Long Term Effects of Medications

Some medications are necessary to keep people alive (such as radiation and other treatments for cancer and augmentation therapy for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency), which outweighs the side effects if that's what patients are looking for. However, with  other illnesses (for example endometriosis), those suffering are trying to decrease their pain and other symptoms as well as be able to bear children.

I talk about Lupron frequently because of what I and so many others who are suffering with endometriosis have been through when we tried this as a treatment. Lupron is an injection that is used to treat prostate cancer, but many doctors/gynecologists use it to treat endometriosis. Because it is used for cancer treatment, this makes it a chemotherapy drug. Endometriosis is not cancer even though it can spread throughout any part of the body. So why are doctors trying to treat an illness that isn't cancer with a chemotherapy drug? This is one question that has yet to be answered other than with the response money.

Side effects that people who use Lupron can experience and doctors may not tell patients include osteoporosis (thinning of the bones, brittle bones no matter the age), suicidal ideations, brittle or breaking teeth, hot flashes/menopause/night sweats, headaches, among others. Oftentimes, these side effects are irreversible meaning once you have them, you can't improve them. For example, once you break a tooth or have osteoporosis, you can try to prevent breaking other teeth by taking more vitamin d, calcium, etc., but you can't grow a tooth to replace it. Once you injure a bone, you can't go back in time to not injure the bone. You can use crutches or a splint to try to heal the bone as much as possible, but it will never be the same. This is how side effects can be life altering.

Lupron isn't the only medication that causes harmful side effects that may be worse than what the medication is trying to treat.

Should money outweigh the side effects that patients may experience from a medication? NO.
Is it true that doctors can't predict which side effects each patient will have from the medication? YES, but patients still have the right to know all of the information about the drug from their doctor upfront.
Should doctors give patients ALL of the information about a medication before asking the patient if they want to use it as a form of treatment? YES.
Unfortunately, this isn't how the health care system or the world works. We are responsible for looking up information about our illness, treatment options, and any other important information that could affect our health care. We have to be our own advocate.

Please research the treatment options you are being offered for your chronic illness as well as other options you may have before making a decision because side effects may not go away and can be life altering. It's important to know the side effects that are possible and weigh your options with the illness you are trying to treat.

I hope you find this information helpful.
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Take care,
💛Samantha