Anyone else have a hatred of medicine?

[Cuda1447]

I'm sitting here in bed with a throbbing headache watching the olympics. I can hardly enjoy it though. My wife keeps telling me to take some ibuprofen, but I refuse. She should know better. I always refuse. I absolutely despise medicine. But why?

The easier answer is I could say people take it to often. Build up immunity to it, so when they really need it the effectiveness is worn down. But that's just logical reasoning. There must be something deeper. Why have I always despised taking medicine?

Surely some of you are like me in this regard. Any reasons why?

 

[StageLeft]

Perhaps you think you're too good for it. Maybe you are most of the time but there are times when medicine is just awesome and a testament to science.

 

[coldmeat]

I don't despise it, I just don't like taking it. I haven't taken any kind of medicine in about 8 years, except for a couple advil when I had a pilonidal cyst and couldn't sit down, stand up, sleep or do anything.

 

[Matthiasa]

Well I'm not, though with headaches I'll usually not take any medicine though. Mainly because a glass or two of water usually makes it go away.

At any rate you really have to really abuse pain killers to build up tolerances to well any that I've used anyways.

 

[IronWing]

I feel the same way about toilet paper.

 

[Cuda1447]

Well Im not, though with headaches I'll usually not take any medicine though. Mainly because a glass or two of water usually makes it go away.

At any rate you really have to really abuse pain kills to build up tolerances to well any that I've used anyways.

What about unintended side effects? Surely there are things in medicine that are bad for us. Is there something to be said for being 'all natural' so to speak?

 

[StageLeft]

What about unintended side effects? Surely there are things in medicine that are bad for us. Is there something to be said for being 'all natural' so to speak?

Yes, they do have side effects. "all natural" means nothing. Nature has plenty of toxins in it. Everything is made from the same elements, whether by nature or in a lab, so simply taking something that hasn't been touched by a test tube means nothing.

 

[Matthiasa]

What about unintended side effects? Surely there are things in medicine that are bad for us. Is there something to be said for being 'all natural' so to speak?

Yeah I know. One of the inhalers I had to take because what I had interacted with normal cough medicine, needless to say it had uncomfortable results. For somethings though yeah it could be far worse. It all comes with risked though and for the most part if the benefits don't out way the side affects they don't allow its sale. Not counting allergic reactions of course.
Worse side effects I had for anything was claritin though, read the side affects and I had almost half of those within 3 days of starting to take it.

As for all natural, quite a bit of medicine is just taking what is found naturally and improving it initially anyways.

 

[Ruptga]

Poison Ivy, cyanide, and nightshade are all "all natural." I don't take medicine often (I don't need it often), but it has its uses.

 

[Cuda1447]

Yes, they do have side effects. "all natural" means nothing. Nature has plenty of toxins in it. Everything is made from the same elements, whether by nature or in a lab, so simply taking something that hasn't been touched by a test tube means nothing.

To put another way then....


If I can deal with the pain, what does it matter? Why would I take something that *could* have negative side effects, when the downside of not taking the medicine is having to deal with the pain. Something I'm obviously able to do, as I've done it (albeit, possibly foolish).


I'm not trying to disagree with you, just playing devils advocate in my own game here.

 

[IronWing]

As far as pain relievers go I've never used anything but aspirin and once percocet for wisdom teeth.

 

[vi edit]

What about unintended side effects? Surely there are things in medicine that are bad for us. Is there something to be said for being 'all natural' so to speak?

Risk vs. reward. A simple OTC pain pill like Tylenol or Ibuprofen isn't going to cause you harm if taken in normal doses. There are many other medicines that can have side effects, but those can be managed and mitigated by professionals.

 

[destrekor]

I think it's more commonly a male trait to want to avoid medicine.
To some extent, I'd say that's a good thing. Better than the opposite for sure.
It's one trait I do wish I had. I hate the notion of taking prescription medicine to fix some who knows mental disorder, something we barely know about anyhow. But... general ailments, it all depends.

But the reason I said I think it's a fairly dominant male trait to avoid medicine...
It all comes down to wanting to seek self-efficiency, and more importantly, prove oneself.
I think some people might look at taking medicine as a "cop-out", a way of admitting defeat and refusing to seek help in something you think you can push through.

Are you medicine avoiders, by any chance, stubborn as all hell?
Might aid in my research.

Because while I will take OTC stuff quite often, I have generally avoided seeking help in just about anything one might receive help. I admit I'll cop out of some things, let myself think certain ways. But other times, I'm downright stubborn about going about things my way, to prove myself.

I think some research out there does quantify that as a "male-brain" characteristic. Of course simple instincts and complicated life ends up meaning the behavior is more apparent in certain areas of life in comparison to others. So one might be excessively stubborn in one area of thought, and someone else in a different area. Multiple areas are definitely possible too.
And this "male-brain" thing isn't decidedly "male". It's more common in males, and a certain brain structure more common in females. But there exists a large percentage of people who are right in the middle, sharing brain structure patterns with both main styles. Of course that also means some lean more to one than the other. Some males who have that mixed brain might lean very heavily toward the "female brain" structure, and vice versa. [note: what I didn't see in that specific body of research is whether a male or female can have an "opposite brain" entirely, without any trace of brain structure more common in their gender]

 

[StageLeft]

Risk vs. reward. A simple OTC pain pill like Tylenol or Ibuprofen isn't going to cause you harm if taken in normal doses. There are many other medicines that can have side effects, but those can be managed and mitigated by professionals.

