New study shows these common over-the-counter drugs linked to Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.

[greygoose]

This is decidedly worrying! Not that I do much OTC drugs, but I know a lot of people that do! Seems the obvious thing to do, because you trust that if it's OTC, it's not harmful. Just goes to show you can't trust anybody anymore!

naturalnews.com/048433_anti...

[shaws Administrator]

Yes, greygoose. It does make you think twice about some medication.

[greygoose in reply to shaws]

[greygoose]

And taken all together...

[SAMBS]

I would be happier with the article written and published if it was presented by either a registered medical health professional or neuro scientist rather than a magazine promoting itself using scare tactics. I do think medically prescribed drugs taken alone or in conjunction with several others can do harm because they are meant to be taken consistently for quite often a prolonged period of time, duration of life even.

The over the counter drugs mentioned in the publication are very short term 'remedies' only and if people read the instructions like I used to, they virtually all say to consult your doctor if no improvement after only a few days/doses. People must take responsibility for themselves if they insist on self-medicating long-term rather than seeking proper medical advice from their own doctor. Sorry if I seem uncaring, I am not - but folks must take some responsibility on their own shoulders for what they put in their mouths and spend their money on.

[jezebel69 in reply to SAMBS]

I did note that it repeatedly referred to 'the study' but gave no reference to actual results or who was responsible. As far as dementia is concerned I would be happier to see vit D deficiency addressed. I'm not going to panic because stress is by far the greater enemy of my thyroid lol

[SAMBS in reply to jezebel69]

until about 2 weeks ago I didn't even know about the importance of vitamins relative to the Thyroid! Today I've already also seen on the forum 2 people discussing buying stuff online and self-medicating - it seems to be a very heavily discussed topic - self-medication from unknown sources - that aspect also worries me - given the (as I've just discovered) potential long term mental effects of living with thyroid problems some which I have from a brain injury in 2013. So a double dose of problems with that issue is not welcome

I now live in France, (since 2008) and in the whole 15 years have only had T3&T4 tested about three times, TSH tested quarterly since 2008 but only annually in UK along with T4 once each in 2005 and 2007. I have all my french blood test written results here and the doctors I was/am now registered with (have moved twice) only ask for TSH and T4 once and I think that was when I saw a haematologist in 2012 who also took a bone marrow sample and results showed, he said, I have a 'blood disorder' - that I think now is possibly an autoimmune problem, dropping white cell count and thickening red cells. I have had a mail order account with Holland Barrett and have taken, of my own accord, a multi vitamin/iron supplement - mostly daily when or if I remember.

[jezebel69 in reply to SAMBS]

The decision to self medicate generally comes from a position of desperate need. People who take this decision have already exhausted all attempts to be well via the recognised medical profession. If you are well on the medication you are prescribed, and I believe the majority of thyroid sufferers are, then its not an issue for you. For the rest of us we feel we are ignored, dismissed and poorly treated. I applaud the ones who have had the courage to address this and reclaim their lives/

[SAMBS in reply to jezebel69]

How do you define feeling well though Jez? I didn't feel 'or know I was unwell' in 2000 - I don't fell unwell now - plus I had symptoms that I didn't know were symptoms at the time, I just couldn't initially figure out why I could not lose weight when I was eating properly, taking exercise and doing all I should at the time. I was leading a normal full time working woman's married life.

You are right - ' we' collectively are ignored, dismissed and poorly treated.! Doctors treat 1 'disease' at a time' prescribing this or that pharmaceutical drug, which if not monitored properly causes other symptoms to occur, mostly unrelated to the original condition and gives us another different drug to take and so on. I like to think that in general doctors know what they are doing so we trust them (yes they do get it wrong sometimes) but after months of researching

I am even more convinced that long-term self-medication, from sometimes unknown sources especially the internet, will eventually do more harm than good. I am just started working on making a new post relative to drugs and their effects based on my personal experiences and hopefully while the brain continues to 'tick over' which when finished I shall post on HU. I may be barking up the wrong tree but I am not convinced I am.

In the meantime, I expect to receive an email today from the local area specialist laboratory that I can now sign in and collect on-line the results of the blood test the nurse cam to take at 7am yesterday morning and I will have T3&4 resullts as well as TSH. Unfortunately I forgot to ask my doctor to also request VitaminB12, D, Folate and Ferritin - all these are new to me - and she was too busy weighing me, taking my temperature and listening to my chest! That's my brain for you! Still little steps while I start checking out differences if any, on my written results from previous years here and the result from UK that I know about.

[greygoose in reply to SAMBS]

Hi SAMBS, I also live in France, been here since 1975, was diagnosed here. I've never had any trouble having my FT3 tested. I just ask for it. And whilst they are reluctant to test vits and mins, I find most doctors here quite ameanable to testing anything thyroid.

Don't you find the postage Holland and Barrett charge for sending to France a little steep? There are cheaper alternatives. Be careful with H and B because their suppléments often contain soy oïl, with is not good.

[SAMBS in reply to greygoose]

Hi Greygoose, yes the H&B postage is expensive, that was in the days when I used to order the anti-arthritic tabs for my husband and - usually I tried to stock up when we used to drive back or ask a friend to bring some over for me.

Its only very recently, as you will be aware, also from my reply to jezebel169 that I have found this forum - because I'd not thought about my thyroid condition before - only the more recent additional diagnoses plus talk about glands reminded me that as a tiny baby I'd had a throat/neck? gland removed - I was told it was tubercular one. I ought to also tell my doctor that perhaps. I've I have no family alive now that could give me more precise info - just the scar below the rhs of my jawbone, quite near the 'wing' of my thyroid perhaps. My year of ongoing tests, I am proving an enigma apparently to the hospital specialists are trying to get to the cause of my liver disease and have ruled out cancer and alcohol, but are saying its scarred (cirrhosis). I was diagnosed in the Herault with Type 2 Diabetes (don't have it at all now, I stopped taking the meds, Metformin because it did affect me with muscle weakness and fatigue, and I read up on that. I tend to stop stop medicating rather than self-medicating (except for the H&B multi-vit) but I did feel better. I was on the Metformin for 2 years approx. I told my doctor and after a peculiar blood test was sent to see a Haemotologist. I had a bone marrow and more bloods taken. Low white and thickened red cells - doppler scan showed an enlarged spleen and diagnosis of MDS (SMD in france) now discounted since all tests last year up here in the Sarthe - I've moved 4 times in 2 years since marital breakup. I've been checked for Viral hepatitis, also discounted and just this second my doctors surgery has phoned (its a remplacement doctor I saw 3 days ago and she wants me to see my doctor next Tuesday because my blood test results are in! I haven't checked my emails today and am about to go out - so will return to this this afternoon and let you know what they say!

[greygoose in reply to SAMBS]

OK Be interesting to see what they've tested. But one thing I will say, a multivitamin is fine for those who don't have any nutritional deficiencies, but next to useless for those that do, because there's not enough of anything in them.

I'm up north of France, in the Oise, so quite a way from you. About 45 mins north of Paris.

[SAMBS in reply to greygoose]

Hi Greygoose, I think its better if I start my own new post rather than get my results mixed up with your post. Results are in PDF format so I'll have to copy and paste. By the way - not so far apart - I'm 40mins approx W of Le Mans - TGV to Paris is 2 hrs I was told! I may be gone sometime but will sort out this evening.

[greygoose in reply to SAMBS]

That makes 3 hours 25 mins. lol Quite a distance, to my mind! lol