Medication phobia

— Begin quote from “jennyd”

You say his older brother has Celiacs, I’m sure you already know this … but anyway…
Has he and the rest of the family had test for celiacs? it does run in families.
I use to visit a site called the gluten file, it explains how celiacs can cause many neurological problems.
I’m sure you have allready been informed by your Dr of this.

— End quote

Thanks, Jen! My oldest boy’s celiac is a new thing (well, knowing that’s what the problem is is new). But, yeah, we know it runs in families, and that everyone has to get tested sooner or later.

The kid tried going gluten-free for a couple of weeks, but he chose to give up gluten plus a lot of other possible trigger foods, and after two weeks, he decided it wasn’t helping, and he didn’t want to continue. Since it was his choice to do – the doctor hadn’t told him to, he just wanted to because it might help, we talked about it, and told him that he can try again later, if he and his doctor think he should. I’m thinking it was just too much at once.

I’m thinking about asking the neurologist to order the blood test – I know a negative blood test doesn’t prove anything, but if it’s positive, then the kid would definitely be willing to go gluten-free.

mamabear

Hi guys,
the meds are definitely helping my headaches…just the vision is a tad annoying but easy to live with. In regards to being better for you in the long run if you don’t use medication how can that be true when the life expectance IS increasing all the time. The fact is that most people that take medications dont’ talk about it, however if 1 person has a bad reaction or is affected by then medication then the feel the need to start a crusade against the pharmaceutical companies and manufactured chemicals. You rarely hear from the people that take medication and only see benefits.
I just had my 2nd interview for a very promising internship with an international management firm in France and without the medication i’m taking I know that this wouldn’t have been possible.
Sam.

— Begin quote from “burd”

I apologize. I should have worded that differently. I responded mostly to the notion that medications would not be on the market if they were harmful, because that could not be farther from the truth, even with the medications that are necessary. I’m a bit jumpy when it comes to the amount of trust and reliance people give to medications. Also, with my statement I was addressing mostly the issue of migraine, which there is no cure for and medications can only address symptoms and for many can be managed without putting chemicals into their bodies but unfortunately are so readily prescribed as the only means of treating it.

I am not anti-medication, I am uncomfortable with the trust people give to them and the ease at which doctors prescribe them. What has been an eye-opener is what is being taught to future pharmacists about how dangerous they are and how many have been hurt by them, even with OTC meds people don’t give 2nd thought to. I know there are dangers with natural remedies too. I know prescriptions can help people with health and for quality of life and some are necessary for life, but I also believe that much more is prescribed than is needed when often there is a healthier approach. Sometimes the best a person can do is to choose the best of the evils.

— End quote

And I apologize if my response came out a little stronger than intended. I am a little edgy right now given the anti-medical hysteria that is overtaking the MM.org site. It has apparently become the rule that a statement is only considered inappropriate “debate” if it’s in favor of conventional medicine, but as long as the statement is in favor of alternative medicine then anything one wishes to say (no matter how accusatory and belligerent) is considered “support.” [RANT OVER]

I’ve let my frustration bubble over onto this board. I do understand your pooint better, and I’ve always been of the opinion that people need to make their won decisions about what they feel comfortable doing for themselves. But I bristle at the suggestion that one should always be paranoid about what conventional medicine has to offer.

LOL. Hey guys, ain’t it great to be able to at least DISCUSS these issues without worrying about your head being thrown down a bowling alley lane in hopes for a moderator’s strike? Totally understand anyone being edgy either way given the carpet bombing of woo going on over there.

I’m going to post some interesting research about meds later this weekend I think you guys will find interesting. It’s all new stuff for me as well and a refreshing eye-opener when you review the evidence.

Scott 8)

ps. I’m in New Zealand! It’s so beautiful over here. And quiet. It makes Sydney look like NYC on a Saturday night. :lol:

The first thing that struck me was the people at customs. They chat to you like they’re your next door neighbour. Contrast that with American customs where it feels icy and very impersonal. My experience anyway.

— Begin quote from “Wino”

And I apologize if my response came out a little stronger than intended. I am a little edgy right now given the anti-medical hysteria that is overtaking the MM.org site. It has apparently become the rule that a statement is only considered inappropriate “debate” if it’s in favor of conventional medicine, but as long as the statement is in favor of alternative medicine then anything one wishes to say (no matter how accusatory and belligerent) is considered “support.” [RANT OVER]

I’ve let my frustration bubble over onto this board. I do understand your pooint better, and I’ve always been of the opinion that people need to make their won decisions about what they feel comfortable doing for themselves. But I bristle at the suggestion that one should always be paranoid about what conventional medicine has to offer.

— End quote

I understand where you are coming from. The war against medications, as well as any war against natural methods, makes me bristle too. I believe there is good in both worlds, and I believe there is harm in both worlds. I don’t wish to promote paranoia, because that can cloud reason. I believe people should be informed as much as possible and never trust blindly, no matter what it is they believe in or have been recommended to do. Fanatics can bring reproach to any topic, and I resent the few on the other forum that are giving alternative medicine a bad name. Its why I stay away from their threads for the most part.

— Begin quote from “scott”

LOL. Hey guys, ain’t it great to be able to at least DISCUSS these issues without worrying about your head being thrown down a bowling alley lane in hopes for a moderator’s strike? Totally understand anyone being edgy either way given the carpet bombing of woo going on over there.

I’m going to post some interesting research about meds later this weekend I think you guys will find interesting. It’s all new stuff for me as well and a refreshing eye-opener when you review the evidence.

