Over the years I have appreciated the younger years of life when I didn't have to take pills.
After my heart attack in 2003 I was put on an array of medicines, blood pressure, cholesterol reducers, beta blockers and other things.
Over time my lifestyle incorporated maintaining no cigarettes, eating better foods with Omega 3 eliminating high fat foods and a regime of exercises 3 to 5 days a week. Not only did these changes make me feel better daily, it helped me complete three half marathons and my abilities as a hockey player, now I could go up some stairs without being winded. Also during this time I went for regular blood tests which proved medicines were not as necessary as they were in the beginning so progressively I didn't have to take anymore...that was until I discovered the thyroid problem, then I had to start taking a medicine to suppress my thyroid...the drawback, this drug has been proven to have adverse affects on the liver, just like the cholesterol medicine.
After the stroke, back at home I had to take 28 doses of medicine everyday. I continue to strive through eating habits and exercise (the exercise I am capable of) to reduce the doses of medicine I have to take everyday.
It is important to listen to the instructions of our doctors but if we can change our lifestyles and prove to the doctors through blood and other tests that we do not need the medicine they will take us off of them.
Three years later I am down to eight doses a day, soon I hope to reduce even more and know that I will have to take one more dose to replace the function of the thyroid I just radiated.
The other important thing I have noted over the years is to inform all doctors of the medicine we take, every time we go see them...the records don't always show them the information we can.
Patrick Swayze was in a movie years ago call Road House and he was a travelling bouncer who brought his medical file with him to every new venue he went to.
Until technology becomes accurate enough for our medical records to follow us around on computers it is up to us to comprehensively inform our doctors...each of them.
