I take Adderall 10mgs.
I take it in order to focus at work and not feel really sleepy all the time. In high school I used to buy it from people in school. In college, I finally got prescribed by a doctor after a bunch of tests.
I maintain the habit because it makes me super-human.

Liquid chlorophyll: w/ peppermint extract
moving from San Francisco to NYC meant less frequent access to organic vegetables & fruits at home, due to the price and location where I live. I found over time this affected my energy and focus. I also tend to drink less water. This stuff is tasty & refreshing...so I’m more inclined to hydrate. A good friend of mine who is a triathlete swears by it...among other supplements I’d like to incorporate. Perhaps because it tastes good, this is the only thing I manage to take daily w/ regularity while other vitamins get stuck in the back of the cupboard.

Sumatriptan Succinate tablets 100mg
5-HT receptor agonist.
-For migraines, 2x against every two weeks, when I have migraine
-doctor prescribed

Iron Complex
Brand—Now
I take them b/c I’m low on iron. I found out because a friend’s mother was hospitalized and urgently needed blood. 16 pints. At the last minute we found donors for her and only b/c her sister was a nurse with contacts. The next week my aunt, who is severely anemic, was hospitalized. So we had to go through the same thing again. It sucked being helpless. I’m very bad at taking them regularly.

daily
-multi-vitamin
-I take this to strengthen my immune system and sustain general health
-White pill (larger)
pro-biotic Brand: PB8
-I take take this at night or whenever I have a stomach ache or eat something “bad”
-purchase from whole foods
-white pill (smaller)
Probiotic Brand: Bio-Kult
-I take this every morning with warm water and apple cider vinegar before eating anything
-I purchase it online from the UK
-It was recommended to me by a Dr. who developed the GAPs diet.
-I have celiacs disease and an auto-immune disorder.
I used to get chronic stomach aches and eczema so I began following the GAPs diet that requires I take probiotics and FCLO.
-brownish capsule
Fermented cod liver oil
Purchase online from the UK -Small green pill — chlorella — my mom gave them to me when I was sick Weed / Marijuana — bought if from a medical weed dispensary in Atwater
-I use it to alter my state of mind
Strain -> Purple - Tangy
Sativa.
-I only smoke sativa.

I think medicinal drug habits, as well as any other habit or routine is passed down from parents to their children. We are brought up trusting our parents with this decision, and as we grow up it usually become ingrained in our life/lifestyle. Not a lot of people question their decision and actually research the alternatives. Personally I don’t take anything on a regular basis because I don’t need to be treated for anything. I believe in natural remedies when I do need treatment because I was raised that way and I understand what and where the medicine is coming from.

My motivations for drug use in general has always been recreational or for somewhat therapeutic purposes. Of all drugs I have experimented w/, the ones I use the most are the following: Marijuana — 4/5x per week
I began smoking regularly when I was 17. My motivations for smoking are recreational, and I usually smoke for pain relief (PMS, headaches). I tend to smoke alone or w/ boyfriends/close friends. Ecstasy - 2/3x per month My ecstasy use is recreational, only used as a ‘party drug.’ I find that I enjoy it as a social experience, but don’t find myself dependent on it as I do w/ smoking weed. Melatonin - 5mg per night (most nights)
My father has insomnia and so do I, so I take melatonin as a natural sleep aid.
Naproxen — 1/2 x per month, one tablet
used solely for pain relief.

I started smoking marijuana recreationally at the age of 13. My friend Amy introduced me. I continued to take it recreationally through my teens but began taking it for stress, muscle ache, insomnia in my early 20’s. I smoke daily. Mosten at night but also according to my needs. I also use marijuana to enhance thought process or to counteract negative feelings and thoughts. I am not addicted to marijuana and have taken breaks from using it according to my schedule & living situations.

I don’t take pills — not against taking pills, especially conventional medicine. I only take medicine if I absolutely have to. But I usually I try not to take anything — I try to get vitamins from eating healthy nutritious food + drink lots of water always. My parents never had me take pills maybe that’s why I don’t. Tried some recreational drugs but don’t take any — don’t really interest me, never think about it.

I don’t take any meds, any pills, any vitamins. I don’t feel the need to, I’ve not been diagnosed with anything. Birth control pills make me sick, I’ve tried 4 different brands, so I gave up. I don’t take any chemical drugs because I don’t aim to be high...when I go out.

Hairburst
I started taking it because I was searching for a way to better the condition of my hair, which has been badly damaged during the last years. It’s a 3-month thing, so I’ll just trust that it will work and keep on taking it for the advised duration. I found it on Instagram, actually. A woman I follow posted about it and I got interested. I hesitated for about 2 months, but then bought it online.

Duloxetine (half blue/half white capsule) 30 mg per capsule
I take two of these every night. I attempted a suicide a few months ago and was prescribed this anti-depressant by my doctor to help with my depression. Norgestimate & Ethinyl Estradiol (small white tablet) 250 mg per capsule
I asked my doctor for a low dose birth control pill because I have a sensitive and someach and this is what he prescribed me. (one per night) Mesalamine (giant blue capsule) 500 per capsule
I take 2 of these 3 times a day. I went to the emergency room because I was vomiting blood, had stomach pains, my body hurt, and I had a fever, for 10 days straight. After days of being hospitalized the doctor figured out I had have Crohn’s disease. I have to take these medications to help control symptoms a little bit, but there’s no cure and I can’t eat most foods now. This pill is an antibiotic to stop my infections that could irritate my stomach further. Budesonide (half orange/ half grey capsule) 3 mg per capsule
I take 3 of these in the morning. This is a steroid prescribed my doctor to also help with my Crohn’s disease. Norco (white tablet) 5mg hydrocodone/325mg Acetaminophen per tablet
This is a heavy painkiller similar to morphine prescribed by my doctor for the pain I get from Crohn’s. Sometimes my stomach hurts so much I can’t get out of bed. This medication is highly addictive and very strong. I can’t take it if I need to drive. I can take 1 tablet every six hours as needed for pain. I usually take 3 in a day, but the most I’ve taken in one day was 7 when the pain was especially bad.

