There are a lot of foods that have good effects. Something I learned in GW is that a spoon of ACV with the mother in a glass of water can work better than antacids, especially for hot peppers (capsicum is a base) but also for general stuff. Warm milk and turkey have a compound that makes people sleepy. Sometimes antibiotics are needed, but you can preventively treat the yeast with probiotics, and yoghurt both ingested and directly applied, and being prone to those you can eat or supplement for prebiotics, probiotics, etc, to improve your overall system health.

I'm allergic to a wide veriety of things, but am mostly okay with medicines I've used, though some require much lower doses than they generally do.

I react to so many things, and try my best to stay away from all meds whenever possible. But the only time I'm aware of having an opposite reaction to something is when I took MSM a couple of times. Never again. It's in a lot of joint supplements, but I studiously avoid it because it inflames my joints and muscles.

I have had chemotherapy twice and neither time did any of my cells uptake it. Talk about the bad enough the deal when it comes to medication not working. The upside of it all is that my cancer is very slow growing, so I said screw it all when docs wanted to dose me up a third time. That was twenty years ago. Knock on wood these tumors have not grown and I just live with the cancer in me. If I'd keep taking more and more chemo, I'd have really high risks of developing a secondary cancer by now.

Also, lidocaine patches don't do a thing for my pain. And immodium makes me sedated and stone.

When I had my DNA tested years ago, I learned there were some medications that I shouldn't take. One I remember was a prescription for gout, and another was a drug to prevent transplant rejection. I'm sure there were others on the extensive list of genes and genetic mutations. I read through some of it in bits and pieces.

THC (some call it a med, and it’s common!) Once upon a time I’d get high, laugh, eat, have fun. Now it affects me negatively. Everyone becomes super annoying to the point where I can’t stand being around them. And if I’m alone, the dark thoughts turn inward.

I’ve never been entirely convinced pain relievers work. After days of poorly managed pain following recent surgery, they switched me from oxy to morphine. I started to feel better but I’m not convinced it was the switch so much as the time.

@Kendrah, I feel for you re chemo. Months of misery, and my wife’s cancer grew and spread. Talk about adding insult to injury.

DH and I had pharmacogenetic testing done fairly recently. Alisande, we learned that basically these results are a living document. So if you still have the ability to do so, you could ask for updated results.

Because research is constantly ongoing and changing, there are varying degrees of confidence in the results. As it was explained to us, many drugs have certain genetic marker reactions that are now well-known and researched. Those were marked with 3 stars on our reports. The 1 and 2 starred items that we might need to watch might not have quite as much relevant research behind it as yet. It doesn’t mean we should not be affected. For me Warfarin is one drug I would not respond to. I’ve never taken most of the medications on the list, thankfully, but i’m glad we have the info and can share with our PCP and other physicians.

I rarely need any medications, thank goodness. But after the birth of my son I discovered that the only thing that was any use was old fashioned, and now discouraged, aspirin. Paracetamol (Tylenol) had no effect. On the very few occasions I've needed something in the years since I find the same still applies. And I'm allergic to the 'cillin' antibiotics. Massive rash and swelling which was revealed when I got an infected cut on my foot.

I react badly to morphia and opiates. I was prescribed a type of morphine tablets when the collapsed discs in my back went nuts and gave me sciatica so bad I wanted to scream, but if I took them I had to remain lying down or else I wanted to puke. A friend called around and asked if I would be coming to a chorus rehearsal and I said No, I didn't think so. She asked how I was feeling and I said, The weird thing is, I know I'm in agony, but thanks to the morphine I just don't give a s---. That was when I decided morphine is not for me so I took the tablets back to the doctor and asked him to dispose of them, because I would tough it out with paracetamol.

The thing about the paracetamol (because I was taking a prescription that had codeine added to it) was that unbeknownst to my DH I was only taking a bedtime dose to help me sleep, rather than taking them every six hours. DH thought I was taking them around the clock and was quite concerned that I would become addicted, until I explained that I was only using them to take the edge off enough for me to sleep. I was wary of them because the first time I took them after my wisdom tooth sockets became infected after my wisdom teeth were removed, I had to lie down because I felt like my head had become a balloon that was floating on a string a couple of feet over my body.

And the last time I was taken to hospital by ambulance after I developed quinsy, the doctor in the emergency room wanted to give me an oxycodone for the pain. I declined and then he had to work out how to dispose of it because it couldn't be checked back into the pharmacy, but it also couldn't just be left lying around. In the end he had another doctor witness him disposing of it in the sharps container.

i'm not sure if it's a true allergy but i list it as one any time i'm filling out a "new patient" form. if i take Amoxicillin , i get a raging UTI.

I can't take narcotics. I projectile vomit like I am trying out for the Exorcist. Zero risk of me ever becoming addicted, pills are back up and gone within 15 minutes or so. IV narcotics? Same thing. Except the doctors didn't believe me, so had me loaded up when I awoke from a surgery.

