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Conversations around us tend to gravitate towards health related topics, eventually – either by someone asking us about a specific condition or by us volunteering some new data we just came across. I mean, I absolutely LOVE talking about this stuff! It gives me a chance to learn more, dig more, and help. There’s a fine line, though – between offering welcome information and violating the sanctity of beliefs. I try to tread carefully, because…let’s face it…it’s not easy to hear that the foundation of what you know about health has all been a ruse. So, when a family member asked for input on their current medical condition (more specifically, their medications) – I was honored, and jumped into action.
Still in the learning phase about medications – I took the list of their medications and researched everything I could about them. I wanted to know the brand name, the molecular compound and its mode of action, the common dosages prescribed by doctors, the advertised usages and reasons they were prescribed by doctors, even the manufacturer-admitted side effects, precautions and interactions. Next, I needed to find out “why.” What was the true harm of the symptom these drugs were being prescribed to stop? Finally, how does this ONE medication react to all the other medications this individual is taking?
I visited common medical journal sites, pharmaceutical company pages, medical informational sites, even nursing exam studying guides to find out all I could. The most challenging part, was to manage all the information poring in. I had to start a spreadsheet to keep it all straight. It was turning into a complex web, of sorts. Everything was interconnected, and MOST of the symptoms experienced seemed to be a direct result from the medications. Could the compound effects of multiple drug interactions from the medications actually have been making them sicker?
Then, I came across this article [1],
- Prescription drugs rank as high as stroke, to be the 4th leading cause of death
- Properly prescribed drugs cause 1.9 million hospitalizations a year
- 129,000 Americans die each year as a result of taking medications as prescribed
- 840,000 hospitalized patients are given drugs that cause serious adverse reactions
- 328,000 patients in the U.S. and Europe die from prescription drugs each year
And also found out that drug to drug interactions go up exponentially the more you take. For example, if an individual is taking 3 medications and each of those medications have 3 possible side effects, they are at risk of over 27 (3 to the 3rd) different reactions!
All of which, may have been treated with safe and natural remedies. But, why do we not hear about safe and natural remedies? Because there’s no money in it. Natural compounds in nature can’t be patented. The only way to make money is to construct a proprietary blend of natural ingredients, or to create a chemical that alters some natural process within the body.
Aggravation was starting to set it. I was getting more and more frustrated.
I was then asked to review two other family member’s medications, and the results were more of the same.
I start having more and more conversations like this:
Me: “Why’d he go to the hospital?”
Individual: “He was complaining of being tired, having shortness of breath and had difficulty climbing stairs.”
Me: “Oh.”
Individual: “He also felt a weird tingling sensation in his fingers and toes.”
Me: “So, did they figure out what was wrong?”
Individual: “Well, they said his vitals were fine. They increased his meds and now he seems fine, but they are keeping him [at the hospital] for further evaluation. They can’t seem to figure out why his B12 numbers are low.”
Me: “That’s funny. Isn’t he taking Nexium? I just got off their website, and they say that a B12 deficiency increases if taken every day for a long time (3 years or longer). How long has he been taking it?”
Individual: “About 9 years.”
Me: “Really? Wow. So, just so you’re aware, common symptoms associated with a B12 deficiency include: feeling of strange tiredness despite sufficient sleep, shortness of breath, heavy breathing while climbing stairs, pins and needles feeling in extremities, and numbness in fingers and feet.”
It’s becoming more and more evident – there appears to be a systemic problem with…the system. People are quick to take a pill to fix what’s “broken.” Only, it’s not broke!
The information is out there, and I need to make it available. I know most people aren’t going to understand or even care about this stuff – until it’s too late. Maybe I can help by translating the information out there? Maybe I can help by evaluating individuals’ medications for them and offer suggestions based on the information that’s out there. Maybe I can save a few people from these diseases that result from chronic exposure to these meds?
And then I get the call.
“Tobias. I’m afraid I don’t have good news. We just got back from two doctor appointments. Your dear family member has just been diagnosed with Alzhiemer’s Disease. And it get’s worse. Their spouse has just been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.”
Click here to continue on Tobias’ journey: Part 6: And the Journey Really Begins
[1] https://ethics.harvard.edu/blog/new-prescription-drugs-major-health-risk-few-offsetting-advantages
Featured Photo by Kyle Johnson on Unsplash