“Cipralex” -> Teva-Escitalopram
Escitalopram Oxalate
DIN 02318180 I think I have struggled with depression and anxiety most of my life but only started taking medication for it two years ago after I finally ended an abusive relationship where the police had to get involved. Both of my parents are on anti-depressants so I talked to my doctor after having an anxiety attack. I started taking 20mg of cipralex because my mom was on it. It was a strange adjustment and they made me sleepy and lazy. In the spring I went down to 10mg and incorporated 150mg of wellbutrin to counteract the negative effects of the cipralex. Since then, It’s been about a year, I take the small white pill every night at 11pm before bed and I take the larger white pill as soon as I wake up, usually 7am. I think they have really helped me. My Dad was on Wellbutrin but isn’t anymore and my Mom is also on 10mg of cipralex. I don’t have any plans of going off of them any time soon, I feel generally balanced and engaged and awake now that that I’ve worked out my dosage.

Spironolactone - for cystic acne which is a weird sort of acne that I get on my face. I take the pills so they don’t appear because they take a long time (a month-ish) to go away naturally. I had been on this previously and stopped after a while after starting grad school the issue reappeared so I got a new script. maybe it is stress related. I had tried homeopathic remedies before going back on the medicine but they weren’t as successful.

Weed
it’s a way of quieting my insecurities

the b12 vitamin pill (daily)
since june 2015
dose: 500 mcg As a vegetarian I need to take the b12 supplement: it is a vitamin that lacks to the non meat diet. My boy friend who convinced me to shift back to vegetarianism last winter introduced me to the necessity to take b12 vitamin as a daily supplement. I was once vegetarian before but went back to eating meat after feeling so tired – So today I have trying to find a healthy balance by taking this pill daily. I am not sure if the dose is good 500 gr. to high or too low. but I keep taking it. Strafysagria pill
homeopatical pill
dose: 15ch 2 gr (3 pills weekly once or monthly) This plant has been recommanded to me by my homeopath in order to lower stress in certain “crisis” moment. When facing stress I can start scratching my head and when I see this sign happening nervously I take 3 pills of strafinsagria. It is very light and can be taken as often as needed. It feels like a sweet and caring plant.

Prescription medication for the treatment of endometriosis
Name: Normin-1
Also known as brevinor 500-35
Dosage: 1 pill/day
contains: norethisterone 1mg/eshinyloestradiol 35 micrograms reason for medication:
-Diagnosed w/ mild to severe developing case of endometriosis
-Commonly overlooked condition amongst women– often disregarded and symptoms dismissed as ‘moody’, ‘temporemental’, typical female behaviour– what’s normal?
-pursued invasive surgery (required for diagnosis) in desperate attempt to find root of the cause for severe physical pain, plus associated mood/energy/psychological balance levels
-Endometriosis often referred to as an ‘enigma’– little known, so many undiagnosed cases
-Medication balances hormone levels + clear mind + alleviates pain
-1x pill/day raises brevinor levels to mitigate high oestrogen levels.
-Chose to research symptoms to explain shift in moods + energy; knew I wasn’t my usual balanced and centered self.
-Now reliant on this prescribed medication to reinstate & maintain a healthy internal climate to reproduce (fertility) Reason for participating– to raise awareness for Endometriosis. More blood = higher oestrogen levels
change agent - prostraglandin.

-white circle - digestive enzyme, I take with/after meals to help me digest food. I take a few times a week depending on the meals
-pink circle - aspirin, I took for a while because I had a period of insomnia and it made me drowsy. I rarely take now
-white pill - linzess digestive perscription. my doctor from a few years ago perscribed this to me to help with my stomach complications. took in the morning on an empty stomach. I stopped taking recently because I did not think it was helping.
-brown - multivitamin, from whole foods. I try to take daily but my routine habits are bad and I often don’t remember.

1 white transparent orange pill–Ultimate flora “Women’s complete” 90 Billion –> I started taking this daily on and off for the past two years. I was diagnosed by my chinese doctor/Accupuncturist with candida (pretty common fungal overgrowth in the stomach). This probiotic is recommended to help restore balance in the digestive system, and put live bacteria in the system that candida has destroyed. Probiotics are always recommended when treating candida symptoms– yeast infection, skin rashes, digestive problems. 1 green large transparent pill– Immune system support from Erewhon– just started taking this (daily) a month ago. I have read articles and was told by a couple pharmacists who sell homeopathic remedies that it is important to supplement probiotics with different strands of immune system support. I usually go for some months without taking either of the two, and then if I have problems with candida I will buy different brands and strands of probiotics– I no longer take antibiotics for candida as it has been found (read research + several chinese doctors have told me) to destroy the “good bacteria” in the gut, and cause fungal overgrowth in the gut. 2 teaspoon of yellow/brown powder– I take this amount every 4 hours every day– have done this for the past 2 years. Every 2 months, my chinese doctor (herbalist/Accupuncturist) creates a formula for me, made up of different kinds of Chinese herbs that are designed to treat whatever current issues I have. Those herbs are common in Chinese medicine and help remedy ailments over the long-term. This particular doctor was recommended to me by old friends who have gone to him for decades. I have had other Chinese doctors in the cities I lived in before. Sometimes these formulas are more bitter, or more sweet depending on the blend. The dose the amount and kind of herbs following a series of tests he conduct on me (checking multiple pulses, looking at pigment on different parts of the tongue) and after a long conversation where I describe all of my symptoms– and he diagnose what has changed or improved from the previous visit. This is followed by a diet I am to follow– for candida I avoid sugar, wheat, dairy and fermented things or products with yeast.

I am terrible at remembering to take pills and I prefer not to take anything if I don’t have to what I have here is BIRTH CONTROL which I’ve been taking since I was 18 or 19. Then vitamin supplements that my mom sent me because I feel so sleepy during winter. I think it’s related to what I eat. The last pill is MELATONIN which is the best cure for jetlag!! I promise.

