GOOD RX

365 Days of Thanksliving — Day 322

Ain’t nothing like good advice.

Backstory: So, on this new way of eating and all things tirzepatide... I know, I sound like a broken record. Sorry, Chary, this is my blog. (Here’s me sticking my tongue out at ya). LAUGH LUTHERANS!

Anyway, as I was saying, for the second night in a row, I awoke in the middle of the night with man-cramps. Now, I don’t know if that's actually a thing, but if it isn't, I’m officially trademarking it. If what I’ve felt the last two nights is anything remotely close to what the ladies go through monthly, or when they’re nearing childbirth—well, just let me say, ladies, I feel ya. My apologies for ever doubting you.

Goodness, the cramping pain. After tossing, turning, and eventually getting up to belch like Belushi just to help some of the trapped gut gas escape, I finally fell back asleep. But when I awoke, my stomach still felt like a snare drum. It wasn’t long before I fired up the PC and Googled, “best solutions to relieve midnight stomach pain and bloating.” Naturally, the brilliant, non-human web-bots of Dr. Google prescribed more fiber.

Well, I probably hadn’t been getting enough, a fact made glaringly obvious by my morning... painful irregularity. (I’m trying to, ahem, be “discreet” here). Being a non-medical type, the internet's advice sounded perfectly reasonable to me.

Fast forward a couple of hours. I’d finished up chapel service at the local nursing home and zipped over to the local pharmacy. Armed with what I assumed was top-tier web wisdom, I inquired about the best solutions for fiber—gummies and the like. Smartly, one of the pharmacy techs looked at me and politely suggested I talk to the actual pharmacist himself. Okay, I thought.

A minute later, he came out and introduced himself. I gave it to him straight: I was on day five of Zepbound, I was experiencing major cramping, and my morning bathroom excursions currently felt like passing a literal brick. “Would fiber help?” I asked.

Well, the good doc gently suggested a few other products, noting that dumping fiber on top of the log jam could actually exacerbate things and make it all worse. Wowzers, I mused. Who was I to argue? This man went to school for all things pharmacology and inherently knows a million times more than a search algorithm.

Now that’s some Good RX, isn’t it?

Today I’m thankful for the great, personal advice the pharmacist gave. Had I not asked, I might’ve made matters exponentially worse, and those bricks might’ve turned my innards into a cement mixer. (I guess that wouldn’t have been very funny, would it?) Anyway, the Springfield pharmacy gets a massive thumbs-up from me. Great service. Great advice. Wonderful business.

What are you thankful for today?