Destructions.

I went to see the doctor about the possible side-effects that I've begun to experience after six years on the first long-term prescription drugs that I've needed to take. I don't wish to sound ungrateful to these chemicals as, without them, my life-time might be seriously reduced. The problem is that one of my pills, I take it to reduce the side-effects of the other ones, has just been changed; the chemist took great pains to explain the importance of taking it some time before I eat first thing in the morning.

A long time ago, I learnt to read; it's a useful skill, it enables me to acquaint myself with the instructions contained within the packet of pills; the blurb makes no mention of the time to take them relative to any food I might need to eat. Out of curiosity, I re-read the instructions for the pills that these replace and they say quite specifically that, "They may be taken either on and empty stomach, or with food." However, just to be on the safe side, I consulted my very good friend Google and he said that I should take them first thing in the morning, an hour before eating. So what's a poor innocent lad like myself to do?

It is quite possible that the discrepancy accounts for the problems that have been building up over the last six months and, believe me, you don't want to know about them.


On a slightly separate note, I was also prescribed an anti-histamine; I was expecting an ointment but it came as a pill. Since I use a rather more potent drug to counteract the effects of bee (and wasp) stings, and now is a busy time in beekeeping, I asked the chemist if the two would cause problems if taken together, she suggested that, since I don’t suffered from anaphylaxis, the new one would be fine by itself. But I do suffer from anaphylaxis, then why don’t I use an epipen (an adrenaline injector), because my regular anti-histamine works so well. After some discussion she believed me, in spite of the fact that her books say that this can’t possibly happen. Anyway, the crux of the matter is that she assured me that the two drugs together are o.k. - but then again. . . . . .

The whole business of my medication seems to be based on black magic.