Diane said:

"A few months ago, my DH went to the doctor with a complaint for which I
had
suggested a really cheap OTC drug that he hadn't yet tried.  The doctor
gave
him a fistful of samples of a prescription alternative to the OTC drug,
and
a prescription for more.  DH used the samples, got relief, then asked
the
pharmacist about the cost of the prescription med, and learned it was
high.
He asked the pharmacist if it made sense to start with the OTC.
"Absolutely!"  said the pharmacist.  "No sense using this more potent
drug
if you don't need it!"  DH decided to start with the OTC med, and found
it
gave him *almost* as much relief as the free samples had.  He's never
filled
the prescription."

I had a similar experience when my first child was a baby (18 years
ago). He had an ear infection and we were given a "free sample" of a new
antibiotic. When we ran out after five days and went to fill the other
half of the prescription it was going to cost us $45.00!!! This was 18
years ago. The pharmacist asked what was going on that my little one
needed such a potent drug! I called the doctor who was shocked at the
cost of the drug and told me to switch it to Augmentin. Talk about bad
medicine!!! No wonder we have such antibiotic resistance in our culture.
Whew! That was when I switched to a homeopath...never regretted it yet.

Susan

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