The FDA and drug companies: Must read

kingjr66

Been away for a week or so but I'm back.  Alot of good reads but also alot of overkill.  Took me a couple hours to read only a couple pages.  Anyway.  I wanted to comment on Chef's post of the power of the mind.  I am a very firm believer in mind over matter. I have alot of ills and had taken a pill for this and that for years just because my doctor told me that it would cure me or lessen my symptoms. I felt so ill from these pills that one day I just stopped.  My mind became too overloaded and "fried"  that I started having cognative issues (which still continue) and became very depressed.  I told myself enough.  Mind over matter. I needed to get my mind back on track and think clearly.  I started educating myself on all the stuff I was perscribed and just could not believe some of the poisons I had been taking.  And mixing them to boot.  Then I started to eat healthier and find natural cures.  Big Pharma has made a lot of money off me but not anymore. I am a believer in most of the postings here and actually some have opened my eyes even more.  My cancer is not going to be treated with pills.  I agreed to the rads because of the possibility of just once cell going walk-a-bout in the breast but that's it for me.  I am not taking the hormones and no one is giving me a shot to stop my periods to put me into menopause.  I am no longer a believer that a pill is the answer unless the benefits are well documented and with few SE.

Anonymous

I'm not giving up chocolate and the occasional dessert either   Enjoy those sweet potato fries!

Broccoli sprouts are supposed to be very high in whatever it is that is good for bc. Naturopath doc says it's even higher than broccoli...they are good in a salad or sandwich. 

chef, I love those mushroom burgers!!

tucker

Anonymous

kingjr,

Yup, there are some longish articles but there's a lot of info to learn about!! Sorry! Hope it didn't give you a headache  There are solutions to the problems as Marcia Angell pointed out. On one article, you can send your vote to Washington DC about this issue...

Good for you not taking anymore dang pills. Amazing how much better you can feel eh? Mind over matter has a lot to do with staying healthy and involves spiritual, emotional and mental as well as physical. If any of those are out of balance, others things get out of whack. Drugs can't fix anything, as you know, but they do cause more problems - which is good for the pharma business. My doc says she hates prescribing pills and is very reluctant to do so. I have to give her credit for being interested in the supplements I'm taking (she knows they are working). I just wish the medical world and the naturopathic world would get together, forget egos, and combine their knowledge. Think that will ever happen?

I'm thinking that the costs of prescriptions that Medicare has to pay might make a big difference in pharma's profits, so they may be regulated as they are in Canada and much of the world. Medicare simply cannot afford the cost of caring for the elderly, which in terms of profit is right up there with profits from cancer drugs. Also, drugs and the elderly are a horrible mistake...they are vegetables in those nursing homes, so sad. Yes, we have longer lives, but does Big Pharma ever consider quality of life?  Doubt it~!

tucker

chef127

tucker,

I read that article by Angell and I guess I missed that part, I'll reread it. A letter to Wash is a step in the right direction. Well a million letters.

Pills and more pills. Keep us sick to insure future profits. Pills don't fix what ailes you, just covers it up. As far as getting rid of our hormones with AI tx, scary . There are supps that will put them at bay.

Medicare is being bankrupted by that the same instit. that depend heavily on thier $$$$$$. I went to see my first onco and she examined me and recomended my tx. $500 for a 45 minute consultation and the hospital where she worked sent me another bill for 500$ Why? Am I paying the rent for the onco dept. Not me but medicare, but I still feel that I am supporting them. I was only billed about $50 but I refuse to pay it out of principle. The profits from BC or any CA are off the charts and they cannot even 'guarantee' a cure.That doesn't work in any other business. "I'm pisse off and I'm not going to take it anymore"

MariannaLaFrance

Yikes, I eat a lot of sweet potatoes! I rely on them for the "color" on my plate often!

As far as antidepressants go, magnesium is a natural anti=depressant, and there are theories that most of the population is deficient in magnesium due to declining magnesium levels in our soil and large agri-business fertilizer companies don't usually put magnesium into their fertilizer mixes. Couple that with over-farming (not allowing the ground to lie fallow to enable ground to become fertile again), and we have vegetables that don't have enough magnesium to allow us to achieve "good" levels.  

http://mangans.blogspot.com/2008/07/why-magnesium-is-like-vitamin-d-and-how.html 

http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2010/07/09/magnesium-to-fight-depression/ 

 I can attest to good results with magnesium.... have been on it for over a year now, and it's a great thing. 

