Meds n' All That

Back in the day I'd maybe pop the odd pill every so often, now it's a grand total of 45 a week. Again, it's many thanks to NHS Scotland for providing me with all this medication

but it really is one hell of a load of pills. When you look at this big stack of boxes in front of you and this is setting aside any anti-depressants i've taken over the past few years.

Just on the topic of anti-depressants alone, it's quite a staggering figure that

according to the figures obtained from the NHS Business Services Authority, one in six 18 to 64-year-olds were prescribed antidepressants at some point last year, rising to one in five among those aged 65 and over. Rates of antidepressant use across all age groups rose 5% between 2015-16 and 2017-18. If you pardon the pun...it's just mental.

All of this though is just a balance, a balance that in all honesty, the experts are never going to get right. It's not their fault though, not in the slightest. When you're trying to thing of what they're attempting to achieve, getting it right will take tremendous skill, experience and trial and error to get even close.

All of these tablet though, with the exception of depression, are only to try and handle epilepsy alone and whilst they are trying to trying to do this, they themselves will present a staggering list of side effects. Just going through those related to the medication that i'm taking at the moment, these side effects may include:

• Drowsiness

• Sedation

• Dizziness

• Fatigue

• Nausea

• Vomitting

• Loss of Balance

• Loss of Coordination

• Irritability / Aggressive Behaviour

• Constipation

• Headaches

• Difficult or Laboured Breathing

• Tightness in the Chest

• Swelling of the Face, Arms, Hands, Lower Legs, Eylids, Eyes, Lips

• Itching

• Diarroriha

• Difficulty with Swallowing

• Muscle Pains

• Swelling of the Eylids, Face, Eyes, Lips

• Mouth Ulcers

• White Spots in the Mouth

• Shaking / Tremors

• Insomnia / Agitation

• Loss of Appetite

• Sweating

• Decreased Sex Drive

• Impotence

• Difficulty Having Orgasm

• Abnormal Gait

• Anxiety

• Blurred Vision

• Vertigo

• Weight Gain

• Impairred Speech

• Back Pains

Sheesh...quite a list, innit!