I have never been so miserable. I was barfing nonstop, they tried various meds....I was curled up in agony, because not only did my innards hurt, the barfing made everything hurt more. Good times.

My pain relief options are acetominophen and NSAIDS. That is it. Fortunately you can safely combine them and together they've handled my needs.

I can't metabolize even minute amounts of alcohol. I react with anaphylaxis. That means not taking most cough medicines and tinctures, not to mention no alcoholic drinks. I can't even have sauces cooked with wine because you have to boil them for hours in order to get rid of the alcohol, and no chef does that. The new supposedly alcohol-free drinks still have traces of it, so those are out, too. People think it's awful, but since I've never been able to have alcohol, I don't miss it. I do miss Quaaludes, though.

OutsidePlaying, I'm interested! Where did you have it done? My original testing was done by 23andMe, which is in the process of going out of business, and to get the details I had the results run through Promethease, which I believe has been sold. I don't know its status anymore. A little late in life for me, but it's all fascinating. I wouldn't mind starting over if it didn't cost a fortune.

The Z-pack antibiotic, that you take only 5 days instead of 10, was way worse than the reason I took it. Gastric distress and ensuing weakness. Day 3 I thought I was feeling better (it did knock out the infection, it’s very effective! though the infection had not really made me sick) so I went for a walk, had to ask the people strolling behind me if I could use their cell phone to ask DH to come get me, They were so sweet, they waited with me while he rounded up the kids to come get me in the car.

So no more Z-pack for me, give me a normal antibiotic.

Fortunately none so far.

John Liu, I'm not sure how to politely express my reaction to your tale.Had I been someone you'd contacted in your quest for self-medication for what I accept was a real medical problem but one that doctors should have been treating, the effort would not have been fruitful.

John Liu, your experience illustrates something I've long said about painkillers. They certainly are useful in certain situations, but masking symptoms of conditions that could (and should) otherwise be treated is not one of them. I'm sorry you went through all that.

No adverse reactions here except for opioids blocking me up if I take them for more than a couple days.

Lonejack, that's a very common side-effect. It's usually anticipated and can be simply prevented proactively.

I cant take the natural opiates because morphine makes me itch and Percocet makes me puke The newer artificial opioids dont cause these problems but I have to say I do not get the thing with people wanting to take them for recreational purposes. I have unusual reactions to many meds. One of the nasal sprays for allergies will make my sinuses swell closed...like being packed with cotton. I had a similar reaction to one of my chemo drugs only it was my right lung. I take new meds with caution. It is a family trait.

patriciae

I'm aware of that Elmer.

Perhaps we read the question differently. For me, it seemed to be asking something along the lines of "what uncommon reactions or side-effects do you have when taking meds that are common and widely used?"

I have had family members who suffered from that common reaction to post-surgical pain meds. Easy, reliable alternative to the meds meant to counter the effects of the other meds, is the Six Weeks bran muffins recipe from 50 years ago. It's posted in Cooking. Delicious, nutritious and effective. I go heavy on the dates, which are prime movers and shakers. The name is because the batter will keep that long in the fridge so you can bake just enough daily.

I wrote a long post earlier that poofed when i hit submit. I got busy doing other things so haven’t tried to reconstruct what i wanted to say.

Alisande we have a non-profit research company here, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology that does genome research. They collaborate with other research hospitals and institutions as well as universities. They also have the Smith Family Clinic which, among other things, is doing research and helps children, families and other individuals with genetic issues. H/A scientists have done a lot of work on neurodegenerative diseases and also cancer, looking for the particular genetic markers that can trigger these diseases, perhaps result in early detection, help with pharmacological solutions, etc.

Right now they are trying to start a study on dementia. They are looking for people between 65-75 with a close family history of dementia (e.g., back to grandparents).

If you are anywhere near a clinic, hospital, or university I would recommend starting there to find out who might be doing this testing. I’m not sure where you live. I’ll try to ask around and see if some of the people I know at HA could recommend another facility. Meantime, you can go to the HudsonAlpha website (link with the words Hudson/Alpha website) and find some pretty good info there about current research they are doing.

I have a little anectodal story about a sensitivity I discovered a while back, but I’ll wait and post it another time.

" common reaction to post-surgical pain meds. "

My wife had a hip replacement procedure a few years ago and she was given pain killers (of the type known to slow the flow) on the day of and to use as needed for the next few days. The post-op instructions suggested to start taking Miralax or a senna product immediately upon returning home.

She decided not to do that. Until Day 3, when the wisdom of the advice became clearer to her. It all eventually worked out well in the end.

Oh, and the procedure was a great success. Easy recovery and full return to a pretty active and athletic life.

Thanks so much, Outside. I'll check it out.