Scott 8)

ps. I’m in New Zealand! It’s so beautiful over here. And quiet. It makes Sydney look like NYC on a Saturday night. :lol:

The first thing that struck me was the people at customs. They chat to you like they’re your next door neighbour. Contrast that with American customs where it feels icy and very impersonal. My experience anyway.

— End quote

It sounds like all is going well for you in New Zealand. :slight_smile: )

Scott, looking forward to your posting :slight_smile:

chris

Hi Chris,

It’s going to be a while. Just about to jump in a car and head west over the Southern Alps. I’ll probably not have internet access for about 4 days. A good thing I think to unplug for a while. This drive is going to be a challenge I think with all the winding roads. I’ve had dizziness going on for 2 days. Valium time.

Mamabear - well said. I must agree. I’ve been doing the Buchholz diet and everybody else’s migraine diet (and there sure are a lot of variations out there that Buchholz missed), am careful with lighting, stress, blah blah blah… and I must say that it hasn’t cured anything yet. It’s all helped immensely, but not eliminated dizziness and fatigue. I’m taking topamax and it’s worked really really well… not cured anything but really really helped. It’s unfortunate that any of us have to lean on meds, but what are you going to do??? I hoping that I still have a life left to lead that’s gonna be better than the isolated, dizzy one that is currently in my rear view mirror at the moment. With any luck I will stumble upon the worst triggers yet to be discovered and go med-free, but until then I am grateful that there are cautious and reasonable medical interventions out there.
Gail

Burd - I’m so intrigued with your stories about the MM forum… Yikes. Actually, I would think that almost everyone on this forum has already tried alternatives as much as possible. I know that I certainly have and still do. I was so bummed when all the migraine herbs out there did nothing for my dizziness (in fact, feverfew made it all worse). I even tried a bunch of homeopathic stuff to no avail. However, food trigger/food allergen avoidance does bring relief if & when you are sure what those foods are… I just keep tripping over something… carrots maybe? Anyway, I appreciate your input. You’re definitely not Pharma Mama!
Gail
P.S. Scott - Really?? More sun and fun?? AACK. It’s still cold and rainy here in No Cal … I’m freezing.

Hi Gail,
So many people focus on foods and don’t investigate what they are breathing in. I was just talking about this on another thread.
And too, often people address whole food products and aren’t aware that it may just be the additives and how the food is processed or prepared that is the culprit, and not the food itself. I talk about both those things here…
http://mvertigo.cloudapp.net/t/exercise-diet-and-sleep-patterns/2428 (scroll down)

Learning this was what I needed to get relief and manage my migraine without using medication. Dried candied ginger is excellent for dizziness and nausea and I have been using that for years successfully. I am not against medications. But for me they aren’t my first line of defense. I use to occasionally use promethazine when I felt I was heading towards a vertigo attack, but since I became aware I was dealing with MAV and not meniere’s, and I identified all my triggers and not just some of them, I haven’t needed any in over a year.

So a person’s triggers for migraine could quite likely be something they have no clue could be the culprit.

— Begin quote from “burd”

Dried candied ginger is excellent for dizziness and nausea and I have been using that for years successfully.

— End quote

How much do you take? Does it help with the constant unsteadiness and the like? For a kid who doesn’t care for ginger, would ginger capsules work, too? Or is there something about the dried candied ginger that would be more helpful?

Thanks!
Mamabear

— Begin quote from “Mamabear”

— Begin quote from “burd”

Dried candied ginger is excellent for dizziness and nausea and I have been using that for years successfully.

— End quote

How much do you take? Does it help with the constant unsteadiness and the like? For a kid who doesn’t care for ginger, would ginger capsules work, too? Or is there something about the dried candied ginger that would be more helpful?

Thanks!
Mamabear

— End quote

For each time I need it, only 3 or 4 pieces will do it for me. Make sure it is unsulfered, as sulfur can trigger mav for many. And it is perfectly safe. People buy it for a snack, it can’t hurt you. I tried ginger capsules and while they helped some they didn’t work as quickly or have the same impact as the dried stuff. I can’t take anything in gelatin capsules because gelatin will trip my mav too. Crystallized ginger works the same as candied but is dredged in sugar and I didn’t like that. The best dried ginger I get at Trader Joes. It’s cheap and mostly mild (some ginger can be really spicy hot), although they have dried and crystallized. You’ll find it with dried fruits. I have found crystallized ginger at supermarkets in the bulk bins real cheap too. Look for sulfur content though, some contain it.

If my dizziness is strong it may not eliminate it, but it eases it. But it will completely knock out the dizziness and the nausea any other time. I feel relief in about 10 minutes. I will take a few more pieces after about 20 minutes if I need to. This stuff has been used for centuries for dizziness and nausea, was used for sea sickness too. There are articles that explain why it works, but I don’t recall as it’s been a while since I’ve read the details.

Hi Burd - I agree on the additives, preservatives, etc. We should form a Label Scanner group. I have to be so careful what and where I eat. It all has to be so “clean”. However, I do react some some whole foods reagardless. You know, I’ve tried ginger but sometimes react to more than just a little… I go easy on the spices as well. There’s not quite as much we can do about the air, etc. but our home has a water purifier for drinking water (it was pretty expensive) though I’m concerned about water coming from the shower the more I read. I think we just continue to do what we can to improve. I’m just grateful that I’m on a pretty low dose of meds and have a good chance of tapering down later on (at least that’s what I’ve been told… fingers crossed!).
Gail

Hi Gail.
I wish you success in what you discover about your health as you continue to find what works for you. We all have similarities and yet are so individual. Those that don’t give up looking are the ones that get results. You sound determined and I feel confident you will get where you need to be. My best wishes for you. :slight_smile: