Pill-Popping Nation

[Saw11_2000]

Do you agree that the United States is a pill-popping country?

Does the public have a dependence on drugs?

Do you think that we look to drugs for anythings that ail us?

Should there be more strict guidelines on the pharmaceutical industry such as strict laws on advertising forbiding new medications from being on the air for a year?

Are natural products the solution?

Should we try to correct problems ourselves?

How do you feel about big pharmaceutical countries?

Should the FDA not be funded by money from pharmaceuticals?

Should the morning after pill be OTC?

Please say anything else on your mind about medication here.

 

[michel]

Do you agree that the United States is a pill-popping country?

Does the public have a dependence on drugs?

Many more people than is necessary.........

Do you think that we look to drugs for anythings that ail us?

Most likely, yes, but that is because the medical profession find it more expedient to give us medication than spend more time helping us.

Should there be more strict guidelines on the pharmaceutical industry such as strict laws on advertising forbiding new medications from being on the air for a year?

In Rngland, medication (apart from headache pills and cough sweets) need to be prescribed by a doctor, so I guess that is not an issue for us.

Are natural products the solution?

If they work, yes. For instance, St John's wort is a natural anti-dedpressant; it suits some, others not............

Should we try to correct problems ourselves?

If you feel youcan, why not ? but be prepared to be realisticin giving yourself a deadline. If your condition hasn't lestened within a short time, go and see a doctor.

How do you feel about big pharmaceutical countries?

I'm not sure what you are asking

Should the FDA not be funded by money from pharmaceuticals?

No - because they will be swayed into being biassed

Should the morning after pill be OTC?

If OTC means 'Over the Counter' Yes.

Please say anything else on your mind about medication here.

As I have said (I assume America is much like England), doctors here tend to give anti-biotics at the drop of a hat. While there is nothing wrong with that, in theory, in practice it is not such a good Idea.

The body is capable of building up it's own immune system; if you have a small infection, it is better to try and see if your body can beat it of it's own accord. You can always give it a week; every time you naturally beat an infection, the stronger your anti -bodies become. The more anti biotics you take, the less effective they become.

One note of caution though - on over the counter vitamins. Because most of this industry is unregulated, supplements can be dangerous in large quantities (people buy a multi-vitamin and then take another that has the same ingredients). You also need to make sure none of the supplements react with medication.

 

[Ardent Listener]

I agree with what MIchel wrote except I'm not sure if the moring after pill being sold over-the-counter is such a good idea. My understanding is that it is dangerous for young women (under 16) to take. But good post Michel.

 

[mr.guy]

Ardent listener,

Maybe you're thinking of the "birth-control injection", administered monthly; has been said to greatly decrease (inhibit the growth of?) bone density, i think.

 

[Ardent Listener]

Ardent listener,

Maybe you're thinking of the "birth-control injection", administered monthly; has been said to greatly decrease (inhibit the growth of?) bone density, i think.

National Public Radio was talking about the moring after pill one night and one of the reason that some felt it should not be allowed over-the-counter was that it could fall into the hands of girls under 16 (Ithink that was the age). There was some kind of serious health issue for them to be taking it.

 

[The Black Whirlwind]

is the country a pill-popping nation addicted to drugs? yes, most likely. "oh, you have a cold, take this Motrin". "Oh, you have hives, take this benadril". "Oh, you have arthritis pain, take Aleve". "You broke your wrist, take this Vicodin". There's a freakin' pill for everything! "Do you have Restless Leg Syndrome, a tingling feeling and you just have to move? If so, there is a pill for you!".

While I personally do not take and am not addicted to pills, i have a strong liking for Orbit Gum. Brilliant!

Yes, we have drugs for anything that might befall us. Read above examples.

Why should there be more strict guidelines? A drug is still the same drug, no matter when you advertise it. Or, are you advocating increased testing for new drugs?

Perhaps we should return to natural products, but are they neccessarily better than regular drugs? They could be even worse.

I don't believe we should try and help everything ourselves, but cold's minor fevers, headaches, that sort of thing we should try to help ourselves. But worse things, being bitten or stung by a poisonous animal, breaking a bone, etc should be treated by a doctor. There was this one man who got stung by one of those spiny ray creatures, and the wound didn't heal for 7 years.

I don't feel much, but i am uneducated on the issue.

The FDA should be funded by whatever pleases it. I don't care.

Is there any danger to them for a certain age or under? If there is, then NO. If there isn't, it is pointless to not sell it over the counter.

 

[Sunstone]

The decision not to sell the Morning After pill over the counter to people under 16 was not based on scientific grounds, but on political considerations.

 

[Saw11_2000]

Interesting responses. I guess the pharmaceutical system of the US is very different from the one in England.

 

[Solon]

Pill poppers are everywhere; I just dropped two xanax earlier as I was feeling stressed out by a so far bad week, the latest annoyances being tonight from a variety of sources, so now I'm mellow and floating in space, and I just don't care....which is why I'm logging off now, chilling out time

 

[almifkhar]

the majority of americans seem to think that a pill or a head shrinker will solve all their problems. i gota tell you that i never useto think that the media could really make people think and act certian ways until the drug comercials hit the scene. those drug companies should be ashamed of themselves for feeding this crap to the public. the fda and the drug companies are so far up each others butts its sick. and i feel that this needs to change.

it use to be that a doctor would do their best to find out what was wrong with a patient, now they are the equivilant of drug pushers. i do believe that natural methods and exercise and diet (fresh foods which do not come in a box, can, jar or packet) is the way to go. getting strength back into the frame of minds of americans is another good start. my dad has a saying about all of this, "keep em out of your pocket and stay healthy on your own is the best way to go about life, plus it save lots of money in the long run."

the morning after pill........
i have to say no to having it over the counter because remember this is a pill popping, doctor, head shrinker running society that will sue at the drop of a hat when something goes wrong. there would be so many pill popping women out here running to the drug store everytime they had sex eating this pill like candy, which would probably end up causing them to ruin their chances to have babies later when they wanted one. then they would run and find one of those ambulence chasing lawyers to have a day in court.

what these pill popper, doctor, head shrinker runners seem not to realize is that these drug companies and docs. get richer and richer by the day from all of this. they profit off of the sick and find new ways to profit off of those who really are not sick by making them think something is wrong with them. its a vicious circle that makes the people the losers in the end.

note: my dad had high colesteral and blood pressure. the doc. gave him pills for it and my dad threw the pills in the trash and got a membership at a gym and changed his diet. the doc. is amazed as to how my 54 year old dad got into such good shape. he was told his heart rate is that of a 25 year old and that he is in no need of meds of any kind at this point in time.