by Margaret Aranda, MD, Ph.D.
Once, I had an asthma attack so bad, that I had to be put on steroid pills to decrease the lung inflammation so that I could get oxygen to my lungs. The doctor was a 'substitute' doctor in the same practice, so he thought he was doing the right thing by ordering me to take the oral steroid, prednisone.
I knew that I usually take the Medrol(C) Dose-Pak, which is methylprednisone, a different chemical form of the same basic steroid.
What was the difference? AHHHH! My Stomach was 'on fire!' I couldn't eat! I couldn't sleep! I had diarrhea! I was miserable! The REMEDY was WORSE than the curse of the illness! So what did I do? I called the nurse and asked her to get the doctor to call a Medrol Dose-Pak into the pharmacy for me, so I could discontinue the prednisone. So this is what we did. And how did I feel afterwards? AHHHH! R - E - L - I - E - F !
Being a doctor makes me automatically more keenly aware of my body and its reactions to medications, side effects to pharmaceuticals, and reactions to pills. It also makes me notice my own body after a procedure, and whether there is pus (infection ALERT!) or blood coming from the wrong place(s). Complications and side effects are known to occur, but that does not mean that as a patient, we need to accept them as we accept the 'wet' with the 'water.' No.
This sobering article, although long and thorough, echoes the screams and pains of women's suffrage, and I believe that hormonesmatter.com (Disclaimer: I do write articles here and there, but I am not paid for it) is THE BEST and most informative resource that ALL WOMEN should be reading monthly. Just go there now and subscribe to their newsletter. You won't regret it, I promise. And if you'd like an entertaining look at these and more issues, you would like my book on Women's Health, Archives of the Vagina: A Journey through Time (www.drmargaretaranda.tateauthor.com/other-works/).
But for now, do me a favor and just go here:
http://www.sustainablemedicine.org/un-sustainable-medicine/death-by-medicine-iatrogenic-illness/
It is most important that Women help Women. Women listen to Women. Women follow trusted and knowledgeable Women. Women, we are learning to help one another! Let's keep this going!
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Dr Aranda's Short Stories