Do You Take a Lot of Prescriptions?

I am 44 and I am on 0 prescriptions. And I plan to keep it that way. I will take one if it is totally avoidable.

37 and no prescriptions. Occasional Benedryl at night or for allergy flare-ups, and Ibuprofen for pain. See my last post. sigh.

35 and take zero prescribed medications, but am considering a vitamin cocktail including vitamin D, calcium, magnessium, and a general multi-vitamin.

47 - I have had less than ten prescriptions issued to me in my entire life, but I'm not freaked out that you have five... everyone has different needs, so if you have a good doctor and it's working for you, then consider yourself very normal! (And tell sister to myob and stay out of your medicine cabinet, ha ha!!)

28 - None. 5 is a lot, especially long term. (just my opinion.)

I'm in my 40's. I take 3 on a regular basis for reflux and asthma/allergies. I took just as many when I was your age although the meds have changed over the years.

Good grief! Tell you sister to mind her own business.

I'm in my early 40's and take 12-13 vitamin pills a day-I have a naturopath/eastern medicine doc who customizes the vit to my needs and puts them in these little packs. I HATE swallowing those pills but I'm sticking with it for now. Plus, I take a daily prescribed medication for my thyroid.

I'm 43 and if I remember to take a multi-vitamin every day it's a good day for me!!

I'm going to go out on a limb and assume your sister is not a Dr!! If you're really worried, bring all your scripts and vitamins into your Dr. and ask him/her to look up if they are safe to take together, if they're all still needed, etc.

Late 30s

0 prescriptions
1 multi-vitamin
1 calcium vitamin
An occasional Ibuprofen
No cold medicines, etc.

I, too have one of these medicine cabinets. I suffer from migraines, recently was told I have severe jaw arthritis, and have had some sinus issues for years (constant very minor sinus issues, runny nose, sneezy crud). Its all coming together that this is all related.

I take 5 pills (4 different meds) nightly, plus have 4 others I can take for pain/aborting of a migraine. But it looks like way more as I have a huge stockpile of them (I have to get a 3 mos supply of them due to our medical insurance, and the pain meds I don't always need..so the supply builds sometimes. I also had an ulcer a few years ago, so have occasional issues with that..so have some meds I can access for that. If I take a vitamin , its Flintstones vitamin. I can't handle the high iron in others, and those work for me! Ugh. Apparently I am a mess!

I am now 42. A few years ago, when my mother was 70, she passed away, and was not on any meds..just occasional Tylenol for headaches. I wish!

I take one Zyrtac over the counter medication. I do yoga. I have a homeopath I go to. I have never had any kind of abdomenal surgery.
I eat health food. I keep my nutritional level very high. I almost never catch anything. I use herbs if I feel sickness coming on.
I have arthritis since I was a preteen and I take aspirin. Vitamins yes.
I am a grandmother.

I'm 43 and take none. To me 5 would be a lot. To someone else 5 is not alot. It seems irrelevant to me because everyone is different and has different needs. It's not someone's fault (usually) if they have a condition that requires medication. It's just the way it is. Maybe your sister was upset because she did not know this about you and it kind of scared her seeing all the medications.

33 and as of last week, none.

~I just broke my elbow last Saturday... so I now have 2 Rx's in my medicine cabinet.

37 - none. Husband 42 - none. 2 kids - none.

I am a healthy 36 year old woman who takes 3 prescription meds and 1 multivitamin daily.

I am 46 years old and take prescription Vit. D which I have changed my diet and hope to be off of it soon. I take migraine medicine as needed. Non-prescription meds I take are Clariin as needed, daily vitamin and Viactiv.

I am 39...I take no prescriptions.