Blue pill– Lamitrogine 200 mg
Smallest Pill- Lamitrogine 25 mg
White round pill- Bupropion 150 mg To manage diagnosed bipolar II disorder
(early onset diagnosis @ age 15)
Did not start taking medication to manage it until Feb.2013 (age 23) Large gel pills (2)- Vitamin D3 2,000 IU To manage diagnosed vitamin D deficiency, (I’m vegan which contributes to it)
Also– wintertime only

My sister takes a lot of supplements and she takes the pill and and and. She’s a very strict vegetarian and has a lot of deficiencies. I don’t… I feel ok…And regarding the pill: I’m not in a stable relationship and don’t want to mess with my cycle…

red– IB Prof.– Tylenol –> headaches
blue– Sleeping– cant sleep, take too much caffeine
brown– Spleen– Accupuncturist prescribed– Don’t digest properly
yellow– Vit C– To prevent getting sick bc I’m over-worked

Birth control (Lo Loestrin Fe): I started taking it because my boyfriend and I don’t really like condoms. I started to always think I was pregnant so I knew I needed another contraceptive. I was a little hesitant to go back on the pill because before it lowered my sex drive– and in general I don’t want to mess with my hormones. I was also scared because I smoke and a sex ed teacher once told us that smoking on birth control is the worst thing you can do for your blood. But it seemed like the easiest choice and I told myself I would quit smoking (I didn’t), and now I’m back on it.

Flaxseed Oil: I started taking them because my dad is a big believer on healthy vitamins + other pills. This is a pill he likes that doesn’t bother my stomach or throat. It was the only full bottle he had to pack in my suitcase (but just 3 days ago he told me he mixed me a multivitamin, calcium, and garlic pill). I don’t necessarily believe it does anything– but I take it everyday to keep a routine + feel healthy + taken care of. I think it’s good for digestion + maybe also for you heart.

Vitamin D: My dad bought me those, but I would buy them & take them even if he didn’t. My doctor told me I had a vitamin D deficiency + that my body probably doesn’t take vitamin D well. I hear it’s also a very important vitamin for women + hapiness + general health. I also hear it is helpful to absorb calcium + that is another thing I am concerned about because my mom + grandma have joint problems. My grandma stopped being able to walk when she was 50 so my mom says getting (and absorbing) calcium is particularly important for us.

I don’t take pills because I prefer water!

-cod liver tablets x2 a day. clear pill.
-Orange pill. vitamin C one a day.

Nuvaring–started for irregular/heavy periods, contrived for birth control
prescribed by my gynecologist after I tried several other forms of birth control pills to regulate my period. One of them (seasonique) made me feel crazy. My doctor recommended Nuvaring and I liked the idea because I don’t have to remember to take a pill every day. Now I use it to regulate my period and as a primary form of birth control. Sertraline generic for (Zoloft), 200 mg/day
prescribed by a psychiatrist in a hospital psychiatric ward for suicidal ideation and severe depression. Dose increased to 200mg after multiple hospital stays and suicide attempts (2011). Now, self-regulated dosage. I recently went to the doctor to increase dosage to 200mg (I had been taking 150 mg/day) because I hadn’t been doing well. I had never met this doctor before. He said “ok” and wrote the prescription without ever asking me what I meant by “not doing well.” I want to go off of my meds sometimes but I am afraid.

Wellbutrin- antidepressent, ADHD, energy, self-motivated visit to a psychiatrist who diagnosed me with depression, anxiety and ADHD. It motivates me to do things with my life, it helps me to not be lethargic and pensive all day. It gives me confidence in social situations and curbs my over-indulgence in sweet foods. I go off of it occasionally because it gives me bad acne but the acne is worth happiness. Trazadone- Antidepressent used as a sleeping pill at night. I get anxiety and at night which leaves me awake for hours. Macafem- Balance female hormones. Self diagnosed hormonal imbalance due to clear consistent symptoms and extensive online medical research- i.e. mayo clinic, webmd, university research/reports. Symptoms- low libido, acne, irregular periods, had PMS, cramps, weight gain, fatigue, depression and mood swings. Flaxseed Oil- Hormone regulation- estrogen boost. Hormone imbalance due to high levels of testosterone- extensive medical research. Wellbutrin increases dopamine and subsequently testosterone- further complicating my hormonal imbalance and thus making my acne worse. Vitamin A- Cod liver oil, helps improve acne, read online medical research about acne. Evening Primrose Oil- Recommended by herbalist at a health center for regulating cramps and PMS symptoms. Probiotic- Regulates digestion and my IBS, eases stomach pains. Common knowledge. Women's One-A-Day- Common knowledge to regulate healthy levels of vitamins + nutrients in women. B-12- Energy. Recommended by my mother (also common knowledge) Biotin- My mother has always taken it for healthier nails + hair and I take it when I notice stress or anxiety is weakening my hair and nails. Black Cohosh- I have done extensive research on symptoms of different types of hormonal imbalances- both through credited medical research as well as through online forums and have concluded that I have & low levels of estrogen which can be improved by this herbal medicine that has high natural levels of estrogen. Dong Quai- Also a natural estrogen enhancement recommended on several “natural hormone” website that provide ways to balance different hormone imbalances naturally.

PINK-Pepto Bismol. I probably take this because of all its advertising. Sometimes I take it before eating out (airplane food, street food, at a restaurant while traveling) as preventive medicine for food poisoning or indigestion. RED- Cranberry powder (store brand). This is preventive too, for UTIs and general health. I keep reading that cranberry juice isn’t strong enough but then another article in a women’s magazine will say to drink it… so, better safe than sorry. BLUE-Aleeve. For cramps, also preventive (taking two right before my period starts) or for headaches. In the US, these are OTC but in Canada they’re behind the counter. Once I had 6 or 8 in one day and felt ill and thought I was ODing. They are supposedly not great for your stomach or maybe kidneys, but one of the few OTC painkillers that’s (seems) effective for cramps. BROWN-Fibre. Also preventive, while traveling or, sporadically, through the week, when I’m eating badly. Fibre seems to be the diagnosis for all humans in North America, and one of the supplements doctors seem to actually agree on. Also I eat lots of junk food, little fruit and veg. BEIGE-Probiotic. Preventive, while traveling, to support digestion.