Anonymous

"Governments around the word prohibit consumers from receiving truthful information concerning disease prevention and treatment effects of nutrients. They censor that health information to protect drug companies from competition. 

The censorship takes place in every country that regulates drugs. He explains how drug regulation has created state sponsored international drug monopolies that enjoy a legally protected exclusive right to communicate therapeutic information.

He reveals that this international monopoly has distorted consumer perception, causing people to regard government approved drugs (that can cause significant harm) to be the only means to prevent and treat disease when nutrition science establishes that dietary ingredients can be effective in disease prevention and treatment without serious side effects"

http://www.emord.com/global_censorship_health_information.html

Anonymous

 chef:

Essa posted this link:  http://www.lef.org/lac/  a few posts ago if you want to have your say via voting on the 'take action' buttons..check it out.  It's very easy to use, just put in name, and click send. Scroll down to see the various other 'take action' buttons regarding the FDA and drugs.  Forward to friends too. Keep the ball rolling!

Maud - Great info! Thanks for sharing. The more info, the better. What do you do to keep healthy?

Marianna: I agree about soil depletion. How much magnesium do you take? I understand for calcium to work you need magnesium.

blessings,

tucker

kingjr66

oh man, I'm getting more and more educated as I read.  Tucker you are dead on regarding the elderly.  My 81 year old mother, although still very active,  takes several medications and all of them she can not afford.  Sometimes she has to use a credit card to pay for them.  I have convinced her not to take her acid reflux and cholesterol meds any longer.  pure honey is cure for the acid reflux and fish oil for the cholesterol.  Did you know that all the meds for cholesterol actually damage your muscles if taken in higher doses and for long periods of time?  I found info regarding this after my rheumatologist noticed that I was taken this kind of med and he mentioned an FDA report about it.  I went home and did a google and sure enough there it was.  I have suffered with sore muscles for years and about 6 months after stopping the med my legs, arms, back & butt began to feel much better. There are much better healthy choices.

Anonymous

How awful that the prescribe cholesterol meds for a woman in her 80s. These meds have not been tested on people her age. Her body is making cholesterol for a reason.

Have you ever read the doctor-astonaut's book, THIEF OF MEMORY?

http://www.docgiff.com/stories/cholesterol-lowering-drug-caused-memory-loss-in-astronaut

kingjr66

thank you Lucy, that was very informative.  I have had cognative issues  and short term memory loss for a while now.  Since I have stopped my cholesterol med I'm going to see if any of my symptoms get better. I thought perhaps a lot of mixing of different drugs may have been causing this but could actually have been the cheolesterol med.  We shall see.

chef127

Just another vaccine that is hitting the markets for SALMONILLA FOOD POISONING. They just don't give up.

Anonymous

Thanks lucy. I wonder if the rise in numbers of people diagnosed with Alzheimer's is a by product of all the crappola medication they're taking? I don't recall it being such in issue a few decades ago.

I just hate drugs. Drugs gave me breast cancer and that's a fact. I'm in a huge litigation suit right now with 15 drug companies.  Kaiser literally killed my father. My mother and I went in to see his doctor with a SHOPPING BAG of medications that this doctor had prescribed and complained about it. To no avail. The doctor kept od'ing him. Can you imagine what the combo of that many drugs can do to the body?

As for cholesterol lowering drugs......doctors have been pushing me for years to take it. I said no. After what drugs have done to me and my dad, forget it!  The next doc that tries to push something on me, I'm going to say 'do I have lab rat written on my forehead"? 

Drugs: Just Say No!!!!

tucker

Anonymous

Tuckertwo - I am so so sorry to hear about your father and what you and your mother had to go through, hugzzz

You asked what do I do to keep healthy - hum....well, given loss of cognitive function, memory, focus, etc. etc., I 'm still struggling to put together my protocol - lots and lots of research and I keep getting lost on the web 

Seven Diseases Big Pharma Hopes You Get in 2012

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1112/S00362/seven-diseases-big-pharma-hopes-you-get-in-2012.htm

Anonymous

Good one Maud - 7 diseases big pharma hopes you get - and if you don't get them, big pharma will give them to you. 

I love this thread, so appreciate the info all pulled into a lively discussion.

Eight or so yrs ago, a doctor I trusted told me I had congestive heart failure and wanted me on Cardio VH (supplement) and bp meds.  I took both.  Spent 5 days in hospital from the bp meds, not good for me.  I just cannot take them, don't need them.  I still take the Cardio VH at intervals, it clears arteries.  As can Circuflo and others.  But  point is, when I was properly diagnosed w hypothyroid, I was given a blood test for CHF and I did not even have that!  It was all the thyroid.  

