I recently had an interesting discussion with a woman who has a disease that I also have. She was asking a group of people what each person does or takes to battle pain caused by this specific illness. As I read through the comments before offering my specific situation, I kind of chuckled at one comment. It read: "I have never been a medication person, so I would like to steer clear from pharmaceutical medications."
This is a VERY common statement in the healthcare system. That is when I decided to offer my two-cents.
I am sure that there are individuals on the far sides of the spectrum here, but who actually WANTS to be sick enough to be on medication all of the time? Who WANTS to be a 'medication person'? I sure don't. Three years ago I may have made the exact same comment. Three years ago I tried taking regular strength Tylenol as little as possible. Over fourteen years ago I couldn't remember ever having to swallow a pill. I took antibiotics only if they were absolutely necessary (and usually it was that awesome banana-flavored syrupy stuff). I powered through a cold (mostly because I hated the way cough remedies tasted), I wrapped up a sprained wrist or shin splints and maybe used a topical Icy Hot cream, but I got on with it with no pharmaceutical medication.
Who IS a medication person?
This is my definition:
A 'medication person' is a person whose physical agony has exceeded the amount that that person can handle and still function.
A 'medication person' is someone who would have absolutely no quality of life if not for the help of some pharmaceutical or natural intervention.
A 'medication person' is someone who may die without treatment, and chooses to take medication in order to keep on living.
Every single person has his/her own line of tolerance.
Someone who says that he/she is not a 'medication person' may perhaps still be functioning in a normal way. What I mean, specifically, is that perhaps he/she is still able to work. Perhaps he/she can still be moderately active. Perhaps he/she is not running to the washroom 18 times a day. Maybe he/she is not in a hospital room, unable to eat, drink, or sleep because of pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, swelling, joint stiffness, etc...
The list is endless. Or maybe it is simply a choice - to choose the natural path of life, wherever it goes, without any outside influence. (The last circumstance is usually when a person has come to terms with the likelihood that he/she may die without intervention).
The point is - every single person has their line.
A 'medication person' is one whose line has been, unfortunately, crossed.
Each individual's threshold is unique.
I am thrilled that this woman is still at a point in the progression of her disease that she still feels capable of functioning on a daily basis without any medicinal treatment - pharmaceutical or natural. That is amazing and she absolutely seems to cherish that, and we had a very good discussion about this topic.
Unfortunately, my line was crossed a long time ago.
Without medicinal treatment, I would not be here today. I like being here, so I am going to continue to be a 'medication person'.
😊