OPINION:
Despite advances in life sciences and pharmacological research, many medications continue to come have harmful side effects.
My sister suffered side effects from the medication she was given for postpartum depression. These included hearing voices, not unlike what we are hearing in the Lindsay Clancy trial.
My sister was in a ’pill trap,’ having been prescribed multiple medications and my mother, trying to help her, struggled to navigate them all.
Why are consumers being pushed into thinking that medication, rather than alternative therapies, is the best possibility? Some circumstances require drugs, but the current push to regulate other conditions, such as obesity, through the use of medications — although diet and exercise are proven fixes — is concerning.
A senior citizen friend of mine, Paul, described a recent doctor’s appointment as a “sales pitch” in which he was urged to take a drug to lose weight — not to watch his diet and move more.
My own doctors recommended a blood-pressure pill that resulted in swelling of my hands and elbows. Of course, they didn’t mention these side effects.
The expanded use of medications is overwhelming consumers. It is outpacing education and, unfortunately, overshadowing non-medical alternatives, which have no side effects. For example, if you drink enough water, you stay hydrated and improve your skin with no side effects. If you drink artificial, sugary fruit juices, expect dehydration.
It is hard to ignore the many commercials that use professional athletes, celebrities and sports events to persuade us to try various drugs. They minimize the risk of side effects and say things like, “For when diet isn’t enough … “
But diet is enough. I educate people on understanding food labels. For over 25 years, I have helped people lose as much as 100 pounds, overcome anxieties and reverse harmful health conditions — all without medications.
I wonder why spokespeople ignore the side effects.
GREG RALEIGH
Washington
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