I read an article recently which challenged my thoughts on modern medicine and how I have become totally reliant on pharmaceutical products. I am so thankful for all the developments in medicine and where medication is now.
Everyday I take a concoction of medication and far too many for someone in their late twenties almost 30. I take a range of bronchodilators, inhaled corticosteroids, anti leukotriene receptors, oral steroids, antihistamines, xanthines, proton pump inhibitors, anti emetics, bone protection, painkillers, muscle relaxants, antidepressants and hormones. These all range from inhalers, nebulisers, nasal sprays, tablets, injections. This is just on a regular basis but add in emergency treatment of IM and IVs as well. I wonder what has happened to me since it was just 2 inhalers- a preventer and reliever. I never even knew about all these there medications and it has only been recently I have really understood what they all do, how they help me and what benefits I get from them.
I am constantly working with my team to work out ways of reducing the numbers of medications and that I am only taking what I need to take and what actually does something. There are times when I just wonder why I take everything everyday when I can sometimes find I get no benefit at all, but on the good days I can really see how they help. I can go from gasping for breath to be able to breathe freely with the help of my medication regime and all the different things.
As great as this all is I can’t help but think where would I be if we did not have these great advances in medication. If we were all still relying on asthma cigarettes, powders or the later developed atomiser and then pocket atomiser- something about the size of a portable nebuliser rather than a pocket inhaler. Im not sure I or many others would be able to do half of what I do without the medications we now have. Im pretty sure I would be in quite a bad way and stuck indoors all the time. It is a thought that doesn’t bare thinking about.
So many of us, myself included complain constantly about the amount of medication they take and the side effects. My list of medication is half medication for my asthma and half to treat the side effects of the medication I take for my asthma mainly the prednisilone. Reflecting now as much as I hate my medication I am hugely indebted to the researchers and pharmacy companies who develop these new medications for all different diseases. Selfishly I want them to focus on developing medication to help conditions like asthma which don’t get the funding as I desperately want to have the life I used to even though I am ever so grateful for the life I have now it would just be great to turn back time to the good old days!
I guess the article I read just highlighted to me how fortunate I am and we are that we are here in the modern world compared to time before.
For now just need to keep on….
Shaking, Rattling and Rolling!!!
ANONYMOUS-ASTHMA 