Medical News - Not So New

Once again I have neglected my blog. At least I have an excuse. The wireless router on my computer has been acting up. Seems like I have no choice but to continue buying the latest technology, just to keep up.

Two interesting articles in the news. The first one is in regards to an MS drug that is responsible for 11 deaths due to heart failure.  I'll comment in the next paragraph. The other is about over diagnosis 


The  reasons I don't take any medications for my MS, except  medical marijuana, is due partly  to my concerns over side effects, but mainly because I don't believe they work.  

The drug mentioned in the article above is a perfect example of why.  The question I have about drugs for relapsing/ remitting MS (the type I have) is how can they say for certain any drug reduces  the number of relapses? Relapses are so random; I never know when I'll have one. Sure there are things that can bring on a relapse, such as  my recent  thyroid surgery, otherwise I can't really say for certain what brings them on nor can my doctor. So if there is no predictable way of determining how often I will have a relapse;  how  can I know for certain a drug is reducing them?

The side effects of many MS drugs can be serious, even fatal. Is it really worth the risk of heart failure for me to take a drug that possibly doesn't  truly work?


Thanks. I'll stick to my vaporizer  and suck it up. No pun intended

As for over diagnosis I am one of those people who doesn't believe that early that early diagnosis saves lives and I  believe it can actually do more harm.  There seems to be more and more research to back that up.

I never have any regular tests done, with the exception of ones for MS, and that's only because of  job.

Yep! No mammograms, colonoscopies,  pap smears, diabetes tests and so on. My blood pressure  does get a regular check, only because that seems to be the routine no matter what doctor you see.

I know  people will say that it was thanks to tests that doctors were able to diagnose my MS.  Oh and what a crazy twisted path that was for years and years. And what good did it do me?  Every six months I go to the neurologist and when I leave I still have MS, there is no cure, and not much of anything  anybody can do about it.  Am I any better off?


When I retire I will never have another MRI or any other tests and I will avoid doctors as much as possible.  Yeah that's me; wild and reckless!