these coming on so I still ride my bike as its my only way of getting around.

Sometimes wish I didn't have to take em but it is what it is.

[horizon]

Back around 1981 I decided to give up all pharmaceutical products including all antibiotics, pain killers, sun cream, anti- fungal creams, vaccinations, flu remedies, cold remedies, cough mixtures, burn creams, anti-inflammatories, anti malaria tablets, diarrhea medicine, stomach medicines, anti-histamines, aspirin, Lemsip etc etc. I had had all these at some point in my life up to that point. I had never had anti-depressants or such like.

In 1982 someone gave me a glass of orange juice with aspirin in it without my knowledge during a bout of sunstroke (I remember the effect to this day).

I've had local anaesthetic for dental treatment over the last couple of years. I wear reading glasses. I'm 62.

I gave it all up (except the local anaesthetic) in the belief that a medicine (as I understood it) would have an "allopathic" effect on the body i.e. it would work against what the body was doing.

I've had my share of tonsillitis, hay fever, strained ankles, headaches, colds and flu, accidental scalding, bruising from falls, stomach bugs etc etc.

I don't make any claims for this, it's just something I decided in a somewhat experimental way and became habitual. Many of the illnesses mentioned in this thread are serious and I have nothing to say about how people deal with them. I do feel a little incredulous at the stocks of painkillers that people carry around or the search for a cure for the common cold but on the whole it's live and let live (hopefully!).

So in answer to the OP's question, it's a tricky one to answer. I don't have a serious illness (AFAIK!) and I'm not interested in medication so generally the issue doesn't arise. But obviously I'm interested in the topic and what other people do.

What I will say though is that this is a report concerning the last 35 years. I'm making no claims and offering no advice as to the future, my health and well-being or anyone's else's - just answering the OP's question and sharing what the position is for me.