If it's just a mere fever or colds yes I do self medicate. It seems inconvenient to see a doctor just because you have a cold or something. I just tend to search the web for remedies, herbal, mix and match of vitamins stuff like that. But when it comes to something more serious, or if my cold or fever takes longer that usual to fix itself up then I tend to go and see a doctor.
Most of the time I self medicate, I have allergies so I am always taking a pill to relieve a headach or a lot of sneezing. It is important to be aware of what you are taking to avoid mixing medications that do not mix well together. The ingredients in a pain pill and the ingredients in allergy medications may not always mix. Do not drink and take any medications, you can have serious complications.
Now that the summer is coming to an end and that cold weather will be coming soon prevention is more important than ever. I am taking echinacea to make my immune system stronger so that I can spend an healthy winter, I don't want it to be like last year, that I had a cold from February to April...
Now, I'm not sure if it's "a guy thing", but I tend to stay away from the doctor's office, for as long as I can afford doing so (which is most times!). Frankly, if I don't have an emergency, then I'm more or less okay with "fighting it out" on my own, until I'm able to feel better. And this doesn't necessarily mean that I have "all the answers", it's just that I'm aware that if I dare even go to the doctor, for something that's not life-threatening, I'm still going to end up paying more than what I can afford on the crazy medical bill that I'm going to be written up for. Nowadays, technology has developed, and accurate information is being shared worldwide, on such a broad basis via media such as the internet, that many helpful remedies are available "at the click of a mouse", so I know for sure that if it's a condition that's temporary and not life-threatening, then after a search via these technologically capable media, then I'm likely to find my answer. I'll self-medicate if the remedy is trustworthy, but the doctor is definitely not my first answer.
I am very familiar with the weaknesses of my body, and all my life I have had a tendency to get the same type of illnesses. I usually know exactly what to do, and treat myself with herbs, acupressure and moxa (warming up certain meridian points on my body with a stick made of compacted herbs, a common therapeutical tool in Oriental medicine). If after a week or so, my symptoms haven't abated, I usually go and see my acupuncturist for advice and treatment.
From what I've been reading recently I am more and more convinced that we are better away from the doctor because most likely they will give us antibiotics and that might make us improve on the short-term, but on the long run that makes our immune system weaker. Sure, if it's a nasty infection we do need the antibiotic, but just because I can't agree with it.
