Drug Recommendations: What’s Wrong With This Picture?

I have written a couple of posts on statins to provide a complete  picture of the costs and benefits of using them. Statins remain very dangerous treatment alternative when compared with natural diet options like diet, exercise and supplements.  Yet the medical community continues to endorse statins despite the warnings.

Today’s blog uses statins as an  example of how health experts have gone wrong when providing prudent messages to the public  about taking medication. This will hopefully open your eyes as to how easy it is to fall victim to the dogma. Experts who speak to the public should be more responsible.

• When a physician is on television and says ” we know NOW that our patients are not hypochondriacs, because we have results from our study to prove statins cause muscle pain, ” it is very concerning.

One, it gives a research study too much power in terms of how a patient is viewed, in this case a  “hypochondriac”.  Patients should not have to wait for a research study to be done to “prove” that what symptoms they feel are real. If you feel differently after adding a medicine into your daily routine, don’t be convinced, even if it is by your doctor, otherwise. Research is not the holy grail, you are.
Two, for those of you taking prescription medicine has your physician ever explained UNcommon drug side effects that might affect you? Have you tried discussing concerns about a prescription with a doctor and they are dismissed or are handed another pill to lessen  stress (because he thinks you are a hypochondriac)? Do you go with the flow and follow doctor’s orders? Do you use your gut instinct and try to find someone who can help figure out why you have these symptoms? Many people blindly follow doctors orders, they do not question or get a second opinion  then pay the consequences.

• When recommendations by the government are supported with, ” Patients who aren’t responding to statins alone would continue taking themin addition to Repatha and maintaining a healthy, cholesterol-friendly diet.” – John Jenkins, director of the FDA Office of New Drugs, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/27/health/fda-new-cholesterol-drug-repatha/index.html), ” it makes me question the possibility of underlying motives.

Why would a doctor recommend you take a statin or any medication that does not work on its own and that has been linked to these negative health effects,                       http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm293330.htm? Pharmaceutical companies and politicians make a lot of money with your drug purchases.  Statins have become a $29 billion dollar business a year. Repatha is estimated to cost  14,00 a year/person and it will exceed statin profits by billions easily.
Accepting a doctor who dismisses your complaints, following advice to take medication that causes your body to exhibit negative changes or does not change the targeted blood work is the wrong picture.
The right picture is you, your health and being an advocate for yourself. Use common sense, have educated conversations with your doctor and make decisions together.  Medicine is sometimes necessary but not if it causes more harm than good. Health conditions caused by lifestyle should be cured by lifestyle, not drugs.
Next week I’ll discuss statin alternatives that may work for you.