Growing up we never had any type of pills. MY mother always made house hold remedies for any type of casual pain or sickness. So I grew up thinking most discomforts are in the mind. -My mother is a very traditional mexican mother that grew up in a different generation where over the counter pills were not easily available. I believe this influenced me not to take pilss for everything–or to even have them in my apartment.

Complete A to Z vitamine (will email your exact name)
I take vitamine everyday to supply myself with all the extra’s you need because I follow a diet. (vegetarian/gluten free) need something extra to help my imune system to be powerful.

Grosse pâle [Big pale]:
St-John’s Wort –> Mon chum me l’a conseillé [My boyfriend recommended]
0,3% Hypercine
Standardized 300 mg
Mild sedative for relief of restlessness, nervousness and symptoms of insomnia Petite Brune [Small brown] –> Ma mère me l’a conseillé [My mother recommended]
Relaxen Night
Nighttime stress Management
promotes Relaxation & sleep Daytime Stress Formula featuring Rhodiola
Relaxation & Stress Reduction
Recommandation: Friend

Je n’aimerais pas être dependante de pilules… Je me sens mieux sans. [I wouldn’t like to be dependent on pills… I feel better without.]

host defense organic mushrooms
Turkey Tail- Immune support
I started taking this pill after being diagnosed with HPV after some online research and a check in with my doctor I began taking it twice a day Weed= ocassionally smoke marijuana as a form of stress relief

Yellow hued with brown speckles- vegan multivitamin with iron
I take this to ensure I am receiving the proper nutrients that I am not consuming as a vegan- was recommended by my nutritionist. Large Brown- Maca powder in capsule form
I take this because I read somewhere- likely on the internet- that it is a natural energy booster. I was struggling with my energy levels at the time and decided to give it a try- this was about two years ago and I have been taking it daily since then. Translucent yellow football shape- vitamin D
I just started taking this again at the recommendation of another vegan friend. I used to take it when I lived in the pacific northwest as my mood changed due to lack of sunlight. I haven’t really noticed a specific effect recently. Creme capsule-Probiotic
This is prescribed by my nutritionist- once I started taking it I felt immediate relief from my digest issues. Light Brown//Beige capsule- Niacin
This was recommended by my nutritionist for my insomnia. It has been helping me the past year + ½ with sleep related issues.

Magnesium white one: 2x week. My friend told me that it helped her for depression. I don’t know much about it actually and I usual forget to take them. Iron: As a vegetarian I’m iron deficient. I got it at an organic store. they are less aggressive than other iron pills and I should take them everyday before breakfast but I do less than once a week.

Quetiapine 25mg
small pale pink tablet; LU stamped on one side, Y15 on the other taken for nighttime anxiety, also a sleep aid prescribed by my doctor after suicidal thoughts during the night and chronic insomnia. Now I find I can’t sleep without it. If I don’t take it I get sweaty and extremely nervous (jittery) during the night. I also have very negative thoughts such as suicide and general self deprecation; also intense fear of monsters/demons which are completely imaginary.
Vestura 3 mg (birth contro)
small pink (salmon) and yellow pills; stamped with 982 on one side, and “watson” on the other. I asked for these as a way to lighten my period. Previous periods had such bad cramps I would sometimes black out, and would last an entire week. Also to help with my acne, though it does very little for that. I heard about the acne benefits from online, and friends.
I continue to take it to make my periods lighter, and so I have some protection while having sex. I also use a condom, however, because I have heard from the internet and TV that birth control is not 100% effective when used by itself.
I am a slight hypocondriac; so having my period every month (which the pill allows, but with other types of birth control your period can stop completely) gives me some peace of mind that I’m probably not pregnant.

I only take birth control. The pill I am currently taking is called Mercilon. I have been using it for many years now. Probably more than 5 or 6 years. The reason why I am taking pills is not primarily for birth control but because I have some hormonal issues, that can only be treated by pill. I took medical tests when I was a teenager and we noticed that I had hormonal unbalance among other things. I keep seeing a doctor once a year. I know it is good for my health. I usually don’t like taking drugs, but the pill is a benefit to my health. Not all drugs are evil.

A constant in my life has been the struggle to cease my need to control everything. For a spell in my early twenties I was in the habit of controlling my sleep, night after night, not allowing myself to sleep.
Melatonin was a solution between midnight and 4am. It’s gotten better overtime.

I’ve seen way too many souls destroyed by drugs to ever have the desire to take them.

birth control: avoid pregnancy + hormonal balance.
advil: I get some of the worse migraines ever. The type that light and loud noise starts to become unbearable. Advil is the quickest relief.
Mobic: For occasional lower back pain of inflammation.
Turmeric powder: really good anti-oxidant plus immunity boosting tea. I also use it to cook with, but mostly make tea out of it.

No drugs.
Try to find natural remedies for anything if possible.

1.round peach 93 mark Fexofenadien allergy medicine. I’m allergic to southern California, dust, driness.
2.Oblong white calcium magnesium zinc. for bones reccomendation of my mother. Helps with mood stability
3.Oval white lysine amino acid. I get fever blisters easily. Lysine is an amino acid that when properly balanced helps to prevent mouth sores caused by the herpes virus.
4.B complex vitamin-B6, B12
orange oval pill 200-600 mg Ibuprofen (description varies) OTC painkiller. Always taken with 9-12 oz water (for kidney health) reduces inflammation,including the minor brain swelling that accompanies depressive tendencies. Stopping what I’m doing to take a pill, drink water, and sit still is a balm for my anxiety and its aches.

I do not currently take any pills– no prescriptions, vitamins or supplements. Occasionally in the winter I will pop a vitamin D or two, because I’ve heard that’s an important thing to do, but I don’t remember to do it very often. I know I probably should take vitamins, whatever the basic, most important ones are, (D?C?B12?) but frankly. I am too broke right now. And I eat quite healthily so I think I get most of what I need from food.
I stopped taking oral birth control in fall 2012 because I got a hormone-free IUD. Even though I was on the lowest dosage of hormones pills. I felt like it really affected my temperament. And I just wanted to know my emotions were genuine.
I was prescribed anti-depressants in 2012 but I never took them. I guess I thought cognitive behavioral therapy would work better for me, and I think it did. I don’t know why I am so adverse to pills. My friends joke that it’s because I spent my formative years in Vancouver, so Maybe on some level I buy into the belief that most things can be cured w hot yoga and some green juice. UGH.

x2 probiotics
-After a year of skin allergies that appeared out of nowhere (facial blushes…) I couldn’t figure out what was the cause and couldn’t really control it. a friend recomended I took probiotics as the skin is very much linked to the digestive system. So since I started the symptoms were very much reduced. And ever since I have been hooked for the last 2 years.