We are all made differently. We are not all the same. What might be fine for one may not fine for another. I am 44 not that it matters because I have been taking many of these meds most of my adult life. I eat right, exercise and still take meds. I am still on BC, have asthma, and have terrible acid reflux. I take 4 scripts daily and vitamins. I also on occasion take over the counter meds like sudafed and benadryl. I can't breath without the inhalers (oh how I have tried and not successfully) and the benadryl and sudafed. I can't eat without the Prilosec. Most of this is hereiditary and well I guess I got the bad genes. My husband complains all the time about my meds but without them I can't breath or eat. I do what I need to remain healthy and functioning for me and my kids. Tell your friend they are lucky they did not get the bad genes. You do what you need to do to be happy and function in life and who cares what everyone else thinks. We are not all made the same.

I am 43 and I take 0 prescriptions....never had to.

i am 33 5 rx a day including birth controll pills.. I also have pcos so that is why I take a lot of meds.. They really help me.

I am 27 and I don't take any prescription medications. My husband is the same age and he also has no medications. My sister is 29 and she takes three prescription medications. My dad is 57 and he doesn't take anything. My mom is 56 and she has one prescription. We do take fish oil and vitamins.

You have to do what is right for you. Not knowing your medical history I am sure this is all approved by your doctor. I would go with what is right for your body. We are all different. It is not fair for your sister to judge. I take supplements for preventative measures my sister takes life saving RX for very serious medical conditions - I would never judge the quantity of pills she HAS to take everyday. Do what is right for you.

44- I take 6 RX daily. But yours seem resonable acid reflux and allergies... IMHO

38 and take 5 meds daily, then i have another for headaches and another for breakouts. My mother is the same way so I don't think twice about it.

51 and take 2 Rx's plus whole food vitamins and B complex. The RX's are for blood pressure and depression.

39 - none except when I'm getting a cold, then I take pseudoephedrine 30mg 3 times a day to stop the cold in it's tracks.

I do however have medicine still in my cabinet that I have gotten for a variety of things (migraines, poison ivy, etc.), but rarely use them.

I have just started experimenting with natrual oils. If you contact www.birchhillhappenings.com and ask them what you can buy to stop your allergies, they can suggest some natrual remedies for you.

If you change your eating habits and avoid foods that cause your acid reflux, you will be better off. If you need medicine, it's your body's way of saying something's out of whack. Check out this site if you really want to get off meds: http://www.naturalalternativemedicineofchicago.com/

Dr. Wasson can help you get off medicine and teach you how to eat healthier.

49, healthy, not overweight, in shape

Rx = 1 HRT patch

Occasional Benedryl or allergy med, mostly over the counter.

I'm 30 and I don't take anything daily anymore, however I have some anti anxiety pills, pain pills (from surgeries) and muscle relaxers for my back.

I'm 49 and I take a pill for blood pressure (not overweight), and a beta blocker to regulate my heart rate. I also take a vitamin and calcium every day. I have an RX for valtrex and take it when I feel a cold sore coming on.

I'm 27 and have two prescriptions that I have to take every day. I have an autoimmune disease and they are what I need to control what it has already distroyed. (It's really not that major although now that I've typed it out it sounds aweful! *LAUGH*) I have other prescriptions in my bathroom that don't get taken on a regular basis for pain and such. My husband is 30 and has asthma and allergies, so there are meds and inhalers for that too. I never thought of it as a lot of presctription bottles in the house. I guess I never really felt the need to think about it.
I suppose it would seem more strange if there were bottles of oxycontin, vicocin, or percocet. Then I would think that it was more of a problem, but if it's for things like acid reflux and allergies, I guess I don't see what the big deal is.

I'm 33.
Everyday I take a Vitamin D pill (I have super low vitamin D), BC pill and a migraine prevention.
But then there are the over the counter sinus, allergy and ibuprofen that I take here or there for my minor headaches and allergy/sinus problems. I do also have a prescription for a migraine pill for when I get a really bad headache. It doesn't sound like you are alone.
But - I wish I was with some of the other ladies who didn't have to take anything!!! These sinus and headache problems are a killer!

30 years old
-4 medicines a night (birth control, anti-depressent for ppd, allergy nose spray and multi vitamins). I don't think 5 is a lot. If you need them, you need them.

