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Big Pharma whistleblower speaks out

Mosca

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Natural cures are not medicine. If they were, we would call them... Medicines.
 

Mosca

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People get sick. It is a consequence of being biological. I'll take the pills, thank you.
 

DavidnRobin

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One of the most ridiculous comments ever... and insulting to intellectual thinking.

I have worked for 'Big Pharma' for 33 years in drug development (mostly oncology), and that is pure BS.
I have worked on products that have added 1000s of life-years to dying people. One that is almost curative if the cancer is caught early enough.
Many drugs have been developed from natural products. And some - like ones I work on - mimic natural human proteins that are produced via recombinant technology, and are targeted specifically - and even capable of delivering directed toxins to tumors.
This was created by 1000s of people over YEARS of scientific discovery of mostly failed attempts - because that is the nature of scientific experimentation.
Disease is a product of environment and genetics - not caused by Big Pharma.

Do too many people take too many drugs, eat the wrong foods, and have a poor life-style? Yes. Is that Big Pharma's fault? No.
Is Big Pharma innocent? Of course not - but such grandiose statements are just ridiculous, and clearly go to a lack of scientific critique or knowledge. And for some supposed expert claim that sickness is caused by Big Pharma - goes to a clear lack of credibility.
 
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PigsDad

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Well said, David. And thank you for your work in the field.

My beautiful wife was struck with a degenerative disease at the age of 16. If it were not for "Big Pharma", I am quite certain she would not even be able to walk today. Instead, new medicines are being constantly developed that keep her disease at bay, significantly slowing down the damage it does to her body over time.

We really noticed this when we decided to have a child. She had to go off all of her "Big Pharma" medications while trying to get pregnant and through the pregnancy. The X-rays of her joints before and after were very disheartening. She easily had 10x the degeneration during that time vs. being on her medication. But the end result (a healthy baby) was worth it.

Again, thank you David and everyone else who works in "Big Pharma" to develop these wonderful medications.

Kurt
 
L

laurac260

Well said, David. And thank you for your work in the field.

My beautiful wife was struck with a degenerative disease at the age of 16. If it were not for "Big Pharma", I am quite certain she would not even be able to walk today. Instead, new medicines are being constantly developed that keep her disease at bay, significantly slowing down the damage it does to her body over time.

We really noticed this when we decided to have a child. She had to go off all of her "Big Pharma" medications while trying to get pregnant and through the pregnancy. The X-rays of her joints before and after were very disheartening. She easily had 10x the degeneration during that time vs. being on her medication. But the end result (a healthy baby) was worth it.

Again, thank you David and everyone else who works in "Big Pharma" to develop these wonderful medications.

Kurt

The world needs both kinds of people, people like David that work hard to create medicines to help people like your wife, Kurt, and people like the gentleman in this article who aren't afraid (finally) to speak out against the medicines that cause more harm than good. Kurt, I'm thrilled that your wife has medicines that work for her. I'm also thrilled that my daughter has medicines that treat her asthma, because her maternal great grandmother did not have such medicines, and died at a young age of complications from asthma. Conversely, I am grateful there are folks who call out on the carpet the ones that DO cause more harm than good, because I've seen that side of it too, firsthand. :(

Thank goodness we have both, thank goodness live in a society that allows both.
 

SueDonJ

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The world needs both kinds of people, people like David that work hard to create medicines to help people like your wife, Kurt, and people like the gentleman in this article who aren't afraid (finally) to speak out against the medicines that cause more harm than good. Kurt, I'm thrilled that your wife has medicines that work for her. I'm also thrilled that my daughter has medicines that treat her asthma, because her maternal great grandmother did not have such medicines, and died at a young age of complications from asthma. Conversely, I am grateful there are folks who call out on the carpet the ones that DO cause more harm than good, because I've seen that side of it too, firsthand. :(

Thank goodness we have both, thank goodness live in a society that allows both.

