| I Hate My Meds! | |
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Many people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) are able to keep symptoms at bay through diet, stress reduction, and various other complementary or alternative therapies. Some, however, rely on prescription or over the counter medications for relief. In contrast, those with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) are very likely to be on a regimen of various medicines. The "cocktails" given to IBD patients will vary from maintenance drugs during remission to a combination of maintenance and anti-inflammatories during a flare-up.
Coming face to face with a medicine cabinet full of pills that must be taken day in and day out - possibly for the rest of your life - is frightening. It is particularly sobering for the young people who are diagnosed with gastrointestinal disorders and have never known serious illness before. How does a person cope with the necessity of the medications?
In the forum, IBSHurt describes dealing with new medications at the age of 50: "I was told then after several diagnostic testing that I had IBS and acute acid reflux. I now will be taking meds for the rest of my life, I was told. I am not too happy about it cause I am the worst medicine taker. But, what are the alternatives? I would rather take the meds vs. having the pain again. I know diet alone won't help cause I have tried that. Diet does help though. If I watch what I eat all of the time I am usually OK. To those of us who have to take meds the rest of our lives...just do it!"
As many as 50% of people with chronic illnesses who require medication do not take their medication properly. Compliance is a serious issue that both patients and physicians struggle with on a daily basis.
AnnG3568 describes her struggle with taking her medications: "...I take up to 37 medications a day, some of which cannot overlap each other, so the timing is difficult. But after missing 5 months of work this year...I am willing at this time to deal with all the medications. I don't like it, but have just been in a somewhat unstable remission for 4 weeks, and am willing to do anything to be able to get back to work full-time when the New Year starts."
PCLGRAMS has come to a similar conclusion: "I do get tired of taking all this [medication] everyday, but figure that if it's helping keep me alive, will continue to do so."
Sandie's daughter has ulcerative colitis, and at first was dependant on prednisone and other drugs. After a time, Sandie and her daughter decided to try managing her disease without drugs: "To do, or not to do, that is the really the big question. In my daughter's case we opted to go with the drugs. It was the only thing that brought relief. But after we did more research and started living with the side effects, we've starting fighting like crazy to stay away from them....Did she have pain? You bet! Did she want to go back on drugs? Absolutely not! These are her words. 'I always have some sort of pain, but at least now, I don't have to suffer all the side effects and pain from the drugs.'"
The choices surrounding using medications for IBS and IBD are very personal ones. Thankfully, we are not alone in this decision. In the forum you'll find others faced with similar decisions and hear about how they have dealt with them. Don't be afraid to come in, look around, and share with other folks with IBS and IBD.
