Dear Pharmacist: Thinking Outside the Pillbox: Vitamins As Insurance'

yeahright

yeahright

Well-known member
Awards
1
  • Established
Dear Pharmacist: Thinking Outside the Pillbox: Vitamins As Insurance'

Tulsa World

06-14-06

Question: My ophthalmologist recently told me I had macular degeneration. On a scale of one to 10, he said it's a one. He sold me a bottle of vitamins (60 tabs) for $20. I feel that I have been ripped off. -- R.B., Boynton Beach, Fla.

Answer: Part of the healing process for people is their belief in a treatment; that's why placebos (sugar pills) can work for the desperately ill. If the supplement you got contains any or all of these ingredients, then it is valuable: Vitamin A, E, C, omega-3 fatty acids, copper, bilberry, lutein, zinc, zeaxanthin. There are many brand names for these over-the-counter formulas.

Let's talk about getting "ripped off" when buying vitamins. It happens sometimes because supplements are not always pure, or they fail to contain what the label says they do. I am also cognizant of the fact that you spent $20 for this product when your vision is still pretty good. But it may be about perception, too.

Getting Americans out of the mindset of "I'm sick now, fix me with this pill" to the state of mind that thinks, "I don't want to get sick, so I'll prevent illness with this supplement," is really hard! It's a mind-boggling concept for people who are not accustomed to putting money into their body as a method of "health insurance."

Suppose for a minute that your eyesight has indeed deteriorated, because it will as you get older. Fathom that maybe, just maybe, your doctor wants to help and is thinking outside the pillbox, and knows about nutritional interventions to improve eyesight. Let's fast-forward 10 years and imagine that you are blind, but your hindsight is 20-20, and you look back to realize that your doctor cared enough to bother recommend ing something to you in order to put off the inevitable for another decade or two.

Do you honestly think your doctor has so much time on his hands that he needs to pitch a supplement to you so he can make $5 extra bucks off you? And what is the actual cost to you? At $20 a bottle for 60 pills taken twice daily . . . hmmm, that amounts to $10 per eye each month, which breaks down to 33 cents per eye per day. Not bad insurance for your eyes.

If you don't have any genuine concern for losing your vision, and you don't fear that your eyesight will deteriorate from a "one" to a "nine" on the scale you mention, then don't take the supplement. Take your chances instead.

Did you know? The FDA just approved a new drug for Parkinson's: Azilect. Side effects include involuntary movements, hallucinations and low blood pressure.

This information is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist. To contact her, visit Welcome to Dear Pharmacist, Inc..
 

Similar threads


Top