What is left.

When you have exhausted all medical avenues and tried more than enough so called remedies from the ridiculous to the insane, what is left.

It has been made very clear to me it is my choice, medicate and mitigate everything else that I'm dealing with or don't and suffer the consequences. Possibly the best copout the medical fraternity has ever come across, it's my choice.

So I have the option of medicating to try and control my HBP, lower my cholesterol, lower my glucose levels and thin the blood to prevent further strokes. All the time mitigating my stomach health and kidney function. Do I want to lose 15% of my degrading kidney function while having to starve through not being able to stomach food from the reaction to the medication. Or should I say no to the crippling medication that is supposed to be friendly to me and sit it out waiting for further strokes while at least having a moderately comfortable stomach. "it is my choice".

Once again I have reached the point of absolute desperation, a place I'm getting to know well and not one I like to be at.

While I make the difficult decision life hangs in the balance, unless by some random chance my number comes up and I check out non the wiser.

Cheers

[Orchard33]

I so sympathise with you and I too experience these cycles of hope (if I'm lucky) followed by the darkest despair and loss of belief in modern medicine and it's practitioners. For a while I have to let go of all of it to recover from the sheer effort of finding a way through. Then I re-engage and follow the next clues, which I often find on these fora. I'm also a subscriber to the Pernicious Anaemia forum.I hope you find your way forward and wish you progress.

[Hidden in reply to Orchard33]

Appreciate the reply.

I'm pretty sure I have the IBS licked by being careful of what I ingest. It is clear that all the flareups can be directly traced back to medications. Each time I relented and succumb to the pressure to take medications, four months on average and it nobbles me again. I see it , my wife sees it, test results reflect it with a drop in kidney function and a recovery off meds. Every time I stop taking meds the recovery is impressive, I come alive again.

I didn't realise how debilitating medication can be to me until after it has snuck up on me each time. It is so invasive and covert you don't realise it until it gets so bad I'm forced to stop taking meds. Not only destroying the stomach but also affecting the brain, similar to brain fog with loss of the will to move out of my own way. Pretty much sedates the brain to were I have to start using walking sticks to keep myself vertical with sudden unintended side steps that start me falling. My lower body goes to jelly, uncontrollable intermittently with out warning. Most of the medication prescribed is to help my health issues but sadly not much of it helps me. For a Dr to insist I take medication that does this to me, just lost any respect from me.

I'm taking the option of no medications and expect to finish out going as hard and fast as I can, for as long as I can, however short that might be. I may get lucky and survive the expectation of the Dr's.

Cheers

[Orchard33 in reply to Hidden]

Can I ask what meds you're taking?

[Rozzy46 in reply to Hidden]

You have my deepest sympathy - I too suffer from IBS and the awful side effects of medications for high blood pressure. It's a terrible position to be in - I do hope you find a way through. It's a paradox that meds that keep you alive make you feel half dead! Maybe there's a 'middle path' - low dosage rather than none and perhaps a review as to whether you actually need all these drugs and whether you should try a different BP drug? Losartan made me feel dizzy, queasy and affected my vision. I think you need a physician to go through everything with you and decide if you need them all. It sounds like you know what helps your gut problems and how to take care of yourself. Keep us posted

[Hidden in reply to Rozzy46]

I don't want to commit to believing I have fixed the IBS. I don't think I could be that lucky. I'm back on track rebuilding the diet slowly while staying away from the foods I recognise as triggers. I spent the last 5 hours draining every drop of energy from the body. Unable to stand or walk without my trusty walking sticks. I will recover. Unusually my BP plummeted and my glucose dropped as you might expect using all the bodies reserves of sugar. All I need to see is if I experience any mini strokes.

I haven't experienced the acidic stomach and reflux I expect with this level of physical work. If I get through the next 12 hours without kick back from the IBS I'll let you know what I have been doing to beat the IBS.

Every joint in the body is letting me know they still exist and the muscles aren't best pleased either.

The health system refuses to allow me the BP lowering drug used in ED. They seem to think I'm a bunny and couldn't possibly inject myself. That was the last chance having been through so may BP meds over the last 15 years. I'm resigned to my body doesn't like meds and will soldier on med free. I'm probably going to need more laxatives this evening after dropping 1.5 Kg in weight, mainly fluid loss.

Cheers

[Hidden]

Here we go;

Domperidone

Losartan potassium

Bisoprolol fumarate

Prazosin

Baclofen

Mebeverine

Aspirin

Vildagliptin

Laxsol

Omeprazole

Gaviscon

Tramadol

Paracetamol

Vitamin B12 and D3

Multivitamin scripted.

Plus I'm supposed to be starting Rosuvastatin, just looking at the side effects and it being a statin I won't be taking it.

The ones taken for IBS symptoms I will continue with but for the rest I have stopped them 2 weeks ago. I'm in for blood tests in 2 weeks as the B12 appears to be low still, 147 last test and the D3 is for my immune deficiency.

Still getting periods of brain fog but have been able to hang up the walking sticks, likely cause the low B12. Taking 200mg per day B12 supplement but no were enough, the countries supply of B12 is out! Hence the supplement. Glucose and BP climbing.

Cheers

[behj]

I face similar choices and remain shocked at the callous response of doctors. It is a horrifying situation. Best of luck! Bh

[Hidden in reply to behj]

Apparently medicine is the most important health care tool, regardless if it is impacting your health. Sure, I believe that as much as I believe I'm winning Loto this week!

I put my no meds theory to the test yesterday and worked my self until I could barely walk or stand. Still can't this morning, I'll recover. Checked my BP and Glucose level as after such strenuous work as my BP usually skyrockets with the same activity.

What a shock it actually plummeted, the opposite to what normally happens with me. So I have been waiting for my IBS to kick off, nothing yet, then the stroke I'm highly likely to have. Nothing, nada, zip, zero, I'm kind of disappointed but elated, 18 hours out and no sign of a mini stroke. I guess I'm not out of the woods yet but with each passing hour life off meds is looking eminently doable. My biggest concern was to stroke, fingers crossed I ducked a bullet.