My husband and I are 6 and 8 months short of 40, both had thorough checkups within the last 12 months and both were declared reasonably healthy. I have asymptomatic gallbladder stones, and have since lost 30 lbs and retook my running schedule.
My daughter had some medication for throat infection this year, nothing else before or since.
My goal is to improve my health even more and make it at least to 50 medication-free. We’ll see about that. My husband’s dad and my mom are diabetics who were diagnosed after 50.
Hey, no worries. If it works for you, then take it and don’t worry about it.
One of the (admittedly few) beneficial side effects of widespread antidepressant prescriptions is that it’s not as stigmatized as it was even ten years ago to be on antidepressants.
I’m a 19 year old male, and I’m not on any regular meds, but it’s not irregular (from daily, to not for weeks or months on end – dependent on the weather and other factors) for me to take Aleve/Naproxen for Arthritis in my left index finger. Sometimes, I think about asking the doctors for something stronger, but I grit my teeth and bear it.
Female, 47, nothing up until recently (migraine meds for headaches that mimic sinus problems, right down to the congestion and pressure). And it will largely stay that way. Statins are overprescribed and dangerous. No hormones for me either, no BC (thank God for Paragard). Lots of vitamin supplements and Vitamin D, though.
I am on Ziac 2.5 which is for high blood pressure. I don’t really need to be on it, but I asked to go on it over ten years ago. Both my parents had sudden heart attacks, my blood pressure has always been on the high normal side. Without the meds the upper number is always between 120 - 129. It doesn’t go beyond 129, and the lower number is always in the 60s. So I asked just to make sure. My doctor, at the time said it was a very mild blood pressure med. And truthfully when I go off of it, I can notice the difference, so I’d just rather stay on it.
Perhaps it’s all in my head, not to mention after you have been on a beta blocker (Ziac is part beta blocker, part diuertic) it’s hard to get off of it.
Of course I don’t mean to be snippy to the OP but your doctor could’ve also been referring to any sort of meds, legal or not. I’ve had a couple of doctors ask me “Are you on any medications,” and then I tell them and they say “I mean ALL drugs legal or otherwise.”
Yes, in most cases the meds people take are necessary. I have to take 11 prescription meds and quite a few supplements. I actually asked my doctor what condition I’d be in without my meds. He said I’d have died about 10 years ago. And if I were unlucky enough to still be alive, I’d probably be blind, with amputations from diabetes.
Female, 43, no meds even though I had half my thyroid removed a few years ago. Doctor kept trying to push synthroid on me, but I resisted when all the test results all came back normal.
Back when I had my thyroidectomy, I was recovering in my room and the nurse, as always, asked me what my pain level was. I have a high threshold for pain and the only thing that bothered me was my throat, which had been blistered by the breathing tube. So I gave it a “3.” She was ready to give me Tylenol 3, and I said, “Whoa. I said my pain level was a 3. Regular Tylenol will work just fine.”
She wrinkled her nose and said, “I’m afraid I’m going to have to get the doctor’s approval for that.”
I’m sure glad I didn’t tell her that my pain level was 5 or I can’t imagine what hallucinogenic she’d have offered me.
I’m 25 and on no drugs, we don’t even keep Tylenol in the house. My husband is 30 and is the same. My parents are 46 and 51 and both take no medications. My Nan is 91 and only takes the occasional sleeping pill! Needless to say I’m looking forward to some good twilight years
I spritz my nose on an “as needed” (prn) basis for allergies. And when my back gets twingy I take a muscle relaxer. I have Ambien around if I need to sleep and brain isn’t cooperating. But they’re all “take as needed”; I don’t take anything on a regular recurrent basis. 50, male.
Just turned 44 (female) and not on any meds, prescription or otherwise. I do take a multi-vitamin. I cannot recall the last time I took an OTC med and it’s been at least 4 years since I took a prescription (antibiotics).
Same for the kids…each had maybe 3 doses total of Tylenol in their lives, and only when they had a bad cold and were so miserable they couldn’t sleep and it would help them do so. We never kept/keep it in the house and I found if I bought some for something, it would be long expired before we used it again. Many parents use that stuff like candy, and that’s scary…we know now just how much liver damage can result from even recomended doses!:eek:
it seems like nowadays it is assumed that by the age of 50 or even younger people will be on at least one precription med for the rest of their life, usually several.
Some see this as progress, all those previously untreated conditions now being treated, and in some cases, I’m sure that’s the case. But I find it a very disturbing trend…esp. since so many of the conditions are ones which respond well to things like diet and exercise or lifestyle changes (high blood pressure, diabetes, reflux/indigestion, depression/anxiety, cholesterol, etc…)
I think this emphasis on medicating symptoms and using drugs to “fix” things which can be prevented or controlled naturally is one of the reasons “health care” is so costly…we have chronic disease care instead.
I’m 53. I had to have a physical & drugs test earlier this year for a job & the doctor told me I’ve got a great health record for someone my age.
I’m suffering through menopause & the only thing I take is Evening Primrose & the occassional panadol. I’ve been given some recommendations both conventional medicine & alternative & I 'll look at them if things worsen again
54, and no meds whatsoever. I’ve never been on any type of long-term medication for any health issue. There were occasional antibiotics and hydrocodone for abscessed teeth and, of course, occasional NSAIDS for sprains, cramps, etc.
Still have all my parts, too, except for some of those teeth.
Female, 29 - I’m not on anything except a prenatal vitamin because I’m pregnant, and I wasn’t on anything before that, either. I’ve never been on a medication I had to take for longer than a week or two, like an antibiotic.
My father is 56, and isn’t on anything. Fortunately, it looks like I inherited more of his genes than my mom’s, since she’s on a few different things (thyroid, cholesterol, anti-depressant).
My husband is not on any prescription meds. But being just a few years older than you with a family history of heart disease, he is taking baby aspirin. He also takes some supplements (vitamins, minerals, glucosmine, etc).
My doctor asks that question meaning all the over the counter stuff, herbal supplements, vitamins, Metamucil.
