I have a character who I need to put pressure on because he doesn't have his medication. If he doesn't get it he's got to be in big trouble. I was going to do diabetes and insulin but I feel that's cliche, and he's in his twenties and thin so it doesn't really fit.
Addison's disease? http://patient.info/health/addisons-disease-leaflet BTW: Young people have diabetes too. One of my childhood friends was diabetic (and thin). He died young from it too
With anything you need to take on a schedule so regular that if you miss a dose you're in serious trouble, you're looking at a pretty serious ailment. Antidepressants and even meds used to suppress the immune system in people who've had organ transplants take missing a few doses to leave your system. If you're looking for the impetus for a medical emergency based around the absence of a medicine, how about a severe asthma attack and he's without his inhaler, or an allergy getting triggered (to, say, peanuts or stone fruit) and he's without his epi-pen? A little food for thought is that people totally dependent on a drug taken daily to stay alive tend to be very careful indeed about making sure they have their meds with them. It's not like it couldn't happen that they might miss a dose, but it will take a good reason for them to be without it to be believable.
Depends on how complicated you want the person's medical condition to be and how much a part of the story it should/will be. HAART regimen is daily and strict, but then you either have to write in that your character is HIV+ to some degree, else have it seem a pretty random inclusion.
Agreed. If it's chronic as well as deadly, it's going to end up being a big part of their life, or at least of their routine.
Kidney disease treated by medication. Unfortunately this link is from The Daily Mail, an appalling newspaper. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2929287/Drug-costing-9million-person-gets-green-light-200-patients-rare-kidney-condition-set-benefit.html
Thanks.. for clarification it's the zombie apocalypse and the medication was stolen from his apartment by people staying there. It would probably be better if it was a well known condition that didn't need to be explained, like asthma/inhaler. That seems like a pretty good one. The only thing is that I was guessing they took it because they thought it might be painkillers, they wouldn't mistake an inhaler for that, so I'm not sure if that works.
Hmm, if it's not a totally contemporary zombie apocalypse, they could mistake it for some near-future drug that you take by inhaling.
Insulin is pretty overused for this plot device, but that's because it fits the bill so well. You're thinking of Type 2 diabetes which is usually diagnosed aged 40+ and is correlated with being overweight. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed around puberty (though can be pretty much from birth) and is not influenced by weight.
A risk of immediate death isn't totally necessary for someone to want to have their medication. Maybe he'd rather risk the zombie apocalypse rather than say, a degenerative illness. That shift would open up your options.
This is probably not as immediate as you want, but Levothyroxine you need to take every day. It's for hypothyroidism. I personally have to take it every day, if I miss a few days it's okay, but any longer than that I start having problems ie. Weight gain, exhaustion, swollen face. If without medication for a sustained period it can cause a coma and ultimately death, that's in extreme cases.
Hi, I'd be tempted to go for the anti-psychotics. Imagine your guy sitting in his apartment, zombies outside and the voices in his head growing louder and louder by the day. Cheers, Greg.
Have you considered methadone? (NOT to be confused a meth amphetamines, completely different monster) I don't know the character of your character, but methadone is used to help one who is addicted to heroin OR opiates. Your character could be a drug addict without being a low-life - many many many people become addicted to opiates (pain killers) thru no fault of their own, but by the 'sincere' (or misinformed) efforts of their own family doctor. It's better now, but you would not believe how many people are prescribed these highly addictive pills and before they know out, they can't function without them. That's where methadone comes in. It's a substitute for opiates, must be taken daily (sometimes for months, sometimes for years - sometimes for Life!) A person on methadone can live and function I a very normal manner, hold down a job, raise kids, whatever - without being 'high'and without the uncontrollable urge to take opiates. It might make for an interesting twist to your story. Your character might be a recovering addict who is hiding his methadone treatment. Remember, be might have been your usual street-saavy addict, using methadone to try to recover, or he might be a responsible professional type person, not living on the seedy dose of town, but a professional athlete, or mechanic or a housewife or teacher, etc etc etc. THink about it I'm very knowledgeable about methadone and addiction so you can always email me @ MickiFrazier57@gmail.com with any questions you might have. Happy to help. Michelle Good luck!
O yes, I also wanted to mention, that as others have said, a diabetic can be young and thin. My husband was a brittle diabetic (Type I) diagnosed at age 19. He was 5' 10" - When he was still young, and healthy, he weighed about 175, which isn't so big and his was a lot of muscle - but later he averaged about 160 - 165. He passed away at age 43 in his sleep. Now my father on the other hand, was ALWAYS a big man. He never weighed less than 220, and was 5' 11" He developed adult onset (Type 2) diabetes in his late 50's, passed away age 73. This is a good forum Glad I found it.