I agree that there is a need - and room! - for both, and nobody in their right mind would try to assert that the pharma business doesn't need some correction. But it's interesting that you started the thread with a website called, "Natural Cures <underscore> not medicine" and an article that doesn't appear to jibe with what you wrote that's quoted here. The first post doesn't really invite civilized discussion that will allow all viewpoints so I'm glad that you've fleshed out the topic.
 

DebBrown

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I, too, work for big pharma (not as a scientist) and can see both sides. The bottom line is that people need to educate themselves and make sensible decisions. Personally, I will try every possible avenue before relying on pharmaceuticals. BUT, when I recently had a urinary tract infection, I was very glad to have a medicine to relieve the symptoms and antibiotics to resolve it quickly. My DH has an auto-immune disease that was fatal only ten years ago. He takes regular chemo treatments and is doing well.

For me the real problem is that the market drives pharma research. That is why we have meds for erectile function but not for the many obscure fatal diseases.

Deb
 
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laurac260

I agree that there is a need - and room! - for both, and nobody in their right mind would try to assert that the pharma business doesn't need some correction. But it's interesting that you started the thread with a website called, "Natural Cures <underscore> not medicine" and an article that doesn't appear to jibe with what you wrote that's quoted here. The first post doesn't really invite civilized discussion that will allow all viewpoints so I'm glad that you've fleshed out the topic.

I started the thread with an article that caught my attention, that I had seen posted somewhere else. It is not the website I frequent, I have never been to it. I posted the link, and then simply put in quotes the very first paragraph of the article, not unlike what others do on this forum.
As far as the post inviting civilized discussion, any discussion can be civilized if civilized people come to it and talk civilly. I have no agenda here, I just found the article interesting, I do believe there is some truth to it.

Edited…

I'm not a doctor, I don't play one on TV, I only know what I know, and what I know is based on experience. Here are two scenarios:

My son, when he was two, was having issues. He'd eat something seemingly random, choke on it, stop breathing, then his entire stomach contents would come up. It happened often enough that we realized there was something going on. Took him to the doc, found out he had a host of food allergies/sensitivities. The doctors also decided he probably had eosinophilic esophagitis. We did a complete elimination diet. The whole family stuck to it, and his issues "went away." At the follow up visit, the doctors were pushing to do a scope, to "put him under" scope his throat, take tissue samples, they were certain that the diagnosis was correct, but the test would determine for sure. When I asked what then? They said, "he would be given medication." When I said how long? They said, "the rest of his life." I said no. No to the test, and no to medication. As I explained to the doc, if he was having failure to thrive we would do it. But we are managing quite well with the elimination diet, and he is thriving. Fast forward almost 6 years and we have been able to introduce several of the foods back in, with no issues.

Now, same doc, different kid. Daughter has asthma. We were at the doc appt recently, and he did the usual breathing tests. "You have larger lungs than I do, and I'm 6'3!" The doc said, (daughter is starting her 6th year of year round swimming). Great! high five! But, not so fast. He did another test, one we had not done before, because even with her large lungs, she was having intermittent flare ups. The next test I don't fully understand, but don't need to. The stats were enough for me. The scale is 0-300. They would like your number to be 20 or below. Daughter's was over 200. Meaning, she had restricted airways. She didn't realize it, maybe because she had such big lungs, or maybe because she had been breathing that way so long she didn't know any better.

Now, I'd LOVE to be able to say, "we will treat this at home." Especially because the side effects of the med, it makes her dizzy.. but I'm a realist. She NEEDS help with her asthma. We can't "control it with diet", or any homeopathic remedy that I am aware of. The meds HELP her. The dizziness is a side effect that is trumped by the need to breathe. My son can live his entire life without ever eating a nut and be just fine. The body doesn't do so well without oxygen.

I have atleast a dozen other scenarios, relating to my husband's medical condition and medication, but I think you get the point. This is where I come from.
 
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I would also add my wife and her mom - diabetics. My wife takes Metformin to control blood sugar. She also takes Methyldopa for high blood pressure. My MIL also takes Metformin, as well as Insulin. For her diabetic neuropathy, she takes a narcotic pain reliever. Is there any one of these where diet and natural meds can replace "Big Pharma"? No.

