Five things you should keep in your medicine cabinet, and why

[nonsenseprocess]

Here are five things that I would love for you to keep in your medicine cabinet. If you aren't a big fan of Western medicine, that's fine, and there are many alternative treatments that work perfectly well for a lot of people. (Wild yam root is great for nausea, by the way.) But still - the next time you have a stomach bug you're probably going to

Comments

[plaidseven]

Also, this entry was supposed to be about earthquakes and Merlin. CARRY ON.

Hahaha you win.

Other than neosporin (whooo neosporin!) I generally don't medicate myself. Because I rarely experience pain I can't handle. (Though right now I'm sick [poo] and I have an ear infection [double poo] so I feel pretty lousy.) But this is helpful and interesting anyway because I didn't know this stuff!

I love hearing (seeing?) you talk about anything.

[nonsenseprocess]

It's not so much about experiencing pain you can't handle as, um, taking something so that you can function better in day-to-day life? I mean, almost all of my friends agree with you there, and obviously I am confused by that, because I'm not advocating taking medication hourly just for the fun of it, but - whatever! Differences.

If you're taking antibiotics for the infection, try picking up some probiotics/eating a lot of yogurt? It'll help with the stomach-trashing properties. And, you know, there are a lot of things that will help make a cold a less utterly miserable experience? But again, your choice. I hope you feel better soon!

[thespottedmind]

Ditto the not medicating and the liking to see you active. when I am home for two weeks in a week, we should endeavor to see each other? Except I have no car because other drivers suck? But still.

[nonsenseprocess]

Yes, totally. I was about to send e-mails to you and AJ, actually, I don't know if he'll be around, but I would definitely like that. I was thinking of trying to host, like, a casual holiday dinner/lunch here sometime, except the place is an absolute wreck. Maybe you and I could get together at a bus-friendly cafe or something?

[nonsenseprocess]

Seriously. I'm a little uneasy about taking medication being seen as weakness. I mean, it's one thing to say, "Okay, I have a cold and taking cold medication makes me feel miserable, so I will just deal with the original miserable symptoms instead of piling more on," and another to suggest that everyone should just be able to function with a migraine or menstrual cramps or congestion so bad they can't breathe through their nose because it's not killing them. (And, I mean, like we were talking about on AIM, I have had people flat-out tell me that I am RUINING MY LIFE by taking medication that allows me to actually function like a human being. What

[somanyfuns]

I'm really-- impressed when you show up with these very specialized bursts of knowledge you have

[nonsenseprocess]

Totally. I mean - I'm still uncomfortable talking about the medication I'm taking, just because of how badly people have reacted. And I don't know if the fact that my body fucking sucks and I would be vomiting every morning if I weren't taking anti-nausea medication makes me more open to taking things like Sudafed if I can't breathe through my nose, or if they're separate things. Maybe admitting that I don't have perfect mastery over my body, and that sometimes it operates in a way that just isn't tolerable (like clarify said) makes me less likely to see taking OTC things as a weakness? I don't know. I hadn't really expected to have this conversation come out of this post, but it's interesting hearing how people react to it.

I really, really like your description of sharing medications as revealing secret names. I hate that we have a culture where it's like that, but it's an amazing way of putting it.

[sacredwhimsy]

When I have a cold I usually manage with zinc, garlic, and vitamin C, but I'm definitely not anti-medication...though I have been off my Adderall and Zoloft for a while. I seem to be doing okay?
Of course when I went to the hospital for something unrelated (having a benign cyst in one's ovary burst feels suspiciously like APPENDICITIS when you're me >_>) they were all like "You know you should never just stop taking those meds right? TERRIBLE THINGS might happen," but um...they didn't? I mean I get that that's a thing that has caused huge problems for people, but I've never been too good about regularity and I seem to manage.
Anyhow. Thank you for the informative post! I really should stock up on some of this kinda stuff.

[nonsenseprocess]

Having a cyst burst is painful, man, I don't blame you. Just having one leak was enough to have me sent in for an ultrasound to make sure I wasn't going to have an alien burst out of me or anything.

A lot of brain meds can cause major side effects if you go off them cold turkey, but I'm glad you didn't have problems with it.

I'm glad people have found it at least marginally useful! I'm also sort of interested and surprised by the discussion that seems to have come out of it re: attitudes toward medication and tolerances and so forth. Mostly I think that there are just a few things that almost everyone is going to need at some point, like Pepto-Bismal or Tylenol, and you might as well keep some around so you don't have to go running out when you feel like crap.