My life without Meds and with Supplements

Having medical issues since I was 18, I have been prescribed tons of different medications to take. The two times I remember taking the most were after my accident in 2000 and then again after my accident in 2008. In 2000, there was a lapse of 14 months were my Doctors could NOT figure out what was wrong me. (I ended up having severe damage done to my lower spine). In this time frame I was put on multiple medications…and at one point in time I was on 9 different (taking 21 pills a day). Two of those medications were BLACK BOXED by the FDA to cause severe/deadly reactions. No one caught this…not my Doctors nor the Pharmacy. I ended up having 3 gran mal seizures and adding more issues to the already growing list. After the seizures, my doctors took me off EVERYTHING, which led to me going through 5 days of the worst withdrawal symptoms ever! Then after my accident in 2008, they practically did it all over again (a different group of doctors due to workman’s comp). I was on 11, yes 11 different meds, and NONE OF THEM WERE WORKING. Come to find out my body has grown immune to ALL prescription drugs and I even have to be triple dosed with anesthesia to stay under for a surgery.


So here is a list of all prescription drugs I have been on:

Diazepam 5mg

Baclofen 10mg

Dilaudid 2mg

Topomax 150mg

Flexeril 10mg

Lyrica 150mg

Indomethacin 25mg

Aspirin 325mg (take 4 at a time)

Lodine 400mg

Soma 350mg

Neurontin 600mg

Voltaren Gel

Lidocaine Patch

OcyContin

Vicodin

Percocet

Morphine

Ultram (found out I am allergic too)

Darvocet

Celebrex

Prednisone

AmbienCR

Imitrex

Coumidin

Mobic

Naproxen

Demerol

So, now I take NONE of those. I even did my last two major surgeries (spinal fusion and total hip replacement) with NO MEDS, that includes NO PAIN MEDS!

Now onto supplements: Yes, I take them. No, I don’t tell others to take them. To each his own.

Here is what I do take, and below this lit is just some knowledge I have learned by reading.

Ultimate Flora 50Billion (dinner)

Vitamin D 2,000IU (brkft)

Super B Complex w/ Folic Acid (brkft)

Multi-Vitamin (brkft)

OmegaPlex (brkft)

TonalinCLA (brkft/lunch/dinner)

Konjac Root Glucomannan (brkft & lunch)

FiberSol (lunch)

Green Tea Extract (brkft & lunch)

Ester C 1,000 (lunch)

Arginine 500mg/Citrulline 250mg (pre workout)

Glutamine 500mg (pre and post workout)

I have learned that there are different supplements you should NOT take together or should be taken with food. So I am going to touch on that a bit.

Did you know your body absorbs supplements better on a well-balanced diet than with junk (go figure)! Some of the types of supplements that need this are vitamins, minerals, and oils (like fish or flax). There are those supplements, like Amino Acids, Herbal medicines and enzymes, which are better taken 30 minutes PRIOR to eating. As for which ones not to take together and which ones benefit each other. Iron, taken with Vitamin C increases absorption, but taken with Zinc, Soy, Coffee or Tea it decreases the absorption. Calcium, taken with Vitamin D & C, protein and lactose increases absorption, while Magnesium, Zinc and Phosphate decreases it. Don’t combine your Vitamin B12 with Vitamin C either or even better for your woman on oral contraceptives, DON’T take B6 at the same time!