At the time of the photograph I wasn’t taking any pills, or perhaps a digestive aid called Digest. More, a natural supplement to help with an occasionally faulty digestion. I’ve been prescribed Ativan, but I’ve refused to take it. I don’t want to become addicted to a pharmaceutical drug that messes with my emotions, especially because I don’t have a crippling case of anxiety, quite the contrary. The occasional panic attack only. But I always prefer natural supplements even if they might be placebo (the power of the mind! how cool, no?) Of course I can’t avoid the occasional antibiotic for an infection, but I am generally healthy which is why I don’t rely on a pill regularly. The winter will call for some extra vitamin D supplements to avoid the blues, but that’s another story.

Red Pills Ibuprofen-
Mostly for headaches and/or hangovers white pill= Zinc- for my immune system; too prevent colds

small green pill: this is my birth control. I went for a process with my doctor to land at this particular birth control pill because all the other pills were driving me crazy this with mood swing so after several trials she gave me the lowest possible dose of hormones. Excedrin pill: I started taking excedrin for this terrible headaches I was getting last year every night. And out of custom I keep taking them. Now I feel like I can’t sleep well without it. I change the dose from 2 to 1 pill because I figure this is not really good for my body. I want to stop taking it and be free of it. Vitamin D: In the winter I was getting sick with a cold every two to three weeks and my doctor recommend taking vitamin D as a supplement. I haven’t stop taking it in the summer because it actually help a lot and I was able to notice the difference after I took it.

I came to use birthcontrol pills through a medical association of women who have been advocating for women rights and birthcontrol in Italy since the 1970s. My family never spoke about that and almost none of my friends were using birthcontrol when I started using it.

Cerazette– contraceptive pill, don’t want any more children. Sertraline– Antidepressant (SSRI) I took this for a week & gave up because I couldn’t function. Occasionally I take it if I want to have a day where I don’t think or care about anything. Migraine Pills– the sertraline makes my migraines worse Proplus– If I work nights & have to be aware for the school run. Weekends are worse, I can be working until 6 am, then up for another day with my daughter, back to work & up for the school run on Monday. Forceval– Multivitamins. I’m on liquid food from the doctors because I have an anxiety disorder that makes it difficult to eat. This adds to the nutritional value of the liquid food.

-Neosaldina
-Migraine
-Doctor prescription For long time ago, I have had strong headaches. After try different kind of pills without solution, I had to take this one. This pill is very strong, it has hight levels of caffeine, wich produce a long insomnia and a long term, it affects the kidneys. This pill is the only one wich can stop my migraine. Benadryl
I take this pill because I have an allergy in my eyes and my skin since I arrived here, two months ago. I have to take this pill every night for minimum three months. I don’t think if this pill is working , since my allergy looks as in the beginning. This pill was a prescription of Dr. Arnold R. Gross.

Levothyroxine 25 mcg.
I have been taking thyroid medication for about 4 years, I stopped for ~6 months b/c I didn’t want to be taking/dependent on anything but actually need to take it because it balances my TSH levels, I have Hashimoto’s disease, where the thyroid hormones and the message being sent to the system (from brain?) are out of balance, so does my Aunt + grandmother. Wish I took nothing everyday but it regulates the thyroid hormone for mood, sleep, melatonin, etc. If I didn’t need to take it I wouldn’t also tried some ayurvedic remedies when I was in India which seemed to help but I am worried, also had an enlarged goiter on meds which has slowly gotten better over time and possibly/mostly b/c of tsh medication. now my TSH level in blood is good/in avg. range.

I don’t take any drugs (pharmaceuticals) because I don’t need them.
Hormones do me harm/make me crazi(er)?

I should take vitamins, on a regular basis… I tend to just forget.

Blue pill-Advil PM
Weed –> likely has a brand but unknown to me
5 HTP –> smaller pill filled with powder
Probiotic– purchased at Whole Foods– not sure brand Probiotics– I feel like everyone including my mother has been telling me to take probiotics forever, but I’ve never listened. Then this year, I left my husband and moved to this mall in Santa Monica and there was a Whole foods at the corner. I spent the year trying to get healthy and randomly purchasing things at Whole Foods. This was one of those random purchases. You are supposed to take it every day with food, but I take it rather randomly and almost never with food. 5 HTP –> I’m always tired. Everyone knows this about me because I am a person that takes naps in public. My friend who is a nutritionist and also the biggest drug addict I know said this would give me energy. She kept telling me to buy it, but I never did and so she gave it to me on my birthday. I take it daily, but I’m not really sure what it does. Weed– I just started smoking weed three weeks ago. I get it from friends with weed cards. The whole thing feels very LA. Advil PM: One of the oddest things is that I’m tired all the time, but once it hits night I can never sleep. I really only like sleeping in rooms crowded with people talking. I think this is a leftover from when I was very young. Anyways, I can’t sleep most nights and about 2-3 nights a week I take advil PM so I can get at least four hours.

Antibiotic
Doxycycline Actavis Disper (100 mg) (It’s against spots in my face. I’m using it daily for 6-7 weeks)

Large white pill– Gabba
(neuro-transmitter)
Helps with my anxiety and insomnia also good if you want to loose weight– I ha get no appetite. Pot
Helps with anxiety as well most importantly– depression helps to eat
¼ th a week ~

Gilenya/white and yellow
Vitamin D translucent yellowish pill My doctor has prescribed Gilenya to slow down the progress of Multiple Sclerosis as there are no cure, he can only prescribe disease modifiers. MS causes a vitamin D deficiency which is why my doctor has prescribed it too.

multivitamin (1) Jamieson
I take it once a week of when I remember. My mom still sends me bottles and bottles of vitamins in the mail.

