get me off my prescription meds

April 1, 2009 8:49 AM

Has anyone ever exercised and/or dieted their way off of prescription medications that you would otherwise expect to take for the rest of your life?

I take two meds for asthma, two more for chronic headaches, and yesterday I was prescribed another one for high cholesterol! I'm in my early 40's and actually relatively healthy, in spite of how it sounds.

I want off some or all of these drugs. Can it be done? Using what resources? With what kinds of success rates? Tell me your story.

PS - I'll be interested in any story about getting off prescription drugs, but bonus awarded for anyone who can address any of the conditions that I'm actually dealing with.

posted by crapples to health & fitness (15 comments total)

I'm in the process of trying to fitness my way out of the god-damned C-PAP machine I have to use every night. No luck yet. I've had friends who have exercised their way off cholesterol meds. And do you watch The Biggest Loser? Those folks do this all of the time.
posted by jdroth at 9:01 AM on April 1

Even if it can't get you off what you're on now, the other thing to bear in mind is that better diet and exercise may prevent the number of pills you currently take from increasing, a considerable benefit if you're unhappy with the amount you have to take now.
posted by biffa at 9:08 AM on April 1 [1 favorite has favorites]

Doing 60 minutes of cardio 5-6 times a week reduced my dependency on daily albuterol; I now use my rescue inhaler 1-2 times a week at most and went from refilling every 3-4 weeks to once every 2-3 months. My usage varies during certain times of the year and I refuse to take inhalable steroids because they are hell on my system; I also take a daily dose of Singulair. That I'm not willing to stop taking just to find out, as I live in a large, dirty urban area and my immediate surroundings include trees and pollen-type things I'm allergic to.

If you want to reduce cholesterol naturally, try avoiding or reducing your intake of animal-based products (cheese, eggs, meat, switch to olive-oil based margarine, etc.). I did and my cholesterol dropped into normal levels within 3 months. I was on the high side when I was just 26, probably from eating nothing but ice cream and putting cheese on everything. I also lost about 10 pounds, which probably helped, but you didn't state how high yours was so YMMV. Not sure if this would work for everyone, as we are all different, but I found my "good" cholesterol was very high and my "bad" cholesterol was very low, which means you have a lower predisposition for heart disease. Good luck with everything!
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 9:19 AM on April 1 [1 favorite has favorites]

This is anecdotal based on a friend of mine some years ago: she had a pretty heavy case of asthma, so much so that she would get winded after walking just a few blocks. We were in our teens and her mother had always been pretty protective of her due to her condition. In college we went on a month-long road trip and did a lot of hiking. It was hell on her at first, but after a couple of weeks we noticed a marked improvement - she would get winded less, and needed her inhaler less. When we got back home she went to what I think was a sports therapist and he put together a routine for her, taking her asthma into account. I don't think she completely eliminated the need for meds, but she needed them way less.
posted by DrGirlfriend at 9:25 AM on April 1

I dieted & exercised my way off a CPAP machine. I am overall very skeptical of how quickly a CPAP was prescribed for my mild-moderate sleep apnea, and didn't use it after a miserable few weeks, instead using my dislike of the machine to force myself to drop 40 lbs relatively quickly. This is probably not the "right" thing to do, but I thought my doctor was a total quack and I dislike doctors who are a little too quick to prescribe things that you will supposedly need for the rest of your life.

My dad was 90 lbs overweight and had type-II diabetes and high blood pressure, and was on medication for both. He retired early, so his amount of spare time is a bit of a luxury. He began walking or kayaking for about 4-hours almost everyday. He changed his diet to one that is very similar in makeup to the South Beach Diet (under a nutritionist's guidance). He successfully managed his diabetes and blood pressure and has stayed off medications and kept a healthy weight for a good 10 years.
posted by tastybrains at 9:36 AM on April 1

I was on 3 meds daily for asthma and for chronic joint pain and had to take an inhaler with me everywhere I went; did not want to live like that. Went on a 15 day fast (The Master Cleanse - that lemonade/maple syrup fast with no solid food) and bye-bye, meds. Asthma and joint pain went away along with the meds - that was, oh....about 5 or 6 years ago I think. I'm not saying that fasting is for everyone or that it will help you, but it was perfect for me and immeasurably improved the quality of my life. You can mefimail me if you have any questions or want more details.
posted by iconomy at 9:50 AM on April 1

I'm 38... when I was 36 I was on blood pressure medication that my doc told me to get used to the fact that I will probably be on these meds for the rest of my life.

