More hugs not drugs

This blog entry is purely to share something that I found very funny. As ever, some will chuckle with me and others will scratch their heads. There's nothing particularly interesting or revelationary in it, but it made me laugh. Hopefully it'll make some other people laugh too.

Anyone who's regularly reading this blog, or who knows me, will know I don't like taking prescription drugs. I know I have to take particular ones for my own safety and I do what the experts tell me to do. I'm doing chemo......... I think that proves I'm willing to take what the experts tell me I need to take! I do not take any medication lightly however. I know the stats around prescription drug abuse in this country. 

Local abuse of drugs like diazepam is a problem that has been growing for years. One that is often incorrectly blamed on police....... Clearly, some of that is street and online sales, however there is also a frightening level of overprescribing and a cultural acceptance that popping a pill will make you feel better. Police have their part to play, but Dept of Health etc also have a huge amount of responsibility in this area.  It needs a collaborative approach to solve the different parts of the problem. Hard to do when you have senior politicians acting like children........ Not s great example to be setting. Whilst part of our charm is the fact we're often a bit behind the times, it'd be nice to see us trying to embrace more complimentary therapies. I'm not talking about plants etc with no scientific research to back them. There are an awful lot of snake oil salesmen out there preying on desperate and vulnerable people. I'm talking about relaxation therapies etc. It'd be nice to see more walking groups and classes showing people how to deep breathe. Most available tend to be supported by charities rather than govt. No research to support? Do the research. Pills might be cheap in the short term, but you'd save far more money long term by finding other ways.

Hmmm, did I get a bit opinionated?? I'm reigning myself in..... Please note, all views expressed are my own, and may not be reflected by the organisation I work for, my friends, family or someone I've vaguely brushed past in the last few months..... 

Not very funny so far, I hear you cry...... Fair point. Back to the point.... there's always a point, it can just take me a while to get there!! A friend once called it 'meandering'..... I quite liked that. And I like that he said it about two years ago, so nothing has changed! Anyway, the funny bit......

I'm sometimes quite 'difficult' about prescription drugs. I don't like taking them. I've no doubt psychologists would tell me it's 'a control thing'. I've found most medical professionals have been pretty good about this quirk. They explain things to me and reassure me. 

Between my two surgeries, while in hospital, I took a seizure. Not as significant as the original one that started this whole mess, but big enough. As a result I had to be started on an additional anti seizure medication. Makes sense. There could be absolutely no risk of me taking another one during the awake surgery. Unfortunately this drug has a name that sounds vaguely similar to fentonyl. That's not what it is, nor is it in any way similar. I had made my feelings quite clear about the fact that I didn't want it. I was frightened and stressed, and was in between two major surgeries, so it's probably fair to say I over reacted.... I don't really remember, but I do remember being convinced they were trying to give me it in patch form and tried to remove the sticky covering on a cannula...... Eventually I was calmed down and reassured it wasn't fentonyl I was being given and not to panic.

Fast forward a few months to now. I'm still taking a small amount of that anti seizure medication, with the aim of both my neurologist and I to get it stopped asap. You can't just stop taking anti seizure meds, especially while getting chemo, so there has to be a longer term plan. Reality is that I'll probably have to take something for the rest of my life, the aim is as little as possible of the one proven most effective.

Longest

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A former Ward mate sent me a news story the other day about fentonyl being found mixed with heroin on the streets of NI. She asked me had I managed to get off it because she knew I hadn't been happy taking it!! Those of you who are still reading are likely to be work colleagues who'll hopefully see why I found this funny! It bothers me to take paracetamol, I don't think I'll be starting on the   heavy opiates any time soon.......

Perhaps not that entertaining, but I thought it was funny..... xxx