Whenever people go to the doctor for an ailment, they often expect to walk out the door with a prescription in hand. Ideally, that prescription will help treat the problem.
Unfortunately, prescriptions aren’t always the magic answer you need.
Prescriptions often address symptoms, not the underlying cause. If you’re sick, they’ll get rid of some of the symptoms of the sickness, but they sometimes won’t treat what it is that actually is making you sick.
Prescriptions are often expensive. Some prescription drugs are reasonable. Others can cost you an arm and a leg.
Prescription drugs often come with side effects, some of them nasty. A few years ago, I was prescribed Bactrim for a severe sinus infection. Two days later, all of my skin turned bright red and I didn’t have enough energy to climb out of bed. The period when I was recovering from Bactrim left me bedridden, and since it was the start of winter, it ended up triggering the worst case of seasonal affective disorder I’ve ever had. The side effects of medications can really hit you hard.
Dispatches From The Front 