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Friday 19 November 2010

Patient Choice. To take the medication? Or not?

Increasingly people are becoming aware that ConMed drugs are dangerous. So what do you do when your GP says you should take them? The first response should be to do some research, and ask a couple of important questions.

* What are the side-effects of the drug? And think of them not so much as side-effects, but 'disease-inducing-effects' (DIEs)?
* Are there alternative ways of treating my illness that are safer, and more effective?

This is what JT did recently, following a comment I made on Facebook about Statin drugs. This is what she wrote to me.

My husband was prescribed (Statins) a year ago. On reading up on the side effects he decided not to bother and he just spent 20 mins on the phone yesterday trying to convince the doctor that he was wasting his time trying to punt them - conversation went something like this:

Doctor "We're very worried about your cholesterol levels"

Husband "I'm very worried about your statins!"

Doctor "We have a range of different types you can try!"

Husband "If it's a choice between statins and cholesterol I'll keep the cholesterol, thanks!"... so proud of him! But we are going to cut out the dumplings etc as well!


JT's husband has therefore made a personal choice, an informed choice, an important choice for himself, and for his future health. He has decided to deal with his cholesterol problem through diet; and there is plenty of evidence that this approach is more effective, and certainly safer, than filling the coffers of Big Pharma by taking their drugs.


If we all want safer medical treatment, more of us are going to have to start saying  'No' to anyone, including GP's, who want us to take drugs, without telling us about their DIEs.