I’m not aware I’m allergic to any meds yet as I rarely take any except pain meds after few surgeries. Some of the above posts reminded me of the structural differences of each individual’s opioid receptors from my medicinal chemistry course. The professor had a video clip showing how the receptors bind to certain opioid drug molecule like fitting 2 pieces of a puzzle together. A perfect fit between them would exert the most effect on the receptor, while a poor fit has some effect or none. That would explain why some drug (opioid) may work on some people but not everyone.

Elmer, I’m glad your wife recovered well! My aunt had to have a ceramic hip, and when she slipped on her concrete steps and fell, her first thought was ”damn, I hope the hip is alright!” It was.

My reaction to the z-pack is also common, it’s on the packaging, but I seemed to have an especially extreme response to it. It sure does work, though. I didn’t ask if there was something I could have taken beforehand or during.

Elmer, sometimes doctors know their patients very well and know if they can trust them to take medication responsibly. Mine do. After my first bout of quinsy about 25 years ago, I have learned to recognise the symptoms of it coming on as it feels markedly different from a normal sore throat. The problem is that it comes on very quickly- like in half an hour - and if I don't immediately start taking the antibiotic prescribed for it, I will end up in bed for a week at best and hospital at worst. So my doctors are happy to prescribe antibiotics for me to have on hand "in case", because they know I won't take them for every little thing. Sometimes they sit in the bathroom cabinet for a couple of years.

I started coming down with quinsy on the drive down to the my daughter's home, as she was taking us to the airport for a trip to Viet Nam. I raided her bathroom cabinet and found some clarithromycin, which I knew would probably do the trick as there was no time to get to a doctor and I didn't have any of my usual amoxycillin on hand. Well, it did, but I broke out in an awful, itchy rash on my forearms which I was scratching to the point of bleeding. I went into a pharmacy in Viet Nam and asked the pharmacist what she would suggest. She came back with a cream, and I read the instructions. "Hmm, I don't think this is the issue," I said, handing it back. It was for genital herpes LOL!

I thought the rash had been caused by my brushing against a plant which is notorious for allergic reactions in DD's garden. However, a couple of years later, I was prescribed clarithromycin and broke out in the rash again, though I hadn't been near the plant. That was how I found out I am allergic to clarithromycin.

This isn't a common med but when I had a bad case of poison ivy, I was prescribed prednisone. This is the only med on my chart as a do not give. The first day ot two, I was on fire...running on the treadmill like someone 30 years younger. But then I was wired and couldn't sleep, and you need to taper off. Not for me. I really don't take pain meds. My back which I injured in February, hurts sometimes but I bite the bullet.

" Elmer, sometimes doctors know their patients very well and know if they can trust them to take medication responsibly. "

Yes, of course. What comment of mine suggested to you this remark was needed?

No pharmacy will ever take a return of a medicine in an opened, unsealed container. I'm surprised a physician (described in your earlier comment) was perplexed about how to dispose of an unneeded but issued controlled med. All pharmacies (and of course medical facilities) over here have locked, tamper-protected and rigidly affixed disposal bins/containers for just that purpose.

Today is a day for new words - this one being "quinsy". I found that interesting as I didn't think anyone in my age grouping (presupposing you like I are no longer a teeny bopper) had any tonsils left, as their removal was so standard here during my childhood years. People used to joke that the training of surgeons used to emphasize the procedure so that newly qualified ones could start doing them right away to provide funds to buy a house. Or, for those who were already homeowners, to build a nice pool and patio.

Does quinsy manifest for everyone or only for people whose tonsils hadn't been removed?

Of all the drugs docs will prescribe to have "on hand", antibiotics have started to be more closely guarded than pain pills for established patients. Overuse and unnecessary use have led to too much immunity in the bacteria world. Many docs won't prescribe antibiotics unless unambiguous signs of a current bacterial infection or the possibility of one are present.

@Elmer J Fudd, this comment: ”John Liu, I'm not sure how to politely express my reaction to your tale.Had I been someone you'd contacted in your quest for self-medication for what I accept was a real medical problem but one that doctors should have been treating, the effort would not have been fruitful.”

Quinsy seems to be fairly rare (I’ve never met anyone else who had it) but I still have my tonsils as here they’re only removed if the patient has frequent bouts of tonsillitis. I can’t have my tonsils removed unless I’m able and willing to stay in the city for long enough for them to completely heal up. A coughing fit or similar could cause the unhealed surgical wounds to open up and where I live I’m too far from a suitable hospital to get there before I bleed out.

colleen, I had a different take away from Liu's narrative and perhaps I misunderstood. He described having intermittent gall bladder distress for 10 years (!) and dealing with it by scrounging controlled drugs from people he knew. That was what caught my eye and painted a not too complimentary nor compassionate picture in my mind of this person, his judgement and his attitudes/practices.

As for tonsils, I guess I grew up in a different place and time. I think everyone I knew had the procedure done when young, it was as if a standard practice for the health of children growing up in the '50s and '60s. At least where I was. But as you mention it, none of my children has had the procedure done and apparently have suffered no ill effects. And no quinsy.

Thanks for the explanation.