Giving medicine I don’t need.
By Amber
@AmbiePam (98789)
United States
June 2, 2025 12:30pm CST
I was given medicine for high blood pressure a couple of years ago. I don’t have high blood pressure. I have low blood pressure, and have passed out 4 times in my life due to that (once at a doctor’s office). About two years ago, I went to see my new primary care doctor for the first time; I had a borderline migraine, and my pain management doctor kept forgetting to call in my medication so I was also in a lot of back and neck pain.
Not surprisingly, at that doctor appointment my blood pressure was high! But he would not listen to me why it was high, and prescribed high blood pressure medicine anyway. He then sent me to a cardiologist who prescribed it too.
Finally, the cardiologist would not refill it until he could see me, and he can’t see me until August. I went to my primary, told him I had been without it, and he might notice my blood pressure leaned towards low when I came in that day. So I asked if I could finally, officially, be off of it, and he said yes.
These people! I guess they can’t always go on what a patient says, but my past medical history should have been a clue.
Have you ever been prescribed something you for certain knew you didn’t need?
19 people like this
16 responses
@marguicha (227063)
• Chile
2 Jun
I have been on some pills for almost a couple of years for the pain in my knees. When Oscar came to see me after the diverticulitis he was in shock. He prescribed part of the pills that the other doctor had prescribed but told me to take those other pills (Celecoxib) only if the pain was acute.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (163911)
• United States
2 Jun
@marguicha can be hard on your stomach.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (44456)
•
2 Jun
The answer to everything seems to be a pill. I think we are, for the most part, given way too many of them, with very little thought put into it. I could tell my own long story, but I won't...I can only say at one point some years ago, I said ok, enough....and I did something at the time that is NOT recommended--I stopped taking the meds I questioned. Funny thing...they weren't helping. After a few weeks, I realized I actually felt BETTER, not worse. I take very few medications now. That could change, of course, if more were really needed or would actually help, but if they do nothing there is no point.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (163911)
• United States
3 Jun
Since December I have taken three different medicines that are supposed to be good for my heart, and all they did was bring me pain in my muscles and joints. Another thing that gets prescribed too often, though, is a quick little out patient surgery here or there.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (44456)
•
3 Jun
@GardenGerty
I am more than tired of being on the carving board of an overly zealous surgeon. Not unless it’s absolutely necessary!
1 person likes this
@allknowing (146634)
• India
3 Jun
I somehow do not like the way you people out there get attention from doctors That needs to change.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (98789)
• United States
3 Jun
I can kind of see why he did what he did. I mean now that he’s known me awhile he took my word that I didn’t need it. And I wouldn’t have gone that day except I had to. My other primary care dumped me, and if I wanted any of my prescriptions renewed I had to be at that appointment since there was no time to waste. If I had been able to wait it wouldn’t have been high since my migraine would have been gone.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (146634)
• India
3 Jun
@AmbiePam You have added to my thoughts that things out ther should change.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (149673)
• United States
2 Jun
Yes... And left that doctor for another one who took me off the meds I was complaining about.
Now, if a doctor prescribes something, Pretty and I look the med up and decide if I want to put up with the side-effects of the medicine. Sometimes I take it and sometimes I don't and complain about it instead. The doctors usually listen to Pretty when she tells them why I don't need something and either take me off of it or agree that another doctor is being an idiot and tell me I don't need the med after all.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (163911)
• United States
3 Jun
Sounds like our system with our primary, who listens to us, and all the other doctors who do not.
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (149673)
• United States
3 Jun
@GardenGerty We actually looked into this doctor before switching to her. We'd both had enough of doctors who don't listen and make decisions without our input.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (64615)
• Centralia, Washington
2 Jun
I'm sorry for your medical disasters. I told the Doc that I had low blood pressure but all she could see was that my ankles and feet were swollen. She put me on water pills. Right away my blood pressure zoomed down. I went back to complain although legally I should not have been driving. Doc just told me to drink a bunch of water to get over the extreme light headedness that the low blood pressure brought on.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (163911)
• United States
2 Jun
How about some dietary approaches instead of a pill. My first mother-in-law was told that a cucumber a day would take care of swollen ankles, and it did.
2 people like this
@rsa101 (38688)
• Philippines
2 Jun
It's unfortunate that physicians don't adequately listen to their patients' concerns before writing prescriptions. I suppose that when doctors hear hundreds of complaints from their patients, they sometimes automatically prescribe the same medications for all of the patients' symptoms.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (190538)
• United States
2 Jun
Not to my knowledge. The current doctor's office I use tends to under prescribe rather than over prescribe.They could do better.
1 person likes this
@Jenaisle (14406)
• Philippines
3 Jun
Oh, yes! Sometimes, they operate by the book and will not listen to the patient's statements.
I went to a young doctor last week, saying that I had nape pains and told him that my blood pressure may have spiked again, but he said that's not because of blood pressure. He took my BP and indeed it was elevated, but he still did not concede that it's a symptom of high BP, because he may not have read it from his books.
I also told him that bananas were good for my BP and my diabetes. He said I should not eat bananas because I was diabetic. Since I was a clinical chemistry instructor, I knew that banana sugar is safe because it is fructose, not the type of sugar (glucose) that increases blood sugar. However, he still wouldn't listen to me. He was not aware, I knew some chemistry.
So, I tried to befriend him on FB and posted a scientific article about the topic.
I still don't know if he has read it already. I hope he did.
1 person likes this
@abhi_bangal (5891)
• Ahmednagar, India
3 Jun
Thankfully, I didn't encounter any such doctor who issues medicine in such a "forceful" way. Taking the wrong ones cannot be good. I'm sure you know what I'm saying. I just don't want to say anything straight. Let's always speak positive. Take care!
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (116953)
• Marion, Ohio
2 Jun
I would not have filled the prescription
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (190097)
• United States
3 Jun
No. I've been pretty lucky with my PCP. She's very good.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (163911)
• United States
2 Jun
Bob is on blood pressure meds and cholesterol meds, etc. but I am told with his heart history he needs them. Oh and diuretics. I seem to not do well with statins. I may NEED them but cannot take them.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (53587)
• Canada
2 Jun
A migraine would make your b/p rise.
And in the same token, high b/p can bring on a migraine.
But if you know that you do not need it, I hope that they do not order you more.
They should listen to you, the patient.
I know that when my doctor told me that I was overweight, I told him that I was not, that I was over tired. Sure enough, he listened, and ordered bloodwork which indicated hypothryroidism.
Hmm, told him so! 
