[Awgie]

As a Home Care Physical Therapist, I am on the front lines of this calamity. The old folks I see are being victimized by OVER PRESCRIPTION of PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMICALS.

Unwanted side effects as well as drug interactions produce a witches brew of tragic proportions.

If you are taking more then 3 or 4 “medications” you are likely to run to your doctor complaining about symptoms such as head ache, stomach ache, muscle weakness, Loss of balance, dizziness, insomnia...on and on!

Well guess what...It’s not because there is something wrong with you. It is because you are eating powerful chemicals that your body can’t deal with.

So does your doctor try to get to the source of your new complaint...NO! He just adds on a new “Medication,” to deal with the toxic noxious side effects from the previous “Medicines.”

I am telling you here and now. This is a crime! Someone should go to jail!

[Kirkwood]

So you want MORE govt control over healthcare? Seriously? Is that what you really want? Arguing for more govt control and limitations over your healthcare is absolutely the wrong direction.

[cripplecreek]

My ex wife was a PA.

Drug reps are salesmen who will sell at any cost and unscrupulous doctors are not rare.

[vpintheak]

I agree 100%!

[Rusty0604]

And anytime a child presents any sort of personality or acts like a child the schools are quick to diagnose some mental illness and prescribe drugs to them. The schools get extra money for a special needs child; I wonder if that has any connection?

[sodpoodle]

For years, worked for several physicians and trusted them implicitly. Something has definitely changed - recent experience is that most physicians have an RX pad or laptop ready to send you to the pharmacy.

Beware - before filling any prescription - check the internet for patient experiences, side effects, withdrawals. etc., Thankfully, I checked out Zoloft after the first 30 days - will never take another anti-depressant - will use my God given brain to find peace and joy.

For a scary read - check these sites.

http://injury-law.freeadvice.com/injury-law/drug-toxic_chemicals/zoloft.htm
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080613123644AAxtQBo

[grania]

Would the problem be less awful if people had to pay for their pharmaceuticals? I know so many people who take stuff for two reasons:

1. "it's covered"

2.Health professionals don't talk to patients about improving lifestyle and nutrition choices, about accepting a little pain or imperfect sleeping patterns or whatever as one ages. It would be real nice if every discussion with the patient involved talking about choosing not to get pharmaceuticals or an operation or whatever.

[Sam Gamgee]

I'm from Canada, and we have our faults, but I have read a book or 2 about how big drug companies basically are the number one place of information that doctors get about the drugs they push.

Apparently, and I could be wrong, but this is one of the reason antidepressants are over prescribed in the US. An AD should not really be prescribed to people going through situational depression (death of a spouse, loss of job) but are prescribed all the time. Which is dangerous as, even though doctors and drug companies won't admit it, SSRIs are habit forming. A nice way of saying addictive.