If you have been prescribed medication for a chronic condition, there is a good chance that you feel great and would love to come off it. The truth is that many diseases are silent and have no symptoms until you have a serious health event like a stroke or heart attack. Here are just a few reasons why you should stay on your medication.
- It’s working, even if you don’t feel it
High blood pressure (hypertension), for example, may have no symptoms, making you think that you no longer need meds. The truth is that every day that you skip a pill, you’re causing damage to your body! You see, uncontrolled hypertension damages and weakens your blood vessels, even when you don’t feel ill. This causes kidney and eye disease, as well as aneurysms or clots that can block your arteries and lead to a stroke.
- Your meds are adding years to your life
The meds your doctor prescribes often have more far reaching effects than you can feel in your body: some of them not only lower your blood pressure, they also protect your heart and kidneys and have been proven to add a few extra quality years to your life.
Other chronic conditions that may not make you feel ill, but may cause damage behind the scenes include diabetes, high cholesterol, HIV, osteoporosis, arthritis, thyroid dysfunction and cancer.
- Lifestyle and medication work as a team
If your doctor has recommended chronic meds, take them regularly. Remember that your meds might be doing extra duty in the background to improve your health, happiness and longevity. Medication is not the only thing you must take seriously – if you have a chronic condition take the lifestyle changes your doctor recommends seriously. Following a healthy diet, regular exercise and stopping smoking goes a long way to preventing chronic diseases like Hypertension and Diabetes from progressing.
If you have unwanted side effects from your chronic meds, or other recommended lifestyle changes, chat to your doctor about alternatives before stopping them.
Make sure that you avoid silent diseases from controlling your life. Keep informed, stay on your meds and follow your doctor’s advice.