Medicated Me

It’s not the first time, but I decided a few weeks ago that I am on a lot of medication.

I don’t take pills for fun.  Each one has a purpose.  Big or little, white or colored, oval, round or other shape, they all help me get through the days.  They even me out, balancing the internal chemistry that my body cannot be trusted to do on its own.

For the first part of my life, I avoided drugs.  I hesitated to even take a Tylenol for a headache.  Even if I was driven to take something for pain, I took less than the suggested dosage.  Today, things are different.  I am grateful for medication and quickly agree to at least try  most anything that may make my life more pleasant.

We all know there are plenty of bad drugs and the negative effect they can have on people.  Even good drugs can be used in a bad way.  But overall, drugs get a bad rap.  There are more good drugs than bad drugs.  Imagine the shelves at a pharmacy – a multitude of drugs exist to make our lives more manageable.

I remember the first pill prescribed to me for long-term usage. It was for a common thyroid imbalance.  I recall looking at the little pill in my hand and being amazed that it had the power to level out and bring balance  in my body, changing the speed it ran from too slow to normal.

That pill was the first of many to come.  The pill I take for restless legs is the smallest pill I take, but its effect on me is large.  Before I started taking it, the repetitive involuntary movements of my foot were wearing holes in my bedsheets, one after another.  What a relief it has been to experience the calming effect that magical little pill has on me.  I also take several over-the-counter items at doctors’ recommendations or with the belief they will help in some way.

Once a week, I dispense my medication into a handy little organizer that tells me what to take and when to take it.  Then, every day, three times a day, I open the flip top that corresponds to the correct day and time and I swallow the pills that keep me going.

I’m reminded of a song I sang as a kid – Ten Little Indians.  I imagine the song is no longer politically correct.  I, personally, view it as honoring the history and traditions of the American Indian, but some would believe it does the opposite. Either way, it gives a rhythm to my medication routine…

So now, here’s the original, and then my rendition of that song.

1 little, 2 little, 3 little good pills

4 little 5 little 6 little good pills

7 little 8 little 9 little good pills,

10 little wonderful pills.

Yes, they are wonderful.  Once in awhile, I find my mind wandering and wondering what would happen if I was without my marvelous little pills.    Last time a medication was due for renewal, I was told by the pharmacy that the manufacturer had it backordered.  I had the request go to another pharmacy, but it caused me to consider what it would be like if I was  suddenly without the medication and its taming effect on an ever growing MS symptom.  That is a scary thought.

So I am brought back to the subject of this blog post, which is the amount of medication I am on.   The doctor and I recently decided to increase a medication.  Congratulations to me – I have exceeded the recommended maximum dose.  There’s no doubt I need the increase, but it leaves me feeling groggy much of the time.  The cumulative effect it has is showing in my increased ability to fall asleep at any time during the day.  Until my mind adjusts to the increased dosage, I may need a few more naps than I did before.   I heard myself telling someone that I am on so much medication that it’s amazing I can even hold a conversation.  Unfortunately, that’s likely true…but, not surprisingly, I take a pill that helps that.

I am thankful for every little magic pill I take, for the genius people who created them, and for the companies that manufacture them.  I may be groggy, but I’m more comfortable.