Confessions of a Drug Store Junkie

I have a confession to make.  I went to a drug store today that I don’t normally go to, and realized I am a drug store junkie.  I had a list of six things I needed to get.  I only had 20 minutes.  Did I look for the items on my list?  No.  I made a beeline for the mouth care section to see if there were any new dry mouth products (there weren’t).  Next I went to the eye care section, to see if there were any new dry eye products (again, there weren’t).  On to the nose care section- nothing new there, either.  I noticed that as I made my way from section to section of the store that my adrenaline was up a little. I was enjoying the thrill of the hunt. 

 I am the same way with pain products.  Not the pills, I already take more of those than I like.  I look at the topical products, the creams and lotions.  I am particular about what I will try.  I don’t like smelly stuff (e.g. menthol), or burning stuff (e.g. capsaicin).  There are some pain products that I have looked at, but have not tried yet.  One is Arnica.  It is a homeopathic.  I am not convinced that homeopathy works, but I will probably try this product at some point.  When I do bring home a new pain product, I am never quite sure what to do with it. Do I put it on my arm, where I have been struggling with tennis elbow for over a year?  (This is usually my first target with a new pain unguent, though nothing I have tried seems to help it).  Do I put it on the hip bursitis that I have had for 20 some years?  Do I put it on my neck/back/shoulder that has been a problem off and on for 30 years?  Do I put it on all the areas where I don’t hurt, as long as nobody/nothing touches me?   I can’t very well take a bath in it- that might lead to an overdose- but it sure has been tempting at times.  

Whenever I go to a drug store, I check all these sections to see if there are any new products I can try.  I have lived with Sjogren’s Syndrome and Fibromyalgia for many years now.  I am used to the dryness, pain and fatigue, and everything is in moderate control, but I still have hope of finding just the right products that would give me even better control. When I do find a new dry (name a body part) product or pain product, I get excited, and can’t wait to get home to try it out. 

At various times, other sections of the drug store have been on my must see list: digestion products, feminine products, skin products, foot products, depending on which parts of me are complaining loudest.  Despite my apparent affliction as a drug store junkie, I did get my shopping done in time to get to my appointment.  I only bought two items that were not on my list.