Low-Ogestrol (Birth Control)
I have been taking birth control since I was 17. I think my mother recommended it to me as a precaution… she was always very encouraging about protection so I never felt weird about taking it. I take this specific pill because the first one I used made my period very irregular. My doctor recommended this one and I have been more regular ever since. I still get bad cramps though.
I don’t take any other pills because I generally try to avoid relying on medicine to feel good… I was prescribed anti-anxiety medicine and decided not to take it and to try to use will power and yoga instead to control calm my nerves.

Biotina, 5000 mg
I take it for 3 months so my hair gets healthy and strong. Usually in Autumn. When leafs also fall.

Probiotics (white pill) –> digestion…
Zyrtec– (small white) <– will get to you. allergies/seasonal. Allergic to dust!
Echinacea (grey/green) to twart sinus infections.
Vitamin E (clear) <– will get to you. skin!
Immune wellness <– green pill. Winter staple, no sickness.

1. Birth Control — little White Pill
2. Vitamin C — Orange pill
3. Cranbery pill — pink pill
4. Maca — Beige Pill 1. Cyst in my ovary, surgery, doctor, suggested I stay on birth control if I don’t want this to happen again. It’s been 7 years.
2. It’s good for immune system. I can’t afford to get sick — need to keep strength. My mother takes them every day — and highly suggests I do it too.
3. I have a paranoia that my kidneys and bladder would not work properly if I don’t drink water for a day. And some days I don’t drink that much water, so I take it to be safe.
4. Virginia says it’s the best — It can cure anything, and make you really strong, and I believe Virginia.

Vitamin D
I’m always low in Vitamin D based on my last lab results, vitamin D is very important especially for women, because women need calcium in their body, by taking vitamin D this can absorb calcium easily and also vitamin D is helping our bone structure. I always take 2400 IO daily and the brain that I use is Deva “Vegan Brand,” and doesn’t contain any animal product especially Gelatin that nowadays can be found in any pills. Vitamin B12
I’m vegetarian and body needs vitamin B12; vitamin B12 can’t be found in any vegetable or fruits and vegetarian/vegan people must take it because b12 is helping as nerve and blood cells to be healthy and also it’s help in making DNA in our body. EQ Cetirizine Zyrtec 20 Mg
I’m taking zyrtec because I have a very bad allergy to plants and trees, and I must take a pill every day in the morning before I leave the house, this pill was prescribe by my allergy/asthma Dr. Omeprazole 40mg
This pills is help my body to reduce the amount of acid in my body I get a stomach ache a lot and my ENT Dr prescribe this pill for me and I must stake it 30 min before the meal to control my acid.

I do not usually take any type of drug that is synthetic and I like to make sure any substance that enters my body is natural and pure. I am currently taking supplements for my iron deficiency which are 100% natural & vegan.

My mother never gave us anything as children. She actually doesn’t like pills at all and I guess I’m the same way. I just wait til my body is ok again by itself. I’m not used to take anything unless a Doctor prescribes it.

I don’t use any pills
I try to avoid medicine and don’t react on drugs
so a waste on money and time.

I don’t take pill every day.
I don’t have chronic health problems or allergies.
I grow up with the idea that I had to take pills only in case I was sick or ill.
Even if my girlfriend is a pharmacist and after we met and started living together, the only thing that changed about my relationship with drugs and pills is that I’ve started to travel with a lot of them. Just in case.

Eleuthero — I started taking it when I was 17 because I was tired/sick for a lot of my adolescence and as I started I felt like a new person.
Lithium Orotate — I didn’t it was an anti-depressant when it was prescribed by a naturopath I flew across the country to see but I’m much less suicidal when I’m taking it.
Vitamin A — Growing up I had these bumps on my arms, thighs & face that made me very self-conscious and made me feel like nobody would love me. Finally found out what makes it better.
Trader Joe’s Women’s Multivitamin — my mom asks if I’m taking a multivitamin when she calls, so I do.
Quercetin —I’ve had an undiagnosed sinus infection for about a year & when I finally found out what was wrong I started taking quercetin.
Vitamin C — It makes me poop.
Vitamin B & D — I actually don’t know why I take either of them. Someone told me to, probably.

Circular White Pill — CVS Brand — I started taking this several years ago for vanity’s sake. It gives you healthy hair & nails, as it’s a prenatal. Oblong white pill — Acitotophilus — CVS Brand — I started taking this during my last heterosexual relationship for internal & vaginal help. It’s active cultures that prevent infections or discomfort. Small orange pill — Levothyroxine 25mg — I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism about 4 years ago after being chronically tired with high cholesterol despite being very vedge at the time. It’s a chronic condition and I take it every day. Small oval white pill — Xanax 25 mg — I have a social anxiety which used to be worse in my late teens, early twenties. Even going to the grocery story was difficult. I take this when I am feeling anxious but not deeply. I take it less frequently now. Small blue pill — Adderall IR 10mg — I was diagnosed with ADD in high school but wasn’t medicated until a bit later. I am supposed to take it every day but I don’t. I think it affects my anxiety sometimes. Liquid shiny pill — Evening Primrose Oil — I have fibro cystic breast tissue which hurts around my monthly or certain times during my cycle. I take this to lessen the symptoms but it may be placebic. Slightly larger pill — fish oil —I have taken this since HS. It lubricates your brain and is generally beneficial. I take it every day. Marijuana — Sativa (pref.) — About every other day, especially at night. It helps the sleep. I started in HS but didn’t become a regular devotee until a few years ago. It helps with anxiety as well.

I don’t believe in taking medication if you don’t need it.
Take care of yourself live a healthy life = no medication

Omega Fish Oil w/ Evening Primrose Oil + Flaxseeds
I take this for general heart _ brain health _ well being, but I like the addition of the Evening Primrose Oil which helps with tenderness in one’s breast before the menstrual cycle. I don’t remember how I started taking this. Maybe it was recommended to me by a friend or a family friend who is a also a Tibetan Herbalist. Probiotic
I take this for gastrointestinal purposes. For general well-being of the digestive tract + to help good flora in my system. Who recommended I take this? Probably a number of friends + a few doctors too.

