Medications to work on fast day

amother

OP ↓

Tue, Jul 23 2024, 1:01 pm

I had to go to work today, as on most minor fasts. I'm in Israel so the day is nearly over. Anyway, in the past when I had to work on fast days, I often had to break the fast or didn't fast at all because fasting literally clogs my mind, I can't concentrate at all and suffer from splitting headaches. As I work in the medical field and with patients, that's not a good thing.
As I said, I broke many minor fasts.

So, now I decided I'd had it. I took a pill of my son's medication during the fast, dry without water, don't want to say which, because off label use should not be encouraged.
It was a game changer. I could use my brain and work almost normally. Still felt hungry and thirsty, but not as mentally paralyzed as usual. And no headaches.

I asked our rav, because the pill had a sweetish taste in addition to its effect, he wasn't very enthusiastic but eventually said, because of the nature of my work, I could do it if really needed.

I had hoped for a more positive reaction. Isn't taking a pill better than breaking the fast to eat and drink, in order to function?
I mean, in the past I would just have gobbled down a sandwich and had a strong coffee.
I might call him back some time and discuss it, but what do people in general think?

amother

Acacia ↓

Tue, Jul 23 2024, 1:05 pm

amother OP wrote:

In general I think it's a bad idea to take someone else's medication. Forget about off label use. You're using medication that's prescribed to someone else.

Elfrida

Tue, Jul 23 2024, 1:09 pm

The issue was probably the sweet coating in the pill, meaning she derived some pleasure and possibly some miniscule amount of nutrition from it.

I've never been in a position where I've had to ask about doing this, but when I look at sifrei halacha, the language always specifically refers to a bitter pill.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Jul 23 2024, 1:12 pm

Elfrida wrote:

It wasn't a good tasting sweetness. Rather bitter with an overlay of heavy chemical artificial sweetener, probably to conceal some of the inherent bitterness. Not something anyone would choose to eat voluntarily. I told the rav that.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Jul 23 2024, 1:14 pm

amother Acacia wrote:

In general I think it's a bad idea to take someone else's medication. Forget about off label use. You're using medication that's prescribed to someone else.

Yes, but I work in the field an know what I'm doing Wink

Still, generally you are absolutely right, it can be dangerous or illegal or both to do so.

amother

Clover ↓

Tue, Jul 23 2024, 1:17 pm

Were you feeling ill when you took it?
I think maybe you cant take as preventative but when youre actually feeling ill.
I have caffeine pills but Iv never asked.
Im sure it would help.

We need the totonto kollel fasting pills.
Im in UK and tried it one fast, really helped.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Jul 23 2024, 1:21 pm

amother Clover wrote:

I was just beginning to feel brain fog. As I wrote, our rav gave me a heter, but a rather reluctant one.
There are Kali Tzom pills here in Israel, I've never tried them.
Caffeine pills probably would do the job at least partially as well.

amother

↑ Freesia

Tue, Jul 23 2024, 1:48 pm

So I have this theory that men just communicate differently. Sometimes what sounds to us like hesitation is really just them reviewing all the information and halachos before coming out with the answer. And then they’ll say something like “bdieved it’s ok” which to me sounds like he’s not really so convinced. But really what he means is that in bdieved situations it’s ok, and my situation is bdieved, so it’s completely ok. I always complain about the way my Rav gives heterim, in this stammering, hesitant, “if it’s really too hard” way, and DH has no clue what I’m complaining about.

He is studying to be a Rav so I get to see some of the process firsthand too. Also sometimes once they come up with a reason for a heter, they don’t look further for all the other mitigating factors because it’s really complicated and time consuming. It’s already mutar, so they don’t necessarily give the “full” answer. Does that make sense?

Example: sometimes with a bracha question the rav will just say eat it with bread, rather than sit down and figure it all out. In their mind, this solves your dilemma even if it’s not exactly what you’re looking for.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Jul 23 2024, 1:52 pm

amother Freesia wrote:

Good point, that.

amother

↑ OP

Tue, Jul 23 2024, 2:12 pm

amother Acacia wrote:

Correction: it IS illegal and can be dangerous.

That depends on what it is.
I believe lot of people for example keep left over antibiotics and prescription pain killers to use as they see fit for their family members or their friends and neighbors. As evidenced by our local whatsapp group every other week just 10 minutes before Shabbat. Very much not ideal, but no one gets arrested for it either.

But that's not relevant to the topic here. I wrote above that I'm not naming the medication so as not to encourage it.

Cheiny ↓

Tue, Jul 23 2024, 3:25 pm

amother OP wrote:

It doesn’t really matter what we think. If he’s your Rov and he gave you a psak, that’s what you have to abide by.

But I definitely did hear that unless it’s a medication that’s regularly taken daily and/or is absolutely necessary, one should not take something with a sweet taste. I’ve heard of a Rov recommending to put some lemon juice or vinegar on the pill…