Yes, these meds (ibupro, etc.) have been heavily studied. To take them from time to time if it means the difference between a mostly painless evening or feeling hungover and going to bed in pain I think it's a no-brainer.

 

[bob4432]

when the pain gets bad enough for a long enough amount of time, you will seek out medications. for some it may take hours, others days, others weeks, others months, others years, but there will be a time if the pain persists you will take the meds regardless if you hate it or not.

if an ibuprofen works and you only need 1 or 2, why suffer? i use to be like you but after many neurological issues and surgeries and pain for months at a time, the pain will start to really take effect on you mentally.

 

[vi edit]

To put another way then....


If I can deal with the pain, what does it matter? Why would I take something that *could* have negative side effects, when the downside of not taking the medicine is having to deal with the pain. Something I'm obviously able to do, as I've done it (albeit, possibly foolish).


I'm not trying to disagree with you, just playing devils advocate in my own game here.

There may be more to an injury than simple pain that you want to treat with drugs. Why is there pain? If it's something like a muscle or connective tissue injury there's likely lots of inflamation causing it. NSAIDS can actually reduce inflammation and expodite the healing process. That's not a bad thing. The pain relief is a perk.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Of course I hate "big medicine" aka the phramaceutical industry. Why? Because their main point of existance is not to develop cures but treatments. You can be sold a lifetime of treatments but only be cured once. There is no profits in cures, thus no motive to find any.

 

[bob4432]

Of course I hate "big medicine" aka the phramaceutical industry. Why? Because their main point of existance is not to develop cures but treatments. You can be sold a lifetime of treatments but only be cured once. There is no profits in cures, thus no motive to find any.

oh no, you didn't go there. i have been called many things because i feel this way...put on your flame suit.

 

[Ruptga]

Of course I hate "big medicine" aka the phramaceutical industry. Why? Because their main point of existance is not to develop cures but treatments. You can be sold a lifetime of treatments but only be cured once. There is no profits in cures, thus no motive to find any.

The problem with that theory is that we have a free market system. In that system any cure that is developed can be sold to anyone that can pay the price. If a cure can be developed, any of a number of companies can develop it. But the main thing is that these companies can't make agreements to never develop any cure for any given disease. Not only that, there are tons of public agencies that do research on cures, how do you figure the pharms will keep them from publishing any results they find?

 

[Leros]

I feel like people over-use medicine. You don't need aspirin every time you get a little headache, but there are times when you need it. Now sounds like one of them.

 

[Jeff7]

Anyone else have a hatred of medicine?

Only in some cases:
- When doctors prescribe medications because of expensive gifts or perks from various pharmaceutical companies. And I do know that the paychecks for a pharmaceutical salesman can be pretty high, like $200k+/yr.
- "Natural" or herbal remedies. There's a reason that modern medicine exists: These remedies are useful only for their placebo effect.
On that note... yeah, some of modern medicine's curative power is placebo-based as well. But I'd still take an X-ray and a competent doctor over some silly ancient remedy to refocus my magical mystical energies.

As far as OTC stuff goes, I don't have much problem with it. I get mouth ulcers fairly frequently, and I use benzocaine ointment to temporarily dull the constant burning sensation that results.
For headaches and migraines, it's ibuprofen for me.
For a typical cold, pseudoephedrine + ibuprofen.

Of course I hate "big medicine" aka the phramaceutical industry. Why? Because their main point of existance is not to develop cures but treatments. You can be sold a lifetime of treatments but only be cured once. There is no profits in cures, thus no motive to find any.

Maybe, maybe not.
One thing that you may not expect to see if all companies had that kind of mindset: Rechargeable batteries good to 1000 cycles.
And going a step farther, low-self-discharge NiMH cells.

Why make batteries which are good for 1000+ uses and which won't lose much charge in storage, when you can keep selling one-time-use batteries over and over again?

 

[FelixDeCat]

The problem with that theory is that we have a free market system. In that system any cure that is developed can be sold to anyone that can pay the price. If a cure can be developed, any of a number of companies can develop it. But the main thing is that these companies can't make agreements to never develop any cure for any given disease. Not only that, there are tons of public agencies that do research on cures, how do you figure the pharms will keep them from publishing any results they find?

All those cause celeb "search for cure" foundations are a joke too. They dont want to find a cure, otherwise they will have to get a real job.

 

[mav451]

There may be more to an injury than simple pain that you want to treat with drugs. Why is there pain? If it's something like a muscle or connective tissue injury there's likely lots of inflamation causing it. NSAIDS can actually reduce inflammation and expodite the healing process. That's not a bad thing. The pain relief is a perk.

This. NSAIDs are legit.

 

[FelixDeCat]

oh no, you didn't go there. i have been called many things because i feel this way...put on your flame suit.

Bob, it is sad that so many people have a financial interest in the status quo. You and I will both die and see no new cures in our lifetime developed by the pharm industry at large.

If anything is developed it will purely coincidental and wholly accidental. Furthermore it will more than likely be devoloped by a non profit endeavor. And you cant bet the phrama industry will do anything both legal and otherwise to stop its spread if the financial impact is great enough.

 

[Ruptga]

All those cause celeb "search for cure" foundations are a joke too. They dont want to find a cure, otherwise they will have to get a real job.

I have to agree that they're mostly jokes, but the second half makes me I despise them because most of their advertising is sappy nonsense, as opposed to "look at all the benefits of what we propose." Also, all these "walk for the cure" things are retarded. Walking never cured anything other than obesity, yet all these people get sooooo excited because they're doing sooooo much good by walking.