Side Effects Of Drugs: What Will You Put Up With?

[goldicedance1]

If a drug was helping your POTS symptoms but the drug gave you other side effects, how much would you be willing to tolerate if it enabled you to remain upright?

Over the years since I have been on the forum, I have noticed that many seem willing to put up with many side effects but others not so.

Just interested.,,,,,,

[Chaos]

Guess it depends on the side effect in particular. I am willing to put up with the midodrine making me feel cold and skin crawly etc because it also makes it possible for me to stand up and not feel terrible. It gave me enough energy to be able to return to work when I started it 2 years ago. However, my doc recently doubled my dose and at that amount, I wasn't willing to tolerate the agitation, headaches and other symptoms I had.

I'm not tolerant of side effects that cause pain (eg headaches) or that make me feel doped up. I'm not happy with the side effect of weight gain but I put up with it if the end result is better function. For me I guess FUNCTION is the main thing. If it makes me better able to perform my ADLs (activities of daily living) and live life closer to how I want to, then I'll put up with quite a bit.

[puppylove]

If it makes my GI symptoms worse I can't live with it. Other than that I just deal... If it really makes me feel better. And I HATE feeling loopy. If it makes me feel loopy I don't take it. I didnt even take the heavy duty pain meds after I got my tonsils out because it made me feel "too happy".

[Brye]

Scalp itching with the midodrine. I would rather have an itchy intact scalp than a dented one from fainting.

Brye

[Chaos]

Well put Brye!! LOL

[ramakentesh]

^{My aim is really to try everything and then the one that does the most with the least side effect profile is what Ill go with. The benefit has to outweight the side effect profile for me. I wouldnt put up wiht a drug that does less for me than something else with a worse side effect profile.}

[HopeSprings]

Just wish I could find one that doesn't make my head feel even weirder than it already does. If I could find something to help spacey feeling, I'd put up with a lot.

[peregrine]

Benefits >> side effects. So I tolerated Cymbalta for 5 months and then another 5 months because it was wonderful for my chronic pain and cognition. But eventually I had to stop it because my teeth were grinding the whole time (no permanent damage due to a nightguard) and finally my muscles were so tense even massage and electrostim couldn't get them to relax and I couldn't eat burgers or sandwiches because I couldn't open my mouth far enough.

Naomi - yes! Sadly I haven't found anything either. The atenolol helps with almost everything else but not the spaciness. What have you tried? (sorry if I'm hijacking the thread!)

[bellgirl]

Medications have made me functional...I was so sick without them...I am able to exercise now, and I'm able to sleep. You can't live without sleeping properly or exercising to be as healthy, as possible. I'm hoping to gain some weight, too, now that I'm not as tachycardic, my b/p is not as erratic either. I never thought I would say this, but if they improve your quality of life, it's worth it, even being dependent on meds I always said I wouldn't be an old person on too many meds...lol...never say never!! My medical knowledge has helped me make good choices, and allowed me to know what doctors I can trust, and that is a blessing. Life is full of surprises, and I'm doing the best I can in God's strength...