Drugs ...Mmmm !

While I'm waiting for the better (warmer) weather to arrive to sort Percy out and while in the mood for giving out advice ... drugs. The ones just short of the street supplied stuff, the drugs we are evolved onto pushed and gratefully received by a population keen on the easy fix. 

Now a disclaimer - my advice is worth nothing other than reflection for me and entertainment of sorts for you. We all know and some like to ignore the fact your body is like most bits of machinery, it works if well looked after. It needs fuel ( food and critically water  - the better food the better performance ) and regular use - that dirty word called exercise to some - I love exercise and I also like fruit and veg so I'm on a smoother path straight away. I don't have sugar if I can help it and we try and do that crazy thing called making food rather than buying processed foods. 

Anyhow I'll step off my soapbox now and get on message - drugs. As part of my 'on my arse with a chest infection forced rest' I reflected on what drugs I was taking and decided to ask the doc's on my next preorder of my 'script' to see if I could have a review as I don't like being reliant on them. One in particular  - Gabapentin (controlled drug I understand) is addictive in that if I miss my morning 300mg by lunch time I'm feeling flu like and my mood drops - many many times I start thinking why am I feeling $hit then I realise I've not taken my meds ! 

Anyhow I was told it's not good to be on them long term by the people giving them to me each month  - been over 15 years and I was the one asking for a medication review ! Anyhow in consultation with the docs we decided to try and titrate myself off both drugs I take... so I'm going the other way to the explanation below !

Titration is a way to limit potential side effects by taking time to see how your body will react to a drug. In titration, the medication is started at a low dose. Every couple of weeks, the dose is raised (“up-titrated”) until the maximum effective dose (“target dose”) has been achieved or side effects occur

I was advised by my own medical advisor  - Rachel who is a prescribing nurse, to do one at a time which being a bloke I ignored so I am on a mission to 'titrate' off my meds. So far so good, small side affects but manageable and I'll discuss with my doctor next 'script' renewal.

So don't just swallow and repeat, have a think and a chat with your doctor, both essential and the right approach. If nothing else it'll save you a few more quid and hopefully if done right will give you control back.

Obviously I'm not being flippant here, I know some people are kept alive with their meds and we have to respect medicine. But I know enough to know that modern petrochemical pharmaceuticals stole/evolved most of their information and ideas from the people they then labelled 'dangerous' to stop them peddling their potions and remedies  based on many many years of using nature to heal. 

So have a think, don't act without consultation of a professional and maybe you can get a little more control back as well as saving on those prescriptions ! 

Some simple financial advice

Owning a boat is expensive, if you have one you know that, if you've owned one you know that and if you are thinking of getting one you have no idea ! 

To own a boat you need copious amounts of  ££££'s and you can either earn it or save for it, or both.

So the best financial advice is don't be complacent. Complacency is the friend of the corporations and marketeers. 

There is a real push towards drip drip spending, the baddy fella in Superman had it sorted when he creamed off the bits of penny's to make his fortune, no one noticed until he was very rich. And there's the issue, you'll not notice until you are getting poorer... Netflix, dishwasher insurance, Microsoft 365, Apple Icloud, Britbox, Amazon Prime, TV license, Anti virus .....all SUBSCRIPTIONS that drip out of your bank in diddy amounts making millions for the corporations and making all us gullible marketing victims that much poorer and ever more the slave to work. 

Being ill has some benefits, it puts you on your arse in the house with time to think and time to do those 'put off' jobs and so it was I started to trawl my bank statements looking for the hands in my bank account tickling little dribbles of money out - or worse still those accounts like phone and domain suppliers relying on my distractions to not check on renewal dates or changes to T&C's. My recent man flu enforced house arrest saved me so far just over £400 a year .... the icing on the cake bring a Britbox subscription we signed up for last January during one of the 'lock downs'. As part of my economy drive I checked but the annual subscription had gone out 2 days before - arse. However happy days as part of another drive to be more efficient I have rationalised bank accounts and credit cards ( we pay them off each month so get the buyers protection but no interest - best use of credit cards) and the BritBox subscription was on a cancelled credit card so they are asking me for new card details to continue my subscription .... ha ha ha nope ! 

So make time to be on top of your finances especially those little  (that add up) subscriptions. Don't let the corporations win, make them work for their or your money !