I went to the gym 4 times a week... started with a focus on cardio, then added in weights. I started to eat better (not perfectly). In less than a year, I lost 25 pounds and came off of the pressure meds.. and my cholesterol went from an area where the doc was considering medication to being perfect..

Diet and exercise.. from what I read, it the importance of the 2 are not equal.. i found it to be about 70/30 Diet to exercise.

The hardest part is maintenance. I went through a period of laziness and I felt myself losing ground, but got back into it and I recovered..

Of course, the usual disclaimer here.. I am not a doc and before you start anything new, whether it be exercise or drastic changes in diet.. talk to your doc.
posted by MattScully at 9:52 AM on April 1

My aunt, in her 60s, had very high cholesterol and didn't want to go on medication for it so sought to manage it through diet and exercise. I'm not sure what her diet consists of, other than remembering soy milk and lots of oatmeal, but I know she did a lot of research. Apparently she was able to lower her cholesterol dramatically and, as far as I know, remains off medication for it to this day.
posted by 6550 at 10:13 AM on April 1

Good friend exercised/dieted out of a cholesterol script (he also used red yeast rice, which you might want to research). He asked the doc for 3 months and was able to reduce his cholesterol significantly within that time. Unfortunately, he stopped with the eating/exercise and is now back in the same boat.

Personally, I no longer need Albuterol/Pulmicort. I'm not sure if this is due to my high exercise level (anywhere from 6-16 hours per week, depending on the season and what event I am training for). Anyway, I started on the meds when I was about 24, then started exercising seriously at 27, and one year later had no need for these meds any longer. So I'd say it's worth a shot.
posted by smalls at 10:36 AM on April 1

OH sorry - it might be obvious, but the above Albuterol/Pulmicort reference was for my asthma, which was for the most part, allergy/exercise induced.
posted by smalls at 10:38 AM on April 1

I used to need my rescue inhaler every day, which is actually contraindicated. I took two or three different allergy meds, too. I was properly diagnosed by an ENT/Allergist via a blood test and now I'm off the rescue inhaler (but still have it, just in case), I'm down to only need the asthma preventative med once a day (Advair) and I'm down to one allergy med (Claritin) once a day. I started allergy shots a year ago and am almost done with that treatment course. My allergies/asthma were very severe, though. We got rid of every carpet in our house because I'm ridiculously allergic to dust. That helped a lot.

I also started exercising and eating better. We've cut out red meat and are gradually switching to a vegetarian diet. I haven't felt this good since I was in my twenties.
posted by cooker girl at 11:54 AM on April 1

I have friends that have done this with Diabetes, and surprisingly enough, BiPolar disorder.

Seek the help of a professional nutritionist, once you've get a routine, talk to your doctor to find out about lowering your dosages, if possible.
posted by blue_beetle at 12:49 PM on April 1

God, I used to take seven different medications for asthma. It sucked and it was expensive. I was also told by my doctor that I'd probably be on those plus my acid reflex meds, for the rest of my life. I also had severe headaches. I was only about 19 at the time.

Bucking the curve here, I didn't stop eating meat. I eat a high-quality diet modeled on the Paleo diet now (http://lifespotlight.com/ is a good site, but there are tons of them). Little sugar, lots of vegetables, a fair amount of fish and game. I don't take any meds now.

My dad is more in your age group and had problems similar to mine plus the high cholesterol. I suggested he try the same diet and it has worked for him too. The major difference between us besides age is that his weight is more of a problem and so he completely eliminated sugar. I still eat an occasional slice of cake.

It's higher in nutrients and lower in potential allergens than our previous diets. No matter what sort of diet you pick, it's always going to be about vegetables for the best diets. We also both exercise, but the diet made the biggest difference.
posted by melissam at 4:38 PM on April 1

More anecdata: I watched Stephen Fry's The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive about a month ago. In it, he interviewed a GP who said she had weaned herself off medication for bipolar disorder with diet and lifestyle changes. If I'm remembering right, she claimed to have avoided manic episodes for twenty-odd years by eating large amounts of oily fish (for the essential fatty acids) and drastically reducing stress. I don't think this was *all* she did, but it's the part that stuck in my mind.
posted by t0astie at 6:28 PM on April 1

I quit drinking milk, started getting better sleep, and began taking DHA daily, along with vitamins. I had been repeatedly diagnosed with ADD and that routine got me off of Wellbutrin and amphetamines. I'll take an amphetamine in emergencies (no sleep, have to teach) but only rarely. I still have ADD but it is more manageable now.

p.s. how come your cholesterol is so high? You weigh like 98 lbs. ! (Crapples is an old college friend)
posted by mecran01 at 9:27 PM on April 5