Can anyone explain to me what our parents did for their TSH levels and the like? Overactive or underactive thyroids?
I have been racking my brains at all these medications they seem to want us to take for our health and it only struck me - "What did my Mum take?" Nothing as far as I know- just what would happen to me if I stopped taking, thyroxine,( for nodules growing on throat-causing thyroid probs) simavestatin (for lowering cholesteral)
It struck me we seem to be given medications to keep the pharmacuetical companies in business!
I was put on Premarin for Hormone Replacement Therapy when I was 43 and it took me until 18 months ago to get off them completely- was a nightmare!
I took myself off the Simavestatin about 6 weeks ago and am watching everything I eat- Naturally! before I put it in my mouth, in case it has a bug on it! Just joking!
Should we be taking more notice of what we are asked to take BEFORE we start taking it, so as it isn't so hard to get off and not rely on it?
Is there something natural one could take instead of thyyoroxine?
Sorry for waffling just gets me mad spending $150 every month on medications that I think could maybe not necessary? I'v had my say, Cheers Dawn

Hooray, someone understands me at last. Well at least my concerns about all this medication we can now take to stay alive and feel better every day. I take a myriad of pills to manage pain, brain, drain and vein. I always check if they are compatible with each other if they are changed. As I'm travelling I carry a medical report of the conditions and the list of medication to keep it all on track. It's scary. It's also not wise to take your medication matters into your own hands without seeking some very comprehensive, professional medical advice. Getting off stuff can be as dangerous as taking too much, or the wrong stuff. Just don't bump into me. I make a very loud rattle which can set off dangerous substance alarms. I'm waiting for surgery which will reduce my pill intake by 26 pills a day. Yep, a DAY. That doesn't include 1 for cholesterol, reflux caused by the pills, and a couple of supplements such as fish oil, celery seed extract for arthritis, mega B and C vitamins. Unfortunately they all work together to keep me upright and breathing until the faulty component can be removed and thrown in the bin. I will be stuck with some of them forever, but I'll cope. There are some natural products but most of these are even more expensive, and you have to take buckets of them to get the same control and management you get from the drugs. Diet and lifesyle can go a long way to managing some conditions and symptons as with cholesterol, type 1 diabetes, and some blood pressure. But when our organs fail to do their duties effectively, medicine takes over. Thank God for advances in medical science. There, a very thankful patient go I. Anyway if you spend enough on pills eventually the PBS system lets you have them for free. No matter what you do, get a professional update to monitor those conditions regularly. It's your life and I'm sure your family and partner would want you around just a little bit longer. Don't make foolish decisions about your health. Keep on keeping on. Cheers Chris

Dawn, many years ago...I was 19... I had to take 30 drops of raw iodine, 3 times a day, for my thryoid. Hidious. After 6 months of that "they" remover 7/8 of it and I have never looked back. I would take it in milo. As for Premarin..... when I was 39 I was put onto that as a HRT.. I AM AMAZED IT IS STILL AVAILABLE!! After a couple of months on it, not knowing why I was so sick, many tests later, it was discovered that the Premarin was poisoning my liver. Ask your DR about it please. It was not an isolated case apparently, so we found out. Cheers Dellie.

That's a great example of how medical science progresses, and how it can be adapted to our individual needs. Always ask questions, and if you have internet, check it out, investigate everything about the medication and the condition it's treating. I use a HRT cream. No side effects and I feel much better now. I never had hot flushes or some of the other symptoms, but the incessant itch and unexplained discomforts all over almost drove me insane. I had a hysterectomy about 15 years ago, but the ovaries stayed, and so did the hormones. I'm alright now though. I really don't know how our grandmothers dealt with some of these health issues. Mental health was a much busier sector in those days, and quite often people were misdiagnosed, and therefore treated incorrectly. The consequences were disastrous in some cases. It's up to us to ask questions, report any undesirable side effects, and maybe a little experimentation to get the right blend and dosage for you. We live in a more fortunate era of medicine. Cheers Chris

I think it is possible to distinguish between medications that are pretty well essential, and those which are supposed to improve quality of life, maybe prolong it. Because thyroid levels control our metabolism, it is essential to keep these ok. I guess our grandparents with such problems just suffered the effects of under or over supply of natural thyroxin - and died young as a result. I do not think there is an alternative to synthetic thyroxin. HRT is a quality of life example (yes, I've been on it!) Blood pressure, cholesterol lowering drugs - prolong life, or a reasonable quality one, but you can choose initially whether to take them or take your chances. I've been on blood pressure pills for over 20 years and given the time over, would still choose to take them. The alternative of maybe being crippled by a stroke seems a worse option! Yes, it is a hassle at times, travelling in remote areas and taking pills - but I overcome this by getting my Dr to prescribe on Reg 24, which allows me to get 6 months' worth at once. My grandmother lived in backwoods area, in the early 1900's. No cholesterol, blood pressure or blood sugar tests for her. She suffered dreadfully from leg and foot ulcers and lived her last few years in great pain, before dying in her 50's - Type 2 diabetes?? It is important to find a Dr you trust, who you can really question and who will help you make decisions about medication.

Dawn, my mother had nodules on her thyroid over 50 years ago. They removed the thyroid andwithout anymore medication for it, she is now about to turn 89.

The medicine cabinet had, agarol, milk emulsion, olive oil, peroxide ,boracic powder, carb soda, brandy, anti phlogestine, iodine, gentian violet, ipecac, epsom salts, aspro ,metho, and some chalky stuff to stop the sh....s. nowdays, diet and exercise (boring) can help a lot of diseases, I dropped my diabetic meds from 6 Diaformin a day to none with average BSL of 5.8 -6.2 OK i lost a lot of kilos. losing weight also got rid of blood pressure meds and lowered cholesterol. Having said this thank God and medicos for pain killers, HRT, ( I still use a natural cream) and a host of other great stuff. On a delicate subject anti-inflamitories, I use an oldie but a goody Indocid been on the market over 50 years. Now the delicate bit I use suppositories. best pain control I ever had and it takes a lot longer to iritate the stomach. If you cant fix it, take the meds.