Birth Control Pill — Yasmine
Keeps skin clear
Prevents babies
Taken for 15 years on + off Pre-natal Pill — Blackmores
Promotes healthy hair and nails
Provides needed vitamins for women
Have been taking for 9 years, even after my baby was born

Women’s One Heart, bone, breast health
80014 Vitamin D3 & Probiotics
Food-based multivitamin
Also: Ibuprofen (when I have my period) always

I take this brand because I got it for free under Obamacare in 2013. I have different insurance now but why switch if it works? I take birth control because I like the idea that I can stop taking it on my own. A doctor doesn’t need to get involved. I guess I also have a memory of my mother’s birth control in her make up case from when I was very little. In that sense it’s familiar.

Lambert’s Cranberry Complex
Food supplement Solgar Natural Cranberry
With Vitamin C food supplement Cranberry Pills
+++? I am sensitive in Urinary Tract Infections.
I have had it first when I was 24. Whenever it happens I feel there is nothing I can do I cannot even walk, I have to stay here and lay down.
I visited my gynecologist and him I think it could be connected to sex.
He gave me another pill that I took and fainted in a bar next to a very good doctor friend of mine.
After long repetition of the Urinary Tract Infection someone told me about Cranberry
so I tried the Cranberry Lambert, which works best.
I always have it with me just in case. I don’t like it but whenever I drink it I feel better. I wonder if it’s a placebo. For me it’s magic.
The last years the Urinary Tract Infections came almost every month I got very frustrated taking antibiotics.
My aunt from Germany gave me the cranberry vitamins (++)
And my father took me to a bio place and an omeopatic to get the Solgar natural cranberry + vitamins C.
Last time I got urinary tract infection it was the first time I didn’t take antibiotics and I manage to get it over only with cranberry pills. I take my father’s Solgar natural Cranberry + vitamin C every day one pill, some times I change it with the cranberry vitamins of my aunt. The magic Lambert cranberry I take it once every two weeks.

I started taking the pill when a friend of mine became pregnant, unintentionally, when we were 17. But I don’t like the daily ritual of it and I don’t like artificially influencing my hormones. I’d like to switch to the IUE– it’s only the fear of pain that’s stopping me.

So I have to take quite a lot of stuff because I have a condition where certain cycles in my body don’t work like they should (specifically my methalation cycle). It basically is the cycle that help you detoxify and rebuild on a calendar level, so effects a lot of stuff from digestion, immunity, menstruation, inflammation to your DNA. I have always been a bit of a sickly weakling but I was properly diagnosed late 2013 when I became quite ill and in testing discovered a lot of precancerous cells in my body. I was doing a lot of naughty stuff at the time and not really taking care of myself but I had two operations to have them out and stopped smoking etc and started on a medical regime! I have been getting a little back into cheeky things this year but am trying to have a balance. A big driving reason for me to take all this stuff is because I want to have babies in the future and at this point I still don’t have a regular cycle so I’m trying to fix it, but also just so I don’t feel exhausted and fluey all the time, and so I can poo regularly haha! Okay! So I take -Instestamine (for digestion) (powder) -Immune defense -Primer Pyrrole Undermethalation caps -Moly Zinc -Premular (to regulate and encourage menstruation) -Vitamin D&C (liquid) -melatonin (for sleep) -Silica

I don’t take any pills but I should maybe start taking supplements.
I stopped taking birth control pills because it affected my mood.

Cocaine — white powdered substance
Vulnerability, fragility, naivety — heartbreak…then subsequently drugs coke
The more destructive I was, the more empowered I felt
The static of LA is so easy to slip into and so hard to break out of

Birthcontrol (leeloo)
I wanted to feel safe and to never had to freak out if I have an accident.
to have control of myself and my sexual life. It’s a decision I took to avoid bad experiences.

Yellow gummy vitamin
Been taking since childhood. Small Cream colored melatonin pill
Anxiety that would cause sleep deprivation
Mom recommended through online research

Last month I was taking a Korean herbal formula blend in liquid form from my acupuncturist. I was using a friend’s insurance card to pay for the medical visits _ formula. Her insurance ran out, so I no longer see the acupuncturist or take the formula.

Pilule Verte: micro-pilule, minipill
Progestine only contraceptive pill.
Why: because it is only one compatible with breastfeeding — here on Quebec market.
Micronor (Janssen Inc.)
I did a research on the internet. Gynecologist confirmed and prescribed. Pilule beige: Live Brewer’s Yeast with Silicium, Selenium and Zinc
Contributes to support the integumentary system (skin, nails and hair)
Why: because I’m losing my hair since my child’s birth (8 months old).
Where: natural food store

The pill I take is called Theanine. I’ve been taking it for over a year now. I take four capsules every day. Two in the morning. Two in the evening> Theanine calms my anxiety. No one prescribed it to me, I found it at Whole Foods when I was searching for stress relievers. It doesn’t make feel happy or high, it just calms me. I have way too much anxiety and I’ve become somewhat dependent on Theanine.

Big green (advanced B complex) AOR
I was a vegetarian for six years and people would always ask me if I got enough vitamin B. I didn’t give it too much thought but was generally a kind of spacey vegetarian and after seeing a nutritionist, realized I should integrate these vitamins into my diet. I also am a meat-eater and lover now too. My nutritionist sold this brand to me at the supplement boutique next to his office. Small white (Vitamin D) SiSU
Montreal winters suck and my friend who is very health-conscious told me that reinforcing vitamin D in their system could help the winter blues. She suggested a vitamin D lamp that you can buy off the internet but that was too expensive so I just bought the pills on special for 17.29 $. Apparently it’s also good for bone development and can help prevent cancer. So they say. Probiotics — brand tba
I had a sinus infection recently and reluctantly went on antibiotics to kick it. Knowing that it can kill your intestinal flora, I’m taking these every day for a while to reinforce the healthy stomach critters.

