As a nurse, it was essential to learn side effects and interactions between medications. It was a critical part of my education and nursing practice. Little did I know that my beliefs about prescription medications would change after my own illness.
Over the years, I developed so many medical issues that my prescription drug usage was insane for a 20-30-year-old. I remember taking tons of supplements and 13 prescription medications with no relief. My body was falling apart, I had more issues than I could keep track of. I felt fatigue and exhaustion every day. I had migraines, gastrointestinal reflux (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), severe hair loss, carpal tunnel, nerve pain, temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ), Fibromyalgia, anxiety, and constant severe body pains.
My continued addition to my prescription list just made my symptoms worse. I decided it was time for a change and sought help with homeopathy. I realize now after living a healthy life without prescription medications that they really were my downfall. All my prescription medications created more physical symptoms than I already experienced on my own. Every time I went to a doctor he would just add a new prescription to cover the problem and caused more side effects. The prescriptions never truly fixed the cause of the symptoms or illness. This article is my reflection on my prior prescription medications and the side effect I experienced on a regular basis. It actually frustrates me know to see all the prescription commercials pushing the patient to seek more Rx that might end with more symptoms and heartache for them and their families. But big pharmaceutical companies will continue to push prescription medications even if there are healthier natural alternatives to reduce inflammation and illness in the body. The sad truth is most patients, like myself, do not realize the harmful effects these prescriptions cause and the long-term impact on their health and wellness. The problem with medicine now is a focus on patching up issues rather than finding the root cause of the problem. The root cause of my illness and full body inflammation was chronic poor diet and fitness. I never really believed this until I felt the changes my body was able to accomplish with a change in diet to incorporate healthy fruits and vegetables into my daily routine.
Let’s get down to business, my GERD was so severe I actually took Nexium and Reglan several times a day to help with symptoms. Let me tell you the medications really didn’t do much more than help me cope with the constant burning. I had to sleep on a bed with a special incline using 4 x 4 wood at the head of the bed. My acid continued to burn my sinus and throat on a daily basis, causing severe allergies, sinusitis and laryngitis. In the end, I after multiple medications and I needed surgery to partially close the sphincter of my esophagus. So now that you know how severe my reflux was and my dependence on prescription medications, you can understand where I am coming from.
My Side Effects
These are my side effects during the course of my treatment with these medications. My illness was severe and my symptoms were constant, the problem was I had not realized the prescriptions were actually making my health worse and eventually my body would reach a point I was unable to eat anything, so stressed my doctor would tell me to leave my job and my illness would be unrelieved.
- headaches – 3-5 a week
- diarrhea – for 6 months and loss of 30 pounds
- nausea- every day
- gas- every day
- abdominal pain- most of the week
- dry mouth– every day
- drowsiness-every day
- muscle weakness-every day
- cramps or muscle aches-every day
- decreased energy-every day
- tiredness-every day
- diarrhea– for 6 months and loss of 30 pounds
- drowsiness-every day
- headache- 3-5 a week
- nausea-every day
- malaise-constantly
- trouble sleeping (insomnia)-definitely
I also suffered from chronic constipation my entire life. Even though doctors had told me to change my diet and stop drinking milk. I never did it until 2013. After removing dairy and plantains from my diet my constipation improved. The truth is you need to learn your body patterns to truly understand constipation. But let’s get back to Amitiza, which I took for several years because at the time I was not interested in changing my diet, I was looking for a quick fix. I later learned from experience, there is no such thing. Healthy living is a way of life. It is consciously making a decision to feel healthier by making changes to your diet and fitness routine.
- nausea-every day
- stomach pain– most of the week
- diarrhea
- gas-severe goes hand and hand with bloating
- bloating-severe my IBS was crazy, abdominal distension to a 9-month pregnant belly
- dry mouth- every day
- runny nose– constantly (severe allergies and sinus issues)
- cough– regularly
- headache– 3-5 a week
- joint and back pain– chronic and daily
- trouble sleeping-definitely
Let’s sum this up. These are only 3 of the 13 medications I was taking. Do you see the connection between these medications and my symptoms? I wonder now, what was I thinking? Why did I allow this? Why did I live like this? The truth was I was miserable and continued to multiply my illness by patching things up with more prescription medications. I hope this brought some light into the severity of this issue for you. I am here to help anyone looking to change from a lifestyle dependent on prescription medications. Your genes don’t have to be a life sentence. You can find health and wellness with nutrition and fitness. Email me to set up a personalized plan for you… sick2fit4u@gmail.com