How to Avoid the Sledgehammer Effect
Recently I saw a new client taking two often prescribed meds for mood. A combo I've seen many times.
But she felt they weren’t working anymore and wanted off them with her doctor’s instruction ... of course. She wanted help preparing her body to succeed in weaning off the meds ... and staying off them for good.
Research Your Meds
First, we checked online for possible drug interactions. This combo showed a Moderate risk on the Interactions Checker (drugs.com). Hmmm.
Something to be wary of ... my nurse radar went off. I also suspected something else and turned to my trusted Nursing Drug Handbook.
Bingo! As I suspected, both meds had Black Box warnings! The FDA’s highest warning to consumers about potential life-threatening side-effects.
When I asked her if she already knew this, her answer was a most resounding “No.” The shocked look on her face said it all.
Neither her doctor, nor her pharmacist had mentioned this. Without question, she had followed her doctor’s instruction.
She realized how uninformed she was! Unfortunately, I see this way too often ☹. Even worse, she had been on those meds for 5 years!
THEN we checked for side-effects and I handed her my book to read the side effects section for herself. In seconds, she recognized several that she’d had for years ... anxiety, palpitations, GERD, constipation and weight gain.
Her jaw dropped. “So the drugs were causing my weird symptoms! I even ended up in the ER for some of them! Why didn’t the ER doc suspect that?”
The Light Bulb Moment
Seeing this info made her even more convicted to begin changing her life. The pain of being on the meds was now greater than their benefits. She was ready to change.
At first, her doctor indicated she would be on the meds for “a little while.” Until she found a steady footing. But somehow, life got in the way, and it's now five years later!
She has realized that the meds were a band-aid, and the root of her issues was not even addressed. Only the symptoms.
The Truth about Your Symptoms
Western (allopathic) Medicine focuses on suppressing your body's symptoms to give you relief. Holistic medical systems support your body's natural restorative ability so the symptoms subside.
From her health story, I realized her symptoms resulted from two chronic infections. These affected her digestion and elimination, which had affected her brain and liver. A domino effect.
Her body had accumulated waste and toxins making her body toxic and symptomatic.
The Lesson
The critical lesson she learned was 'Easy Can Be Hard'. The easy meds solution, over time, became harder as the side effects accumulated. And risky.
Though not always appropriate, nature's remedies are often the best for your body. Nature's solutions re-balance, restore and renew it in subtle, yet targeted ways. Not like the BIG sledge-hammer effect of medications.
To be fair, I am NOT anti-medication or anti-Western Medicine. I used to be an ICU nurse!
Over years of experience, I have realized that each medical system has an appropriate use. Trouble arises when the wrong tool - the sledgehammer - is used for the job.
Have You ever had a similar experience when Easy became Hard in the long run? Leave me a comment below or send me an email sharing your experience.
P.S. Look for my post next week about A Woman’s Secret Weapon.