Some of us are born luckier on the health spectrum. I was a fragile baby and have had problems with allergies, asthma and infections since birth, and had a bad bout of acid reflux for a couple of years. These are not easy symptoms to live with and can be dangerous to ignore, so I do take things for them (over-the-counter when I can, because my health insurance deductible is so high it's basically useless).

When I was 30, I probably took 5-6 medications once or twice a day, including vitamins. I was working with a doctor very much into nutrition for a couple of years, and she got me up to 60+ pills daily. That was when I had the reflux, which actually stopped when I left that doctor's care and weaned myself back to 14 pills a day, including vitamins. (I'm now 63.)

Hi A.,
I'm 54 and take multi vitamin, joint supplement (glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM), fish oil, Lutein (eye doctor says it helps to avoid cataracts), Zeaxinthin (eye doctor says it helps to get wettening of the eyes because my eyes are too dry) and omeprazole for reflux. All of this is OTC (no prescriptions). Yup - I know the daily vitamin contains the eye supplements but not in the amount that my eye doctor wants me to get them.

I recently cleaned out cabinets at home and got rid of things that were past their expiration dates and dusted the shelves in medicine cabinets.

I agree that what you take is between you and your healthcare providers. BTW I have family taking thyroid medicine (very important to take it to balance your metabolism and have medical followups).

Back in my 20s I had thyroid medicine until my hyperthroidism was resolved (but it can be a lifelong condition for some people).

Its nice that your sister cares about you but there are other ways that she can help you...by having shared time together, doing something that you both enjoy.

Over time I found that when I immersed into yoga, I stopped having bronchitis every year. My lungs are happier. I no longer have nasty, drippy nose in the spring and fall. I used to take many different allergy medications. I only need the allergy stuff if I meet poison ivy.

C.
Mom of three

I am 40 take 1 prescription for hypothyroidism and 1 OTC multi vitamin daily.

If anyone truly needs the medications they are on, it's not too many. If they however don't and just aren't taking care of themselves the way they should then it's too many. Outside judgement of medication use doesn't matter. What matters is are you living the healthiest lifestyle possible-no smoking, minimal drinking, no recreational drug use, exercise, eat well most of the time and maintain a reasonable weight, avoid major allergen triggers if possible(another words if your are animial allergic do you still have one). So if medication is needed to live a comfortable life after these qualifiers then no you are not on too many medications. However if you don't take care of self and are relying on chemical selfcare then yes your are on too many as all drugs help and hurt as they do have to be processed in the body and either the liver/heart/kidneys/nervous system/lungs will take some sort of hit as they process the chemicals.

I am 31 and don't take any prescriptions but a number of vitamins. I think that 5 prescriptions is a lot too. But I take vitamins instead for issues that I have as I don't like the idea of prescriptions...I react too much to them.

I am 36 and I take 1 - thyroxine, which I have taken for about 8 years.
if you have a long term health problem, and you need them, I see no problem with it.
1 multivitamin is usually sufficient - If you have a balanced diet, then even that is surplus

I'm 33 and as for prescriptions, I take zero. However, I do find that I'll take sudafed, advil & tylenol on a more regular basis based on what I've got going on.

I know you didn't explicitly say this and feel free to completely disregard, but if you are looking to reduce your need for prescriptions, I highly recommend looking into the Reliv company for vitamin supplementation. They're not just a multivitamin company. My bro-in-law and sis-in-law used to both take daily allergy meds, acid reflux meds, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and so on. With regularly drinking the specially formulated vitamin shakes from Reliv, they're off ALL of their medications! My husband and I used to take the shakes, too, and I noticed a marked increase in my energy levels, less headaches and my husband no longer needed his exercise-induced asthma inhaler and had significantly better allergy issues. You cannot buy ths stuff in the stores only from a Reliv dealer (they go through extensive training and my bro-in-law saw such incredible results for himself that he sells the stuff now). The only reason we stopped using Reliv was that I quit my well-paying job to be a SAHM and we've had to tighten our budget dramatically. They have a whole lineup of products from general multi-vitamin to weight loss to cardio and joint health. If you're interested, let me know and I'll get you in contact with them.