Darn about the sweet potato.  I love baked sweet potato.  And I was eating millet because it is so high in Vitamin B17, then found out it is very high glycemic.    I was eating dates and figs because they were very alkaline choices and found out they are very high glycemic.  And I was eating raw cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, and found these contribute to goiter.  And I was eating cheeses and lovely organic yogurt with sugar-free preserves and found out that there is a hormone in the dairy that can cause the cancer to grow. And I am now at a place where I am afeared to eat anythin' at all.  But I keep eating.  It seems that every nutritionist, med pro and anything pro has a different scope on this and what to do.  

But I am more afeared of taking Big Pharma's drugs. 

BTW MAUD --- How is your Vit D3 level?  Checked lately?  What are you taking for D3?  I suggest the sublingual D3 spray, they have 2000 and 5000 IUs and others.  My dr told me to take 5K - 10K IUs a day.  The water soluble spray keep my body from holding what it does not need.

Anonymous

Essa,

sweet potatoes are ok, they are not estrogenic like yams.  Like anything with a higher glycemic index I guess sweet potato should be eaten in moderation.

Hmmm....I have only heard good things about broccoli, etc. Cruciferous veggies are supposed to be good in preventing bc. I do take indole carbinol 3 daily and that's basically what it's made up of. 

My naturopath said the worst thing you can eat is worry!  A fig or date or two isn't going to do any harm if the rest of your diet is balanced as much as is reasonable. But,  I know what you mean...I have not put anything in my mouth since I was dx w/o wondering if it's ok.  No more greasy hamburgers or fries or super sweet desserts. But ya know, there are ok alternatives.  What is hard is when we're travelling because most restaurants have junk, high fat and sugar and nuked as well.

Do you guys get your vit D levels checked?  What is the spray about? Have not heard about it.

tucker

kingjr66

Essa:  I have a good one regarding thyroid.  My mom has an underactive thyroid, for years.  She has had some ups and downs regarding regulating her meds intake.  Most of it, I believe, is due to her not taking it daily. She also has high BP.   A few years back she started to have heart palpitations and shortness of breath.  Her GP checked her and referred her to a heart specialist and also prescribed glycerin (WTF) to place under her tongue if she had more of these types of attacks. Well she did have one of those attacks and took the glycerin and then was rushed to the ER because her blood pressure dropped so low it almost killed her.  The specialist sent her for angiogram (is this spelled right?).  I questioned this.  Why not put her on a treadmill and check her cardiovascular first.  They did not and had the procedure and within an hour or less the surgeon comes to me and tells me that there is nothing wrong and that this procedure was unnecessary.  I wanted to kill her GP for putting her in such a dangerous state and the specialist for sending her to have this procedure that nearly killed her with worry.  Well the story ends with her having blood tests only to find out that her thyroid levels were through the roof.  She had been over medicated causing her heart to race.  I have begged her to not have the GP regulate her meds for the thyroid and asked her to find a specialist for this.  She did and all appears to ok for now. Because of all of this I had my mom sign a HIPPA release so that I can discuss my mother's concerns, and mine, with her doctors.

Here's another good one. Mom had BC 34 years ago, mastectomy, removal of lymph nodes, no chemo, no rads, no hormone treatment, still a survivor. She still gets her yearly mammo. Well, her GP that I spoke about above was changing his practice to only specialize in one field of medicine so my mom and hundreds of others were referred to another practice. She went willingly.  Time for her mammo. Prescription in hand for the procedure, she goes only to be told that they have to reschedule because it is made out for a bi-lateral mammo.  Again, WTF.  How does one do a mammo on a breast that is not there??  The new doc did not even read her records, he did not examine her, just had someone in office give her the prescription.  This doc also gave her the wrong medication for her BP, etc., etc.  There began to be a list on this doc.  She has since gone back to her original GP. 

I've got to say that mom has had plenty of ups and downs but for an 81 year old, she is like the energizer bunny, she keeps going and going. 

Tucker: I have my vit D levels checked with my yearly physical. I have a deficiency and take 50,000 units/week. I have my reservations regarding taking this but I do not get enough sunlight and there is family history of osteoporosis.

Kaara

My vit D levels are check twice a year.  When I first had them checked they were 27 (low) and after taking 5,000 IU's of vitamin D for 9 months, they came up to 57.  Would like to get them to about 70, which is optimal for fighting bc.  I've heard of the sprays, but I take a capsule.

