baratron: (flasks)
baratron ([personal profile] baratron) wrote2013-06-05 08:41 am

People who need to be stabbed with sporks.

You know what makes me really fuckin' angry? People who boast that they don't take any medications that are made in a lab. As I said to one of these loons today, you have no idea how lucky you are to have the CHOICE not to take prescription drugs. I personally have the choice of taking prescription drugs or dying.

I was explaining to some people who don't know me well about the delights of chronotherapy, and why today I got up at 2 am and will remain up until at least 2 pm. And said people were trying to convince me that I should try drinking alcohol or smoking pot for my sleep problems. Because, yeah, that's a bloody great idea for someone on several medications which say not to mix it with alcohol, and who as a result of chronic fatigue syndrome has no tolerance for it at all (as in a few sips of something alcoholic puts me under the table and feeling awful). And who is extremely asthmatic and starts retching and puking when even vaguely near pot smoke.

Oh yeah, and apparently "weed won't cause variable effects with other medications". I'm on carbamazepine, which is a cytochrome P450 inducer, and that is affected by somewhere between half and two-thirds of all other medications, including natural remedies. The chemicals in pot, of which there are many, could make me need to increase or decrease the dosage of any or all of my meds. If I could find academic papers stating which particular biochemical pathways are affected by it, then I might consider it. But the fact it's illegal means there is insufficient information about drug interactions. The other problem with it being illegal is you can never be certain what dose you're getting. I prefer drugs where the dosage is known.

*stab stab stab*

In other news, I have a new wheelchair. It's a new-to-me wheelchair rather than new. It was made in 1998. However, it is built like a fricking TANK. It is higher off the ground than my old one, "for a more important appearance on the road"(*) and also very, very red. I'll link you to the eBay auction for now because I lack spoons to take my own photos. There's also more pictures in this brochure, although mine doesn't have the riser or tilt functions, not least of all because I don't need them.

(*) Engrish phrase from the Di Biasi tricycle catalogue, circa 5 years ago.

[identity profile] maniackatie.livejournal.com 2013-06-05 01:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Ahh, don't you just love that type of "advice"? Makes a person want to double facepalm... or an octopus octuple facetentacle.

*Provides you with a box of sharpened sporks*
brooksmoses: (Default)

[personal profile] brooksmoses 2013-06-05 03:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Clearly you need to arm your new tank with a heavy-duty battle spork for these occasions!

(I imagine the result being slightly Dalek-like.)

[identity profile] ms-adria.livejournal.com 2013-06-05 04:33 pm (UTC)(link)
It really baffles me that people don't understand that herbs are drugs, and often are not well studied, so side effects and interactions are not well known. Also why would anyone think that drinking alcohol for sleep problems is a good idea? Alcohol causes poorer quality sleep.

[identity profile] dannilion.livejournal.com 2013-06-05 09:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Bah. Those people are nearly as bad as those who say things are "chemical free".

And yay new chair! I really hope it helps you :D