I'm 37. I take a synthectic thyroid hormone (because I had to have my thyroid removed in my 20's) and birth control.

That's it.

.

A.
I am curious about this too:)
31- none
When preparing for Pregnancy, during pregnancy and while nursing, I do take a multivitamin.

I'm 44. I don't take any prescription drugs. I can't remember the last time I did. I do use homeopathy and essential oils when needed, though.

I am 33....normally I don't take any perscriptions at all. Right now though, I am taking prenatal vitamins (nursing mother).
During the allergy season, which right now it's not in my area, I take claritin.

31 years old
no prescriptions
3 different vitamins

I'm 42 and I take no prescriptions. I do take fish oil supplements, biotin supplements (hair loss) and glucosamine for my joints (I have bad knees).

35, 4rx all needed for medical reasons. I wish I didn't have to take any but I ma one of those not lucky enough to not have to take medication.

Hi A.,
I just turned 36 and I take 3 prescription medications- Loestrin birth control, Nasonex for what I like to call "faulty nose syndrome" (the medical name is richno something or other, which basically means I am heavily prone to sinus infections), and sometimes Trazadone for insomnia. I also take multiple vitamins daily- most of which are BEYOND strongly recommended by my doctor. I take a woman's formula multi-vitamin (with organic super foods and healing herbs like Turmeric and Cinnamon), calcium with vitamin D for bone and breast health, fish oil for a healthy heart, glucosamine/condroin for joint support (I used to be a dancer and triathlete so my knees need the extra cushioning), and probiotics for a healthy digestive system. I occasionally take Aleve or Advil for headaches as well.

Incidentally, I take considerable fewer vitamins and suppliment than any other member of my family. Several members of my family take 2-4 prescription medicines as well, although my mom takes literally twenty medications because she has stage four breast cancer. In my opinion, your are doing nothing wrong.

I'm 27 and take a Prenatal at the moment, Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Cod Liver Oil, Vitamin B and Iron when I feel I can stomach it. I mix Vitamin C powder into my kids juice once a day. I don't take any prescriptions regularly unless something has happened and I need to. And an occasional Motrin or Tylenol PM. Nothing too crazy in my opinion.

42, and I take oral contraceptives. That's it, unless I am sick and need something (like when I had poison oak on my face last summer, ugh).

I had a brief period where I needed prilosec daily for several weeks. But that has resolved. I will take the occasional advil when I have a headache... but that's about it.
I don't like taking things...
My husband on the other hand, takes a handful of vitamins daily (glucosamine, fish oil, L argenine, alpha-lipoic acid, L carnitene, etc). He is the same age as me and in good health. He runs several miles (between 3 and 6 miles) 2 or 3 x a week, works out with weights, bikes, golfs, plays tennis, etc... He's more on the 'health nut' spectrum than I am, lol. But our family doctor actually said that because he IS so active, that he probably does need some of the supplements he uses. Most people (who are rather sedentary) don't need the extra.. but anyone who is very active, would do well to consider some, especially the omega's (fish/flax seed oil). Hubby also pops advil at the drop of a hat, takes loratidine (Alavert/Claritin) for every drippy nose, and douses every stomach ailment with Pepto. (YUCK).

I'm 29 too. I used to take 2, but recently decided to stop taking birth control, so I only have one. I think 5 is a lot... for our age.

38 yrs old: 2 blood pressure meds (I'm 25 pounds overweight), anxiety med and meds for my skin. You're fine, wait till we are 80 years old....

I'm 29.I take an allergy med when needed, I use albuterol when needed (very rare) and I take a multivitamin when I remember. What are you allergic to that you need to take an allergy med every day?

I take ZERO prescriptions. (I'm 31 yrs old)
My MIL sells Metagenics, so I am taking a multivitamin from her. One pill at meals, whenever I remember.