international question here - i know we have folks here not in the USA

[watab kid]

my wife asked a question this morning i never thought about but figured i could ask here -

 

she wondered if other countries are inundated in their media with adds pushing all the big pharma pills for common ailments ? 

 

we here in the states see these adds that tout the pill to cure or control all sorts of things from allergies to STDs , they call for you to see your doctor and request the pills , most have a list of side affects that should turn everyone off but im certain if you were suffering from an affliction it might sound great as presented in the add , i was recently prescribed statins for cholesterol which i refused for two reasons - first the side affects and accumulated issues from prolonged use is unacceptable to me , second mine is just on the high side of normal which is common in my family history ,  

 

so we were wondering if this was an amerrican thing or is it world wide effort to hook all of us on pills ? 

[Painted Mohawk SASS 77785]

Yes same down -under..doctors in a lot of cases are puppets for the Phermacy companies.

[watab kid]

thats appreciated , ive heard from canada so far and now yours , its starting to make more sense to me , i was prescribed a statin for high cholesterol , im on the high end of normal , but i know of the side affects - im not going down that road to enrich a doctor or a pharma company , i trusted him to give me an honest health diagnosis - i got mislead , but im not accepting that diagnosis with those test results , 

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

I don’t recall them in Eastern Europe. There, many drugs which are prescription in USA are over the counter.

 

OTC and cheap!

 

 

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

I'm doing my best to wean myself, with my doctor's help, off of all the meds I used to take.  I'm down to seven a day plus Tylenol when I need it.  That's down from all the stuff I got when I had my most recent "event".  That was a stunning 22 a day.  I have two more that are questionable.

[Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474]

Same here in Canada.

My MIL ended up with so many meds from so many Doctors, (Specialists, who didn't talk to one another) they nearly killed her.

[Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062]

17 minutes ago, Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474 said:

Same here in Canada.

My MIL ended up with so many meds from so many Doctors, (Specialists, who didn't talk to one another) they nearly killed her.

 

 ....... not an uncommon story .....  

[Bailey Creek,5759]

My doctor tried to put me on high cholesterol medication.

I said no, gave me nieson. Took my numbers down.

You can buy it over the counter.

There is flushing and nonflushing. Non flushing works. Flushing makes your face red and hot.

[Sedalia Dave]

Periodically,  my late wife would start having unusual issues. When they occurred we would stop all prescription meds except the two that kept her heart functioning. Every single time this solved the problem. 

 

 

[Pat Riot]

13 hours ago, Bailey Creek,5759 said:

My doctor tried to put me on high cholesterol medication.

I said no, gave me nieson. Took my numbers down.

You can buy it over the counter.

There is flushing and nonflushing. Non flushing works. Flushing makes your face red and hot.

Do you mean “Niacin”?

 

Read this before trying and do talk your doctor first. 
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/niacin/art-20046208

 

 

[PowderRiverCowboy]

Name one thing Big Pharma has  "Cured " I will wait there is no money in making you better .  Many  other countries have better access to lesser drugs , ie penicillin go to Mexico( okay maybe not right now ) simple OTC  they will write you a script right there for US customs    

[Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381]

Doctors are evil I tell you. They've got handfuls of money from Big Pharma, laughing all the way to the bank, as they kick you to the curb. Mwahahaha! Mwahahahaha!!!!! Here, have another pill.

[Rip Snorter]

Part of it, of course is CYA.  Doctors can be and often enough are sued by grieving relatives when in reality there wasn't anything they could do to save the person.  In response they try to do everything.  Medications, a deal with the devil (figuratively) there are certainly benefits in most cases but often side effects as well.  Dad was a Doc in the days when private practice was common.  I guarantee he was never paid by drug companies.  I have a great Doc, but partly because we get along well, if anything is off on my annual physical labs, I get pushed into Medical test Hell.  I've finally started to refuse because even though the tests have all been good, there were always more or specialists running the same over again.  When Dad was ill at the last, he said "Never fall into the hands of Doctors", and he was one,  That said, they save lives more times than not.

[Sedalia Dave]

2 hours ago, Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381 said:

Doctors are evil I tell you. They've got handfuls of money from Big Pharma, laughing all the way to the bank, as they kick you to the curb. Mwahahaha! Mwahahahaha!!!!! Here, have another pill.

 

Posting old selfies again. 

[Utah Bob #35998]

Thanks to the non US guys for chiming in. I was a bit curious myself.

[Bailey Creek,5759]

Yes

 

[Major Crimes]

On 3/10/2023 at 8:17 PM, Painted Mohawk SASS 77785 said:

Yes same down -under..doctors in a lot of cases are puppets for the Phermacy companies.

Although not as bad as the amount and types that I remember from when I was in the States.

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

I often bought what I wanted when I was in Europe. On the other hand, I left my us bought Vicodin I  Crimea.

[Forest Gun Germany]

in Germany, advertising may only be made for medicines that can be bought freely.  Anything that can be obtained from a doctor without permission.  For example light painkillers, (aspirin), nasal spray, cough medicine