Anonymous

I agree that anything healthy taken in food form is not goint to do us any harm.  Although I'm wary of phytoestrogens, I eat the food but will pass on the supplements, i.e. MilkThistle and many others.

So far, I consider the following my baseline protocol:   fish oil (not the synthetic vit D), Caproil (coconut oil), MultiMax Immune, extra Vits C8, E8, cal/mag and selenium, blend of mushrooms, boswelia for pain, different blends of enzymes (vege source only) including papaya, bromelain and charcoal, Q10, apple pectin, chorella, wheatgrass, holy basil, EstroSmart (DIM), whey + lactoferrin, krill for asthazantin, probiotics, Kyolic, herbal teas, lots of kefir and dairy from goat, milk, cheese and yogourt.

This is a work in progress and much more research to do.  Will be adding vit MK4 essential for calcium absorption 

I add herbs and spices to everything, I mean everything (good thing I don't have to cook for someone else on a daily basis, lol).  I seldom eat meat, but eat small fish only a few times a week. Lots of grains and seeds.  Juicing not so much, I don't like throwing out all that fiber, got myself the Vitamix, what a treat ! 

I really really have to work on moving the body parts, too much computer time  

I'm sure I'm forgetting some things and like I said I have much more research to do.  The list is getting longer and more expansive, but I figure I'm saving on consults with naturopaths which unfortunately I cannot afford.  I do want to go to a TCM doctor plus get massages, ie. reflexology, etc.  I want to know more about Ayurvedic medicine and homeopathy

Lots of work to keep healthy !!!! 

PS, sorry Essa, forgot to answer your question.  Because I can't afford to see a naturopath doctor right now, I managed to convince my GP to do the 25 OHD which came back at 98; I was happy about that - and I just twisted my endo's arms and legs...to do the glucose tolerance + insulin test - waiting for results. When i go back to GP, I want the inflammatory marker done (CRP), if it's high, I will double and triple doses of natural inflammatories, i.e. Boswelia, curcumin, etc.

vickilf

One of the biggest joke are statin drugs for high cholestrol, like Lipitor and others. After collecting all my medical records, it was obvious where I got Type 2 diabeties, severe breathing problems, 2 cancers, high blood pressure.... I was healthy before being put on Statins and told I needed to take them or die, I was left on for 8 long years. Try to get along without prescription drugs, IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE

Money money money that is all that matters to the drug co.'s and the FDA.

Anonymous

Maud, here's a clip from an MD about milk thistle being good for ya: http://www.drhoffman.com/page.cfm/183?Template=Default_Print

My naturopath has me on 3 pills a day. I buy them locally to save $$. You're taking lots of good stuff.

Massage, reiki, TCM is all great and healing.  Interesting about coconut oil. It's quite amazing. I was using it for just cooking (the organic type) but now eat a tbs a day for its benefits.

Yeah, it's work staying well. It's much easier to eat a hamburger & fries & junk but I pass on the fast food and have done so for years.

Have any of you heard of MCP? Supposed to help with the spread of abnormal cells?

TUCKER

orange1

Tucker,

I'm impressed that you can manage to take so many supplements.  Do you have space left for food? 

Anonymous

Hi Tucker, thanks for the link.  I've been taking MilkThistle for ages, the last bottle was a combo with ALA, but the doctor who formulates the DIM I get is adamant that MilkThistle is phytoestrogenic for us ER pos girls, but you're ok.  I do have to find a substitute coz liver detox is really really important, read something lately about dandelion, recent studies, will have to find notes.

I forgot to mention when you asked me what do I do to stay healthy that I am seriously considering getting into meditation, gotta find a technique I can live with or which can live with me Lol.  One of the technicians on my team is a fervent practitioner and only requires 3 hours sleep tops. That's really impressive !  I like my sleep too much... but I know at this point in time that my mind needs to take control of my out-of-control body, you know, so I'll be adding that to my arsenal.

Cheers ! 

I'm sorry Vicky, I know, I would love to go back in time too..... 

Anonymous

vicky,

 Geez.....well, glad you're off the stuff now! A friend was telling me that he'd taken Lipitor for years and had muscle pain, and didn't know why (the docs were clueless). He quit taking them several years ago and he said within a few days the muscle pains stopped.  He takes coconut oil daily and is now in great shape & on no drugs, despite having had a heart attack around the time he was taking Lipitor. You bet money is all that matters to pharma! They recycle the same old drugs - maybe a bit of a tweak here or there - but basically, it's the same old stuff on what they call their 'pipeline'. I'm sure if they could legalize street drugs, they'd be shooting that junk in our veins or making up a new disease that we just HAVE to take this medicine for....like the phony tamiflu.  Hope you are doing better now.

