Know Your Drugs

Most people blindly trust their doctors. I've learned from personal experience that only you can decide what's best for you. The truth is that most doctors have never taken the drugs which they prescribe and aren't aware firsthand of the side-effects the drugs can cause. They are provided the same drug fact sheet from the drug company as you are at the pharmacy with your drug.

I've been prescribed over fifty different prescription drugs since 2002 for my neck pain, neck tension and peripheral neuropathy caused by stenosis and Cervical Degenerative Disk Disease (my neck is falling apart). I have bone spurs, protruding disks, two spinal fusion surgeries that made me worse, et cetera.

Please note that I am not against taking medications. This page is only here to get you into the good habit of educating yourself on the medication that you or your loved ones are being prescribed. You are your own best doctor, because no one knows what you're feeling inside except you. A lot of people die from taking drugs, especially MULTIPLE drugs at the same time. I stress the word MULTIPLE. Few doctors are aware of the dangerous interactions that some drugs can have. If you are taking multiple prescription drugs, be careful. I know what I'm talking about from personal experience. I'm not a doctor, so this webpage and website are only my non-professional opinions.

Some of my own experiences with prescription medications...

I took Oxycontin and Percocet together and my ankles and feet almost doubled in size from water retention. It scared me a lot. I called my doctor when my feet swelled up and he didn't call back for over 50-hours. That's a bad doctor! I could feel the swelling throughout my entire body. I prefer the Oxycontin, because it lasts longer, doesn't dehydrate me as much, doesn't have any Tylenol and lasts longer (4-6 hours).
One neurologist prescribed me 20 mg. of Oxycontin per day. I stopped taking it because it didn't work. My neurologist has never taken the drug, so he is not familiar with the various dosages and what works. It was pure coincidence after my 2nd surgery that I found out how much Oxycontin DOES work, but only at higher dosages. The hospital forgot to give me any pain medication after my surgery. It was 11 p.m. at night and I was afflicted in horrible pain without medications. I couldn't get through to my surgeon's office, so I called back pretending to be a nurse and got through. The nurse faxed a prescription to the CVS pharmacy for me for 80 mg. of Oxycontin. Wow! Did that make a difference! I have taken 120-160 mg. daily of Oxycontin ever since that night and I feel like a new person. Without the medication I am a basket case of pain and misery. So if you are in horrible pain and haven't taken a higher dosage of Oxycontin, there is hope. I take 40 mg. every 6 hours and it works great for me. Talk to your doctor and if he doesn't care, find another doctor.
My doctor switched my Percocet to Vicodin and I vomited 5 times. I thought I was going to die. You cannot take the different drugs within 48-hours of each other. NO ONE ever told me that. I didn't realize what had caused the reaction until it happened again, but this time switching from Vicodin 10/325 back to Percocet 10/325. You must wait a couple days before switching drugs! This is only my opinion. Please talk to your doctor. The only difference between the two drugs is whether they are Tylenol or aspirin based.

Both drugs have 10 mg of Oxycodone. Percocet has 325 mg. of Tylenol. Vicodin has 325 mg. of aspirin. That is my understanding, but don't take my word for it. I'm not a doctor, so please don't rely upon the information I'm sharing. Do your own homework and don't be afraid to ask questions to your doctor and at the pharmacy. I've always had better luck obtaining information online sad to say. Doctors should tell you more, but they don't want to scare people or cause unnecessary conflicts. People get concerned when you tell them that the drug they are being prescribed has killed a small percentage of people. So they don't tell you. Check it out and you'll learn that nearly every drug being prescribed on the market attacks your LIVER. The liver filters your blood and every drugs passes through it. A healthy liver can handle it, but as you grow older, so does your poor liver.

When my doctor prescribed me both Oxycontin and Lyrica, the pharmacy gave me a big warning about double side-effects. My doctor never said anything. I take both prescription drugs as of march 2012 because I need them. I cannot function without the pain medication. My neck hurts so bad that it makes me cry, panic and my world comes to an end. Only God knows the suffering that I've been through. Literally, without my Oxycontin I'd have to go to an emergency room for help. I couldn't cope with the physical pain. The Lyrica is a big help too, reducing the burning, tingling and discomfort by about 50% in my arms and legs (mostly the arms).
I asked my doctor for a drug to help me relax when my peripheral neuropathy is bad, just something to help me not feel so overwhelmed. He prescribed 50 mg of Zoloft, which caused me to breakout in rashes. I read online later that the usual starting dose is 25 mg. So be careful when your doctor prescribes you a new medication. Had I done a simple check online, I would have learned quickly that my doctor had prescribed twice the recommended starting dosage. I stopped taking the medication.
My doctor recommended me to a pain specialist, who prescribed Elavil as an off use for radiculopathy (radiating pain in my arms and legs). My condition is also described as Peripheral Neuropathy. When I tool the Elavil, I couldn't taste food anymore. It felt like my tongue was coated with a plastic bag. My taste-buds all stopped working. It was a scary feeling. I stopped taking the drug immediately. I'm telling you, doctors will kill you if you are dumb enough to just blindly take whatever they prescribe to you. You'd be surprised how many people keep taking a harmful drug. By the way, every pharmacy gives you a drug sheet that tells you to stop taking any drug that is hurting you.
My doctor prescribed to me the drug Zanex (1 mg) and I felt like a zombie. I stopped taking it because I was having horrible nightmares, hallucinations and felt like my world was coming to an end. The drug caused the exact conditions that it was supposed to remedy. I suffer much in physical pain because of my neck. I'm always tired and run out of energy quickly. I apologize to people frequently because I can't keep up in a conversation. I feel overwhelmed in bodily dull-achy-pain, burning, tingling, ripping-tension and just a horrible feeling from head-to-toe. They look refreshed, happy and pleasant. It's makes me feel lonely to say the least.
I have been prescribed Percodan, Ibuprofen, Vicodin, Oxycontin, Dilaudid, Morphine Sulfate, Fentanyl Patch, Narco, Oxycodone, and other pain medications since 2002. Ibuprofen was a joke, doing nothing for so long before I knew about opiate-based pain meds. I love opium and thank God for it. It really kills the pain, but is highly addictive. I've never taken heroine (which is derived from opium), but I can imagine it is the best stuff in the world for killing pain. I'd never try it though. Jerry Garcia (1942-1995) of the infamous Rock 'N' Roll band, The Grateful Dead, died in a heroine rehabilitation center in California of heart failure during the treatment.

