Healthy Me

Before using Advair, I had no control over my asthma attacks.  I had them frequently and used my rescue inhaler all day long.  After almost dying from an asthma attack and spending some time in a hospital, my doctor prescribed Advair.  I have not had one major asthma attack since.  In fact, I only use my rescue inhaler once every couple months on average.

Now the FDA is issuing a warning about Advair (and other long-acting beta antagonists such as Symbicort).  The main warning:

"...the agency cited studies that found that using the drugs alone can actually increase the severity of asthma, leading to hospitalizations and even death."

They go on to say:

"...The drugs should only be used for the shortest time possible, until asthma symptoms are under control, and be "discontinued, if possible, once asthma control is achieved," the agency said in a statement. People should then switch to another medication to maintain symptom control, the FDA said."

...and this:

"...most people should only require an inhaled corticosteroid to control their symptoms."

Since I have little faith in the FDA, it makes me wonder...

Is there really a problem with this medication which I know has saved my life?  Is somebody lining someone's pockets to get the FDA's warning to reduce the sale of this drug to the public (and is there another drug on the marketplace that will make the drug companies more money that they want pushed)?

I believe I'd be dead right now if not for having Advair.  My asthma was getting bad.  I came close once already to dying and don't want to get back to that point to where I'm gasping for every little bit of oxygen my siezed up airways would allow in.

Just like the FDA has messed up the distribution of natural desiccated thyroid medication that has helped thousands of people because pharmaceutical companies make more money off the synthetic crap that most doctors push, who are now left struggling and feeling bad because their thyroid disease isn't being managed properly, are there deeper motives behind the Advair warning or is it true?  I've never personally had any problem with Advair.  I can breathe again!  I don't know about the FDA, but breathing is really important to me!!!

I've been updating my thyroid changes at my blog, Thyroid Hell.  I've found a new doctor who manages my thyroid disease the way I want him to and I've also lost some weight (still have more to go but it's a good start). 

I've lost 13 pounds so far.  With the increase in my compounded armour, I am hoping the next 20 will drop off as well. I have my fingers crossed that I'm going to feel like myself again soon after more than eight years of feeling bad.

I should have posted this sooner. I've lost ten pounds after switching my thyroid medication. After a couple of years of being so frustrated with my weight, my thyroid, and the doctors, I changed my medication myself. That's one goal down, two more weight goals to go.

I've also found a new doctor and have my first appointment in a month. In the interim, I am feeling better emotionally on the natural desiccated thyroid medication (over Synthroid) and the weight loss is awesome! I am hoping the doctor will switch me to Naturethroid next month (I'm on Thyroid-S right now).

What do medical doctors have against doctors some consider "alternative" (like chiropractors)? If it isn't the "stick a drug down their throat for the pharmaceutical company" routine, they don't think it's right or safe? I've seen it with my former Endocrinologist who wouldn't do anything but synthetic medication when there were natural treatments that had been around for 100 years that worked for people.

Today my daughter came home and told me that her best friend's pediatrician told her that chiropractors (who her best friend has been seeing for a pinched nerve) give strokes to children. I was thinking about taking my daughter to a chiropractor for her back pain (from a fall) so I looked it up. There is a big debate between chiropractors and neurologists about the risk of stroke with a chiropractic neck adjustment.

From what I found here:

“Even if neck adjustments cause strokes (and no one can say for sure that they do) the risk is low— 1 per 100,000 chiropractic patients who receive multiple adjustments,” says chiropractor William Lauretti, an assistant professor at New York Chiropractic College, and a spokesman for the American Chiropractic Association.

I've heard the possible side effects on those commercials for a pharmaceutical drug. They go on and on and your jaw just drops listening to them. Sometimes you wonder if the side effect is worse than what it's treating. So what is the bigger risk? I'd seriously like to know the answer to that.

How do you know who to trust? How can you give your blind trust to any medical professional? It doesn't matter if they're wearing lab coats - they don't always know what is best for you and you're left wondering if you can find a medical professional (mainstream or alternative) who you can literally trust your life to.