I refuse all pharmaceutical drugs offered to me. Cold? Fuck Tylenol, wait a week. If it doesn't go away, I eat a few oranges or some carrots. Cold gone the next morning and it wasn't bitter. Stomach aches? Wait it out, if that doesn't work use heating pads, if that doesn't work try some watermelon or something to flush whatever it is out. Only if something persists for a month will I resort to pills or doctors. I have Tourettes. I despise the medicine forced on me every morning because it's a pain and when I don't swallow it right it's all bitter. In the bad way, not the wasabi way. These pills supposedly keep me calm, but you know what? They don't make a difference. When I get pissed off enough I will not be able to control myself just like any other teenager. I'm generally ALOT more calm than most people, and this is because I know that getting mad over certain things is silly. Not because I'm medicated. I take Lamictal. Ahem, now for the wonderful side effects.
Lamotrigine prescribing information has a black box warning about life threatening skin reactions, including Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. Common side effects include headaches, dizziness and insomnia. Other side effects may include acne and skin irritation, vivid dreams or nightmares, night sweats, body aches and cramps, muscle aches, dry mouth, fatigue, memory and cognitive problems, irritability, weight changes, hair loss, changes in libido, frequent urination, nausea, and other side effects.
The death, not so much but I'd rather not have risked it. I'm definitely suffering from headaches, dizziness, skin irritation, night sweats, body aches and cramps, muscle aches, dry mouth, fatigue, memory and cognitive problems, irritability (yeah, real good for a mood stabilizer), and changes in libido. The most problematic of those being body aches and cramps and the changes in libido. And don't even think that an increase in libido isn't much of a problem, it's not a slight increase, it's an increase to the point that I can't concentrate in math class because I get horny every day around 10:15 AM and I literally NEED to masturbate as soon as I get home to be able to concentrate on my homework. I masturbate, I dunno maybe 3-5 times a day? It's not right. Also, try explaining to your gym teacher your legs and back are failing on you at age 18.