Symptoms of a Drug Prescription
Wellness ♥ Mom’s Story
Moving Forward From Prescription Drugs
October 6, 2023 by Nikki and Anne Heart
Mom’s Story: Journey Forward from Prescription Drugs (Part 1)
Although we wrote this post together, we have chosen to present the following journey through mom’s eyes.
Learning to Move Forward
Moving forward from prescription drugs can sometimes be a challenge.
While there is a place for prescription medication, the need to be aware of all the pros and cons, including after a prescription drug treatment plan, is very important to your wellbeing.
This week I jump ahead in our journey and discuss some potential difficulties with moving forward.
As I have learned the importance of discussing everything regarding a health care plan, it is equally important to know what happens after a certain treatment plan has ended.
Learning Through Our Journey
After Nikki withdrew from all her prescription drugs, we expected some ongoing withdrawal symptoms.
What wasn’t expected was the long-term negative effects.
Some of which weren’t a complete surprise, while others were like a thunderbolt hit.
While Nikki was on prescription drugs, she had many negative effects — memory loss, confusion, body shakes, hallucinations, weight gain, depression, negative thoughts, and so on.
So, when she experienced memory loss and confusion after withdrawing, it wasn’t completely unexpected.
Some Long-term Negative Effects to Be Aware of
Awareness #1: Loss of Time
The biggest after effect of Nikki’s prescription drug treatment was and still is her feeling of loss of time.
The drugs changed Nikki. Unfortunately for Nikki this wasn’t a positive effect.
It altered the way she thought.
And inhibited her growth into adult hood.
My daughter, while being on prescription drugs, wasn’t able to comprehend most things. This was the time in her life she planned to go to college and start to build her career. The drugs caused so much confusion she not only couldn’t decipher a career choice, but also life decisions in general.
As I watched Nikki become more and more herself after withdrawing from the drugs, I also watched her struggling to live with what she had lost.
Now, my daughter lives day to day trying to catch up to where she feels she should be in life.
Even though our moto is to live in the present, Nikki admittedly lives with one of the biggest challenges and consequences — how to move forward in life.
Consequence #1: Not being able to make up time
Awareness #2: Different Person
Another negative affect of the prescription drugs was Nikki coming to the realization that she lived many years of her life as a completely different person from her true self.
During these years, I noticed Nikki dressing, acting, eating and drinking alcohol differently from the daughter I knew and raised.
Yet Nikki didn’t realize these changes.
As she slowly withdrew from the drugs, she became aware of this too.
One day, Nikki went into her closet to find something to wear and came out crying.
Explaining to me that she never realized how differently she dressed during her drug treatment.
Differently to the point her newfound recognition caused her not only to be embarrassed by who she became, but to have trust in herself regarding self-image especially in her weight.
Trusting again is a challenge. But we again strive to live in the present. Now is what matters and the past has to be left behind.
Consequence #2: Trust Issues
Awareness 3: Unwanted Cravings
From being pumped up and high on drugs for seven years, Nikki now faces the cravings for alcohol and drugs that she never had before.
Nikki, prior to be treated with prescription drugs, never drank nor did she use street drugs.
In fact, she had pride in the fact she stayed away from this scene during her high school years.
It now saddens me how she now fights off drug and alcohol cravings. Cravings that she should never be having.
Consequence #3: Cravings just to be high again.
In summary, there can be potential long-term negative affects you may experience after a drug prescription treatment plan:
- Loss of time
- Weight issues
- Drug cravings
- Alcoholism
- Memory loss
- Confusion
- Obtaining adequate health care treatment
You should always remember…
- You are not at fault.
- You are not alone.
- You can just do what you can do.
- You are YOU!
Most importantly…
- Question what you feel is not accurate.
- Learn all you can about your treatment plan.
- Help others that need your help.
- Recognize that the health care provider may be wrong.
The goal is always to help live a happy and healthier lifestyle for YOU or a loved one!
Weekly Posts Every Friday: Journey Forward from Prescription Drugs (Part 2)
October 13, 2023
Learn more. Live healthier!
Note: All information in “Nikki’s Story” are based on detail journals covering seven years of Nikki’s life on prescription drugs.
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