I am leery of the medical profession because of the dishonest drug companies. Certainly, drugs are acceptable and not a sin to consume. God gave us doctors. Luke the Apostle was a physician. Colossians 4:14, “Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.” Paul took Luke with him on some missionary journeys. God gave us herbs and plants for healing, but He didn't intend for greedy companies to sell drugs for depression, high cholesterol, obesity, hyperactive children, and all the other LACK OF CHARACTER

Try to imagine both of your arms feeling doubled in size, with the worst toothache imaginable, but in the bony area of the back of your neck. And then your nerves feel like they're physically on fire from head-to-toe. Add all of these bodily afflictions together at once and you'd be a nervous and physical wreck. Well, that's what I survive with all the time. Sometimes it's not so bad, but at other times I feel trapped and panicky because the symptoms are so horrible. On a daily basis I experience all of this. What's bad is that I cannot predict what my body will feel like on any given day, or later in the afternoon, so it's really hard to plan anything or accept invitations to perform music or go to a friend's house.

I live a very lonely life and have difficulty sitting for long periods unless I'm doing something to take my mind off of my afflictions. My website has been a blessing from God my Savior, to give me something to take my mind off of my many bodily afflictions. I sincerely believe that God sent me these afflictions to compel me to do the work that I've been doing since 2002 diligently. Whether true or not, many souls are being turned to righteousness though my humble labors in the Lord (Daniel 12:3). The Spirit of God is working mightily through the truth (Zechariah 4:6). I am God's humble servant.

I've been prescribed Soma, Flexeril, Skelaxin and Robaxin for the ripping-tension in my neck. Finally, an EEG was done (they stick needles in your muscles and listen for involuntary activity). My tests showed normal conditions, meaning that my constant tension is coming from my spinal cord and not the neck muscles. It only took my doctors 7-years to figure that out. I've learned that doctors are very much guilty of the bad habit of going-through-the-motions... next! They aren't true artists of their profession. It's so frustrating.

I'd guess that one out of 25 doctors are truly masters of their trade. Doctors follow protocol, procedures, going by the book to cover their rear-end; but never really put their mind to the challenge set before them... what's wrong with this guy's neck? What's causing his afflictions? They fixed A PROBLEM, but missed THE PROBLEM. No one knows what the problem is, so they brush it off as Cervical Osteoarthritis... tough luck kid, there's nothing we can do... next! I had to fight tooth-and-mail for 5-years just to get fusion surgery. They did a slob job in 2009 and it had to be redone a year later in 2010, which left me worse with burning, tingling and sharp shooting pains down both arms and legs for the rest of my life. Plus I still have the original agonizing toothache pain in my neck 24/7.

Literally, my spinal cord is being pinched by something. I contacted the Laser Spine Institute in Florida and they identified four possible problematic areas from my MRI's They want $22,000 for EACH surgery, and my out-of-pocket cost is $17,000 each because Medicare won't pay for it. BlueCross won't pay a single penny.

through a full church service usually because of my afflictions. In church I feel like my head is ready to explode because of the radiating pain and tension from my neck. It's not muscle tension. An EEG test confirmed that the tension is from something in my spinal cord. Since I am worse after two surgeries, I have been advised by three doctors to leave it alone or else risk being MUCH worse. It's a heavy burden to live with. I often think about others with both arms and legs amputated to encourage myself, because it could always be worse. I thank God for what I have verses what some dear people suffer with.

We take everything for granted... like being able to open a refrigerator door, open a can lid, hug someone, scratch our face if it itches, press a remote control button, flush a toilet, type on a keyboard, open a door handle, make a sandwich, and a thousand other things that require hands and fingers to do. If you have both of your hands, or even one hand, thank God in Heaven because it is a gift.