drugs and more drugs

It's break time, so I thought I'd do an early update .
Today I'm working at home and thank goodness! Last night I came home exhausted with pain in my left leg and foot . Both my feet also had tingling, burning, and I had a couple of those strange sensations like an electric shock . After dinner I just couldn't sit at the computer for more than a few minutes . I had a bath and crashed out on the couch to watch a movie " The Kentuckian" with Burt Lancaster. I find watching movies relaxing. They take my mind off my problems.

I broke down and took a sleeping pill before bed because I knew the pains would keep me awake. The pain killers weren't working. Does it mean they are phantom pains? Amazing how sleeping pills not only help me sleep,( as long as I use them very sparingly, maximum of twice per week). They also reduce pain and anxiety. I woke up this morning and my left leg and foot felt better. I am calm and relaxed. Being home might have something to do with it as well.

So many news stories today about drugs and treatments. None of them reassuring.

First, in the New York Times, " Drug Ads Raise Questions for Heart Pioneer" . A phony ad for what I think, is a phony treatment . I think too many people are prescribed anti cholesterol medications who don't need them. And what the heck is up with TV commercials for prescription drugs? You see an ad and then go to your doctor and say Hey! doc I want some of that stuff . Or is it just a way to continue brain washing people to keep taking drugs ?

Next " Diabetes Study Partially Halted After Deaths". Turns out that 50 years of belief in a treatment for diabetes may be wrong . It reminds me of the way they use to treat stomach ulcers, which did more harm than good. Did you know that the doctor who discovered that ulcers are caused by bacteria , actually drank a cup of bacteria to give himself an ulcer. No one believed his findings before that. Now his recommended treatment is standard practice and it works.
Other stories in the New York Times:
" One in Four Doctors Prescribe Anti Depressants for Back Pain" . Seems though they don't work for that. Doctors prescribe anti depressants for all sorts of ailments besides depression.
I've had more than one doctor write one for me for all sorts of different reasons . I had the pharmacist put them on file and I never used them .

"60 different drugs fail to reduce hypertension" so they're going back to low sodium diets. Imagine 60 different ones that don't work. What a waste of time and money.

I can't list all the many articles about the cause of Heath Ledger's death. I did laugh bitterly when I read the comments of different doctors and medical experts . The ones that cracked me up most and made me so angry, are the claims that he would never have been able to get all those different drugs prescribed by the same doctor . Oh Really? I had a doctor who dished out drugs like Halloween candy, five or six at a time. Wouldn't a combination of sleeping pills, anti depressants, pain killers and muscle relaxants put me at risk of death ? Especially when the doctor says "Oh take a pill and if it doesn't work take another one" " Oh it doesn't work?"
" We 'll up the dose " " It doesn't work? "Try this".

They never say " Oh be careful taking this stuff, you are on so many different medications " " it only takes one more pill than you need to kill you" "You really shouldn't take these drugs for a long period of time because you will become addicted" " "if you try to stop taking them the withdrawal can be terrible and you may even have psychotic episodes"
Nope never had a doctor say any of that to me. Had to hear it from the pharmacist or research it myself.

I'd like to write more but my time is up for now Have to get back to work .