Maud, hi & hope you're doing well tonight!  The milk thistle I take has dandelion, black radish, curcumin and a few other things. It's good that you're aware of what is safe for your ER+!

We have a nursing center here in town that is part of the health system and they do yoga, healing touch and meditation. They are regular RN's running it.  I'm glad to know that conventional medicine sees the value of these therapies. My husband has been doing yoga for years and is very fit for his age.  I do QiGong - the simplified version which involves deep breathing & stretching. I have heard about yogis who can slow down their heart rate, etc and lower their own body temp, but I think I'm years from being that disciplined Do you have places where you live that offer meditation?

tucker

kingjr66

Tucker:  holy sh-t, I never thought that drug companies "recycle".  OMG.  Do you have any info on this to share?  I'm going to do my own google but if you have something handy. 

I'm not a big one on a lot of natural supplements, I do take fish oil, flax seed, honey. I do eat healthy but every once in a while and just have to have that comfort food, though I have cut back considerably.  I am all for yoga, touch healing and meditation.  I can cure my upset stomach and headaches in minutes just by applying pressure to certain areas of the body.  It works and my husband is amazed that I can cure him of his gas in seconds.  Good massages do wonders for the body. 

chef127

BIG PHARMA and the  FDA  are at it again...Remember the drug phenphen? miricle diet pill that caused heart defects and death. Its back. It was tweaked and put back on the market and promises to eliminate 10% of your body fat for 2 years. 10% are you kidding me.The media ia being used as a advertising tool for Pharma. Bring back the cheap and effective suppliment ephedra. The only people who died from it were those who abused it and had underlying heart conditions.

It is very difficult to eliminate all that BAD food that we have been eating for a life time but to replace FOOD with a dangerous PILL? We are lazy. The drug co's will get their way. 

I've added alot of good suppliments and eliminated most of the bad foods, but I still fall off  the wagon and eat something I know is destroying my health. Its a work in progress. Taking the supps, for me, is the easy part, thanx to my rearch and the research of you all, but the cravings for bad food is what really needs to stop. If I continue too eat shit the supps are less effective.

Anyone watch Dr. Oz? He has turned his show into suggestions of suppliments and healthy diet changes. A welcome change in the media. Its a start.

FireKracker

Does anyone know how much coconut oil you have to take to replace the cholesterol meds.I have been on all of them and my Dr.knows about the leg cramps.I have been drinking coconut water but im still takin the meds and gettin the cramps.im so tired of that damn drug.I also take a small spoon of coconut oil.

chef127

Hey Grannydukes,

I heard the reccomended doage is 3 tsp or 1 TBLS a day. I'm not sure that replaces a statin drug. But your proberbly better off with the coconut oil????????

Anonymous

kingjr,

Here is some info from the Marcia Angell MD article. You can read the full article. It's at the bottom of the original post that started this thread. Dr. Angell writes:

"Second, the pharmaceutical industry is not especially innovative. As hard as it is to believe, only a handful of truly important drugs have been brought to market in recent years, and they were mostly based on taxpayer-funded research at academic institutions, small biotechnology companies, or the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The great majority of "new" drugs are not new at all but merely variations of older drugs already on the market. These are called "me-too" drugs. The idea is to grab a share of an established, lucrative market by producing something very similar to a top-selling drug. For instance, we now have six statins (Mevacor, Lipitor, Zocor, Pravachol, Lescol, and the newest, Crestor) on the market to lower cholesterol, all variants of the first. "

Sooooo....recycled.  The price increases but the product is the same old junk.

tucker

kingjr66

Tucker:  I obviously misunderstood "recycled".  I thought it meant old shelf put in new packaging, such as expired junk.  But this is quite interesting.  Yeah, I see it now.  Do doctors actually get duped into believing that it's a better pill or are they just going along for the ride because they get paid to??  I am so glad that I am one of a very few that do not believe in the pill cure. 

FireKracker

My Cholestoral was over 500.you read it right..I had no choice.I tried most of them and the leg cramps come and go.I cannot take it every night.Im takin them at least 15 yrs.It is in my family.I wanna try it for a while and do the coconut oil and then go get checked.im way overdue anyway.Thank you for putting this on.

hugggs to all you wonderful sistas.K