Medications that provide relief are extremely valuable. They’ve saved me from acute situations and I am very grateful for their availability.

But also, the topic of medication risk has been weighing on my heart lately.

Once upon a time, I was on seven different medications in my early 20s, watching my mental and physical health deteriorate. It wasn’t until I started to experience sudden and worsening depersonalization after starting my 7th medication, Buspirone, that I decided to stop all medications (I went cold turkey, which I never recommend – I’m lucky nothing serious happened to me, especially from my SSRI, Celexa. Go to www.ssristories.org to read more).

I came to learn that much of what I was feeling, like the worsening of all my symptoms and the development of new ones, was a result of the medications I was on – chest pounding/heart palpitations/irregular heartbeat, confusion, depression, concentration issues, weight gain, rashes, dizziness, memory issues, exhaustion, gut issues, constant upset stomach, and many more.

In hindsight, what upsets me most is not only was I not given any guidance on diet and lifestyle changes first, but I was never explained the risks in making an informed decision, weighing the pros and cons of the medication.

I now know that reading the inserts and all provided medical literature on a medication is an important part of “informed consent”.

I also now know that many of the medications commonly prescribed not only bring a long list of potential side effects (like what I experienced), but can actually CONTRIBUTE TO to the very issue or symptom they claim to “remedy”…or worse!

For example:

  • NSAIDs like Ibruprofen can increase heart attack and stroke risk, and can cause issues like GI ulcers, intestinal bleeding, high blood pressure, diabetes, and liver damage.
  • Steroids are commonly used to treat Autoimmune Disease, but cause immunosuppression and increase risk of viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections, even cancer.
  • Many anti-depressants are ineffective at best, often resulting in worse long-term outcomes than no treatment at all, including psychosis, violence, and elevated risk of su!c!d3. They lose their effectiveness over time, requiring stronger and stronger doses. Prozac, for example, was named in more than 40,000 reports of adverse effects submitted to the Eff-Dee-Aye. No other drug of its type on the market even comes close. If you want to know more about anti-depressant effectiveness, take a look at something called The Kirsch Report.
  • According to a randomized, double-blind trial, the flew 💉 has never been shown to improve morbidity and mortality. PLUS, your risk of developing Guillain-Barre Syndrome within 6 weeks of a dose is TEN TIME higher vs people who did not receive a dose. Furthermore, a 2011 study concluded that it can cause an inflammatory response in pregnant women and that this increases the risk of preeclampsia and premature birth.
  • Adderall comes with a WARNING because it can cause sudden death, stroke, myocardial infarction, increased blood pressure, behavioral disturbances, psychosis, manic symptoms, aggression, seizure, and visual disturbances.

A little odd, isn’t it? Why would we take medications that give us side effects of the very symptom we’re trying to remedy?

I’m so glad I learned that my body could heal when it’s naturally and nutritionally supported. I had to shift my mindset to accept that getting healthy meant making decisions that weren’t as easy as taking a drug. I also recognize that I am very fortunate to have that option and not have to rely on medications to live.

I read books like The China Study (nutrition-focused) or Own Your Self (mental health-focused) and learned that you can improve or reverse most health conditions with diet and lifestyle alone.

It may take longer than taking a pill in the short term, but the long term benefit is that your body is being FUELED with complex, real ingredients that support our WHOLE body, not just put a Band-Aid on a symptom that ends up increasing your risk for worse illnesses, diseases, and even death.

I no longer suffer from GERD, reflux, anxiety (beyond acute/situational), or depression. I firmly believe that I have reversed my diagnoses because I took control of my own health.

Handing someone a medication but not advising them on diet and lifestyle interventions is negligent. A good clinician that isn’t financially backed by big pharma should want to hear your concerns, should advise you on not only the benefits but the RISKS of medication, and should also be open-minded to learning about research that refutes the effectiveness of drugs and/or has caused harm.