Also, go online and look up "most expensive medicine". One of those meds is approximately $70k PER DOSE! Yes, it is cheaper to die a painful death. But, most diseases are controlled/cured by drugs. If lifestyle changes can't help, drugs will.

TS
 

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My point is that IF 1) Big Pharma is as money hungry and relentless as people say (certainly likely) AND 2) alternative cures and medicines work, THEN 3) Big Pharma would have already co-opted them for profit.

Since that hasn't happened, they must not be worth charging money for.

I can get pretty ticked about how the medical model shouldn't be forced into the capitalist model. On one hand, there are a lot of diseases that can be cured, but no one can afford to cure them. On the other hand, when we look at how medical research has progressed, it is hard to not marvel.

One problem with pharmacology is replacing drugs that have gone generic with new formulations that are proprietary, but haven't been shown to actually be more effective at lowering mortality and morbidity rates. Many older medications work just as well as newer ones; resist efforts to switch you, unless there is good reason. If what you are using works, keep using it.
 

VegasBella

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There are definitely a number of problems with Big Pharma, and I'll address the ones I'm most concerned with later in the post, but Big Pharma is not all bad. Human life has, in general, increased in both quality and quantity at least in part to the medical industries. This is largely to do, IMO, with hygeine and vaccines, but also with many other the other things medicine can do. For example, I rely on daily asthma medicine to improve my quality of life (although I'm frustrated by the warning label on my meds that suggests using them may actually shorten my life).

The problems with Big Pharma are...

Bad science, mistaking correlation with causation, misleading conclusions, etc. Fun, high speed TED talk about this: http://www.ted.com/talks/ben_goldacre_battling_bad_science
another one by the same guy about Big Pharma: http://www.ted.com/talks/ben_goldacre_what_doctors_don_t_know_about_the_drugs_they_prescribe

Human error. Lots of people die every year simply because their pharmacist or doctor made in error in their medication.
http://www.cdc.gov/medicationsafety/
http://health.usnews.com/health-new.../07/03/how-to-deal-with-prescription-mistakes

Doctors and others with status afraid of admitting mistakes and being totally honest about what medicine cannot do, thus aren't learning as much from them as they could.
Another TED talk about that: http://www.ted.com/talks/brian_goldman_doctors_make_mistakes_can_we_talk_about_that
and
http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2014/09/doctors-speak-reality-death-dying.html

Behavioral change is hard, doctors know that and often don't even bother advising behavioral change and prescribe meds instead.
http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Why-its-hard-to-change-unhealthy-behavior.htm
and
http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2014/08/unhealthy-behaviors-physicians.html

Doctors are not well educated in nutrition.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/16/health/16chen.html?_r=0

Oh, and I also think there should not be patents on living things.
http://www.actionbioscience.org/genomics/crg.html
 
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WinniWoman

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Sometimes you just need the BIG GUNS. Thank goodness for medicine.

I just recently had LYME Disease and there is only one company that makes docycycline - the antibiotic used to treat it. (had to stay on it for 3 weeks). The PA who treated me said I was lucky to have insurance or it would have been $300 instead of $100 out of pocket. I learned later on there was evidently even a shortage of the drug. Even after treatment I still have some post Lyme symptoms. I needed to use a prescription nasal spray after completing the antibiotics as my head and ears would "fill up" and I felt more horrible from the effects of the spray (exhaustion, etc.) then from the Lyme.

No way you can treat it naturally, but I was able to take "natural" probiotics for my stomach since the docycycline kills both the good and bad gut bacteria.
Even then, I needed the probiotics in PILL form as eating yogurt everyday is not enough.

All said, I wouldn't want to be on medicines long term as the medicines themselves have side effects. The whole time on the antibiotics I felt like crap and didn't know if it was the Lyme or the drug.

But- sometimes you have no choice.
 
