Generics

It's been sometime since I last updated this blog. It is because I did not anymore experience asthma attack, and not because I did not have sore throat. My previous experience with sore throat chronicled in this blog has helped me a lot to prevent the sore/swelling from crawling down my air-tube to my lungs, a phenomenon called asthma.

Thank you to God. From at least the time I started this blog I have not been brought to a hospital because of asthma. I have spent thousands of Philippine pesos though preventing my sore throat from developing into asthma.

Really, asthmatics who survive asthma, or asthmatics who are able to prevent asthma attacks from developing are people who have money to buy the medicines to arrest the onset of the attack. I think about fellow asthmatics around the world, particularly those from far flung barrios of their country, including my beloved Philippines, who have no access to doctors and drugstores. A day with asthma attack is a day of exhaustion and self pity. It takes so much effort to do the most neglected yet basic function to maintain a life--breathing. During severe asthma attacks, life is the last thing an asthmatic desires to have. Living is exhausting. I do not want to live/breathe anymore; and yet, my lungs refuse to give up.

The body has its own master other than the mind the owner is conscious about that he has in his head. And this intruder for a master shows himself during asthma attacks.

Two days ago, I met a man sick with flu in his air-conditioned office. I asked him why go to work when he was sick, "to spread the virus?" I asked. When I said that, I never really thought I could be a "place" where his virus could spread.

Exactly a day after, I felt my head was aching and my eyelids sagging. Then last night, I started to feel the tearing sensation from my throat. And this morning, I accessed this journal and examined the things I do, medicines I administer myself in this situation.

I do not totally blame the man who sow the virus. I also blame the weather or the changing temperature which asthmatics like me are very sensitive with. Instead of adjusting to the weather, our asthmatic body would react with an allergy, like the swelling of our air tube. Its symptoms would be in the form of sneezing and difficulty in breathing.

This morning, I tried asking my local drugstore for the available generic alternative to Tergecef, a brand for Cefixime once prescribed by my old, chain smoker doctor. The graceful and flirty attendant who was still with wet hair offered me Taxocef-O, a film coated tablet manufactured by Plethico, a Pharmaceutical partnership from A.B. Road, Manglia-453 771 Indore (M.P.), India.

At P72 per tablet, Taxocef-O is cheaper by almost 50% than Tergecef that sold at P130 per tablet.

Since the attendant who, in fairness is also beautiful, assured me that all the drugs they sell are Bureau of Food and Drugs approved, I went home richer by almost P700 pesos than the last time I bought medicines under the same circumstance.

I hope Taxocef-O works. Please pray for me.