ZYRTEC (Brand name) —> antistaminic in case of allergic reaction to red chili peppers. Doctor suggested. Efferalgan (Brand name) —> paracetomole / taken when fever comes. Taken this since childhood. Mother suggested. I think it still works when I have fever. Moment Act (Brand name) —> Headache pill — since a child I soffer of migranes. They periodically come. It helps go through my day when I have strong migranes. Doctor suggested / mother suggested. Buscofen (Brand name) —> pill to kill the pain of period. Always suffered of violent pain. With age is getting better. Doctor suggested. Magnesia (Brand name) —> digestive omeopatic pill. My mother give me since young. Sometimes I don’t digest food very well, especially today, recovering from strong sickness. Enterolactis (Brand name) —> protect the walls of the stomach in the morning to prevent future sicknesses. Doctor suggested. Sumnial (Brand name) —> lower your adrenalin to help you speaking in public. Friend suggested. I have a public impediment. Plasil (Brand name) —> anti vomit pill. Period. When I am vomiting a lot. These days I am vomiting a lot. Still recovering from the sickness. Doctor suggested. Multicentrum (Brand value) —> vitamins. Doctor said I need. So I try.

The one drug/substance which I consume on a regular basis is weed, on top of occasional Aleve or Advil during menstruation days. The usage of weed started with a man I was seeing. We used to smoke together a lot, it served as a relaxing catalyst to the time we spent together. Afterwards, I adopted this habit and it has been with me for about three years.

Pink pill = multivitamin
Cream capsule = probiotic
Gold gel capsule = vitamin D
White pill = ibuprofen Multivitamin: I read an article that said even if MVS don’t make a difference, people who take them generally are healthier because it reflects a healthy lifestyle overall.
Probiotic: My friend said it really helped her stomach issues, so I thought it would help mine.
Vitamin D: A few years ago, I was a little bit deficient on a blood test. So I just keep taking it.
Ibuprofen: Because it’s good for me chronic cramps.

I was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) at the age of seventeen, after a series of tests.
The doctor prescribed me with methylfenidaat (2x10mg), which I sometimes take in order to focus when I need to study.

I hate taking pills of any kind! I’m constantly fighting against anything non-natural going through the body and able to change its mechanism.
If I started using birth control pills it is because there are no other preventive ways of avoiding abortions unless you’re responsible and think of using condoms everytime you sleep with a one night stand or your husband.

I was taking adderall because I didn’t want to risk my finals. I get unfocused very easily and I wanted to do great on them. It turned out that the dose was way to high for me so I wasn’t really moving forward with work. I was losing a lot of weight and that felt good. For that reason I started taking “Xenandrine”. A Dr. friend told me that I would get focused as well but with nanral cafeine “xenandrine” is for loosing weight with a high dose of “coffea robusta”, you have to take two pills before every meal. I was high 24h with so much energy and not a lot of apetite. I have a very addictive personality so cocaine was the best drug at night. I liked it because it made me be more “present” in conversations, I wasn’t losing control and it just felt great.
I was also taking “micralax” to be able to go to the bathroom more often, to lose more weight.
Advil: Headache/period
Vitamine D: prescribed by a Doctor because I was low on it.
Spirulina: My friend orly recommended to me because it gives you a lot of energy morning. I was taking everything that could stimulate me. Turned out with a big break down. I am no longer taking any of that, neither cocaine at night. And I feel ok.

The main reason I don’t take any daily pills, is I feel the human being its naturally made to survive and be a healthy normal person, who with the right life style can totally live life strong, happy & healthy. (besides illnes, etc) In my opinion all the daily medicines, supports, vitamins, etc are made for business.

It’s summer now. Then I don’t take anything– I feel so healthy!
But in winter, I need my Vitamine D.
To compensate for the lack of sun in Amsterdam. Brrrr

-Vitamin C in powder - I take them because it helps with building up the immune system.
-Vitamin B - since I’m vegetarian it’s important to take B12 and vit B complex
-Cabergoline - prescribed by my endocrinologist to cure a pituitary tumor. Not taking it anymore because of its side effects, I would very scary panic attacks.

Missing Testimonial

I do not take any pills, Vitamins or Powders because I prefer to eat healthy and naturally live at this present time of my life.

zero pills per day
I have no reason to take them

I can’t maintain any routine or regime long enough, so at this point I don’t bother, and if I feel like my body needs something specific, I try to accommodate it. The only long-term relationship with a substance that I’ve maintained with any success has been with nicotine–but this feels less like a choice.

Growing up, my mother was a nurse and thus, worked in clinics and hospitals. She’s always dreamed of being a doctor, but life circumstances didn’t allow it until later in her life. While I was in high school, she returned to university and about the same time as I graduated, she became a nurse practitioner. She’s always taken great pride and passion for the field of medicine and looked up to science for answers. She thrives on treating/helping others and feeling in charge or in control. Ironically, her own physical and mental health is quite fragile.
With all of this, the world of medicine (doctors, hospitals, medicines, pharmaceutical companies & agents, my mother’s health and eagerness to diagnose) have been very present in my life until I left the family nest. Even more so when she became legally able to prescribe herself, and had harnessed the official accreditation and self-affirmation to do so.
Growing up, pills were generally used and recommended as quick fixes/remedies for much deeper/larger mental/physical health issues in my opinion now. In other words, what I now look back on as band-aid solutions: non-sustainable, quick and easy. These solutions I think often equalled to perhaps little to no further investigation, self-realization and/or the development of better/more beneficial tools/habits for the long-term.
From this experience, I’ve become very wary of diagnoses in general. And living in a capitalistic society, I’ve become particularly wary of medicines and view them somewhat as powerful objects.
As an adult, I think twice before taking/buying anything really, and that includes pills, powders and liquids which claim to heal, treat, make it better. I guess I feel too uncertain or confused by the information I have about them. In a way, I fear them. My fear emerges from, in part, a lack of knowledge about the substances they contain, the lack of certainty about the accuracy of their claims, and lack of understanding about the affects they have or may have in short and/or long-term.
Believe it or not, I am not a total skeptic and still do take them occasionally and moderately. I just generally try to avoid all medicines, chemical and “natural”. That goes for the recreational drugs too.