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CarolF

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Sometimes you just need the BIG GUNS. Thank goodness for medicine.

I just recently had LYME Disease and there is only one company that makes docycycline - the antibiotic used to treat it. (had to stay on it for 3 weeks). The PA who treated me said I was lucky to have insurance or it would have been $300 instead of $100 out of pocket. I learned later on there was evidently even a shortage of the drug.

Doxycycline is an old drug which is on the "World Health Organisation List of Essential Medicines" - "those drugs that satisfy the health care needs of the majority of the population; they should therefore be available at all times in adequate amounts and in appropriate dosage forms, at a price the community can afford".

We pay between $11 and $14 for 21 x 100mg Doxycycline capsules, it doesn't seem right that it is so expensive for Americans.

http://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/product.asp?id=61882

So sorry to hear of your illness. Lyme disease must be dreadful.
 
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zinger1457

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I would also add my wife and her mom - diabetics. My wife takes Metformin to control blood sugar. She also takes Methyldopa for high blood pressure. My MIL also takes Metformin, as well as Insulin. For her diabetic neuropathy, she takes a narcotic pain reliever. Is there any one of these where diet and natural meds can replace "Big Pharma"? No.

It may not apply to your specific situation but most cases (80-90%) of type 2 diabetes are caused by obesity, probably the same or more for high blood pressure. Proper diet, weight loss, and adequate exercise are the best long term solution and will go a long way at getting things under control. Unfortunately way too many people see taking the magic pill as the easy way out and the long term solution but that's certainly not the drug companies fault.
 
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Mosca

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It may not apply to your specific situation but most cases (80-90%) of type 2 diabetes are caused by obesity, probably the same or more for high blood pressure. Proper diet, weight loss, and adequate exercise are the best long term solution and will go a long way at getting things under control. Unfortunately way too many people see taking the magic pill as the easy way out and the long term solution but that's certainly not the drug companies fault.

Are you speaking from experience? Modern research into the obesity epidemic indicates that willpower has very little to do with it. Your body fights really, really hard to maintain what it thinks is the proper weight. That is why people go on TV and lose hundreds of pounds, and almost all of them gain it back, plus 10% more, because it is unrealistic for them to maintain the combination of intensity of exercise and control of caloric intake that let them overcome what their biology is trying to do. Thin people don't exercise the way they do on The Biggest Loser; in fact almost no one other than professional athletes do. If it were simply a matter of "willpower", then such an unrealistic effort would not be necessary.

If you look at the spread of the obesity epidemic, you will be shocked at how it mimics the spread of disease; if it were simply related to "willpower", then it would appear across the entire population equally, but in fact it has spread regionally, then nationally, and in a predictable fashion.

GIF of the spread of obesity in the US, 1985-2010

Worldwide, the pattern is the same, indicating that it is not an American problem, but a human problem.

Modern researchers are looking into the role of the endocrine system and into the role of the balance of gut bacteria, and sociological researchers are looking into the effects of poverty and lifestyle. Increasingly, evidence is showing that there is no one thing, but rather a combination of things that are making humans all over the world gain and hold excess weight. And it has little or nothing to do with people taking the easy way out.

Speaking as someone who has spent his entire life gaining and losing weight, I have more than a casual interest in the science of bariatrics, and I understand how those who are not directly affected by the epidemic can be mis-informed. But you have never known what it feels like to lose 85 pounds over 18 months, and then gain back 100 over the next 5 years at less than half a pound per week. Your body has decided that you need to weigh a certain number, and it wants you there, and it is going to add a little bit more to add a buffer just in case your weight stops dropping. After almost 40 years of this (at 60 now), I decided that quality of emotional life is more important than quality of physical life. Someone else might make a different decision, and I won't hold that against them. Just like I expect my choice to not be held against me.
 

VegasBella

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There is a lot of evidence that diabetes is diet-related and that the majority of cases can be controlled with diet and exercise rather than with medication. And those cases that need medication can usually use less medication if used in combination with diet and exercise. Now there's definitely the issue of how difficult it is to modify behavior. Moreover, obesity alone is not the cause and thinness is not the cure. Obesity is merely one indicator or risk factor.
 

