Ok I guess being from Germany and having a different Healthcare system gives me a different view.
Ofc medicine has side effects (cannabis does too), it's practically impossible to change something in your body without damaging something too. The question is always how willing you are to accept the side effects?
My mom beat cancer but was utterly miserable during chemotherapy. Still, she believes it was the right thing to do. And she's someone who usually prefers homeopathy and home-made remedies over medication. I tool antibiotics a whole of three times while growing up because she was very, very careful with medication.
And she still chose chemo.
Because you need to understand sometimes that the side effects are necessary to save your life. Might be a bit over dramatic to compare that with aspirin tho.
I can't take aspirin, it makes my stomach feel awful. But I'm getting horrible migraines (seems to be genetic) so you can prey my ibuprofen from my cold, dead hands.
Choose your risks.
But yes the health care system in the USA is majorly fucked up and I believe that a lot of bullshit is prescribed.
Glad to hear your mom is doing good! A lot of my bias comes from helping my dad with early onset Alzheimer’s for about a decade. It’s very sick what the medical system tries to do to people who have no voice if you don’t stick up for them. Very scary. One of the things my dad used to take a lot of was ibuprofen. I suspect this as being one of the potential causes of his dementia. There seems to be studies claiming ibuprofen lowers the risk of Alzheimer’s but I would bet those studies are funded by the pharm industry. I just found this article pertaining to aspirin use & Alzheimer’s you might find interesting.
https://www.dddmag.com/article/2015/04/strong-link-found-between-dementia-common-anticholinergic-drugs
The last neurologist I talked to used aspirin as an example of how pharmaceuticals are safe & great while trying to push Alzheimer’s medications that do nothing, but cause terrible side effects. I told him he was a corrupt drug pusher, who intentionally ignored the truth because of his giant paychecks. He had no retort because he knew I was right. We haven’t been back since.
In truth, I have a stomach condition too and must use ibuprofen-based painkiller. My neurologist said he had a peer who was studying how stomach issues often occur in concert with migraines. Some side effects are good.
Because I have such low blood pressure and stomach issues I'm pretty limited on the meds they can give me. In this instance my neurologist suggested I combine ibuprofen with an anti-nausea med that he was willing to perscribe (but I already had one that was perscribed for my stomach issue). I only need to take a fraction of the full dose of antiemetic to boost the ibuprofen to make a very significant difference.
I'm very glad your mother is still with you and I hope for many more happy and healthy years for both of you.