Clemson Fan

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Moreover, obesity alone is not the cause and thinness is not the cure. Obesity is merely one indicator or risk factor.

That's just not true. In fact, obesity is the leading cause of diabetes in the US. The rise of diabetes in the US is directly correlated to the rise in obesity and weight loss in most cases is curative.
 

zinger1457

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Are you speaking from experience? Modern research into the obesity epidemic indicates that willpower has very little to do with it. Your body fights really, really hard to maintain what it thinks is the proper weight.

No, not speaking from personal experience. There's no question it isn't easy to lose weight and keep it off, just as I'm sure quitting smoking isn't easy for someone who has been doing it for years. Every study I've read seems to show that losing weight and keeping it off my eating less (starving yourself) doesn't work for most in the long run. If your diet consist of the right nutritious foods (mostly vegetables, fruits, fish, etc.), and your doing a reasonable amount of exercise then you can eat at a level where you're not starving yourself and still lose weight, or at least maintain what you've lost.
 

Liz Wolf-Spada

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I was originally prescribed doxycycline for mycoplasma infection that combined with herpes 5 and 6 virus in my body was making me very sick. I was shocked by the price of the doxy, $100 WITH insurance. It also made me feel nauseous to the point of vomiting. The doctor changed me to zithromax and it is way cheaper and I have no side effects, which is good, as I am supposed to take it for a year.
LIz
 

WinniWoman

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Are you speaking from experience? Modern research into the obesity epidemic indicates that willpower has very little to do with it. Your body fights really, really hard to maintain what it thinks is the proper weight. That is why people go on TV and lose hundreds of pounds, and almost all of them gain it back, plus 10% more, because it is unrealistic for them to maintain the combination of intensity of exercise and control of caloric intake that let them overcome what their biology is trying to do. Thin people don't exercise the way they do on The Biggest Loser; in fact almost no one other than professional athletes do. If it were simply a matter of "willpower", then such an unrealistic effort would not be necessary.

If you look at the spread of the obesity epidemic, you will be shocked at how it mimics the spread of disease; if it were simply related to "willpower", then it would appear across the entire population equally, but in fact it has spread regionally, then nationally, and in a predictable fashion.

GIF of the spread of obesity in the US, 1985-2010

Worldwide, the pattern is the same, indicating that it is not an American problem, but a human problem.

Modern researchers are looking into the role of the endocrine system and into the role of the balance of gut bacteria, and sociological researchers are looking into the effects of poverty and lifestyle. Increasingly, evidence is showing that there is no one thing, but rather a combination of things that are making humans all over the world gain and hold excess weight. And it has little or nothing to do with people taking the easy way out.

Speaking as someone who has spent his entire life gaining and losing weight, I have more than a casual interest in the science of bariatrics, and I understand how those who are not directly affected by the epidemic can be mis-informed. But you have never known what it feels like to lose 85 pounds over 18 months, and then gain back 100 over the next 5 years at less than half a pound per week. Your body has decided that you need to weigh a certain number, and it wants you there, and it is going to add a little bit more to add a buffer just in case your weight stops dropping. After almost 40 years of this (at 60 now), I decided that quality of emotional life is more important than quality of physical life. Someone else might make a different decision, and I won't hold that against them. Just like I expect my choice to not be held against me.

I have to agree- finally someone who gets it! I am so sick of people calling overweight people lazy and assuming they are pig outs. I am a perfect example and I was a Wellness Director for a hospital based weight loss program!

I have exercised one hour 7 days per week for 20 years. I get up at 4 am to workout BEFORE going to work ( and work takes up 11 hours of my day!). Eat 1/4 cup of oatmeal in the am with blueberries;Greek yogurt after exercising. A salad everyday for lunch with balsamic vinegar and a light meal (for ex fish like salmon. flounder) with vegetables and maybe some rice or potatoes. Sometimes pasta. All put on a small plate. I am a pesci-vegetarian.(eat fish). I allow myself wine on weekends- maybe some dark chocolate or a cup of ice cream. Drink lots of water all day. Never eat after 7pm. My job- I am active- I am in sales and drive around and get in and out of the car like 15 times or more a day- carrying things, going up stairs, etc. Yet- even though I initially lost 65 lbs. when I started my exercise and diet routine 20 years ago- and DIDN'T Change anything- over the years I have gained the weight back- on THE SAME DIET and EXERCISE routine! I am 58 years old- also clean my own house and do home projects- not a slouch by any sense of the imagination.More active than a lot of youngsters! Active on vacations- the gym, biking, hiking, walking, etc. Of course, with age and the weight gain- I do have some arthritis- I am a bit slower in these activities.

Now -I work with a couple of very thin people- both of them my age and don't exercise- have lots of energy- eat whatever they want- pizza and pasta for lunch (while I sit there with my salad)- snack on candy or whatever during the day. I will say they are both very hyper. One woman I work with eats nothing but Doritos all day at her desk- only eats dinner! She has a nice shape. There is another woman at work who doesn't eat all day- only coffee-and only one meal at dinner- and she is very overweight.

Interesting what you said about gut bacteria because all of a sudden I have developed a slight GERD problem and am now taking probiotics (eating yogurt daily is evidently not enough) and I also take Vitamin D3, since my levels were low(interesting as I am outside a lot for work most of the time)

Anyway, I just don't get it.
:wall:
 
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Beaglemom3

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I have to agree- finally someone who gets it! I am so sick of people calling overweight people lazy and assuming they are pig outs. I am a perfect example and I was a Wellness Director for a hospital based weight loss program!

I have exercised one hour 7 days per week for 20 years. I get up at 4 am to workout BEFORE going to work ( and work takes up 11 hours of my day!). Eat 1/4 cup of oatmeal in the am with blueberries;Greek yogurt after exercising. A salad everyday for lunch with balsamic vinegar and a light meal (for ex fish like salmon. flounder) with vegetables and maybe some rice or potatoes. Sometimes pasta. All put on a small plate. I am a pesci-vegetarian.(eat fish). I allow myself wine on weekends- maybe some dark chocolate or a cup of ice cream. Drink lots of water all day. Never eat after 7pm. My job- I am active- I am in sales and drive around and get in and out of the car like 15 times or more a day- carrying things, going up stairs, etc. Yet- even though I initially lost 65 lbs. when I started my exercise and diet routine- and DIDN'T Change anything- over the years I have gained the weight back- on THE SAME DIET and EXERCISE routine! I am 58 years old- also clean my own house and do home projects- not a slouch by any sense of the imagination.More active than a lot of youngsters! Active on vacations- the gym, biking, hiking, walking, etc.

Now I work with a couple of very thin people- both of them my age and don't exercise- have lots of energy- eat whatever they want- pizza and pasta for lunch (while I sit there with my salad)- snack on candy or whatever during the day. I will say they are both very hyper. One woman I work with eats nothing but Doritos all day at her desk- only eats dinner! She has a nice shape.

Interesting what you said about gut bacteria because all of a sudden I have developed a slight GERD problem and am now taking probiotics (eating yogurt daily is evidently not enough) and I also take Vitamin D3, since my levels were low(interesting as I am outside a lot for work most of the time)

Anyway, I just don't get it.
:wall:


Please ask your PCP to check your thyroid.






-
 

WinniWoman

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Innseason Pollard Brook
He has. Shows nothing.

Sometimes I think- what is the point? I am getting up at the crack of dawn and exercising. I am tired before I even get to work. Meanwhile the thinner people are not doing this....But I keep plugging along..figure it should at least be good for my heart and bones.To look at me- I look healthy except for the overweight.(I sort of carry it well).

Then again- look at all the people who exercise and drop dead of a heart attack, etc.

I know another women who is very thin and does exercise every day and she has to take FOSOMAX!:(
 
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