athletes and medicine

I can speak from experience when I say, as an athlete, I think we may be the hardest type of individuals to convince of the need to be on medications. We feel it is a sign of weakness, or of not being able to win in the fight to make ourselves better. We also typically tend to be very intune with our bodies and notice such things as side effects or differences in our bodies much moreso than the typical person. I learned this the hard way a number of years ago, but thank God have bounced back and my health improved thanks to the marvels of modern day medicine. I now find myself faced with another medicine taking decision dilemma. I've been on the fence rearding the outcome for quite a while but have said or typed little to nothing regarding the situation. It's funny, I no longer race at the competitive level I once did, and to be honest, I don't see the opportunity to race that way anytime soon for number of reasons. I also can only find the time to train on my own when time permits. Regardless, I still concern myself with the possibility that taking a new medicine may hinder my training performance, not racing results but fitness levels. I can honestly say I take pride in my personal quest to get in shape, and am proud of all the work I've done to get where I'm at in my 40s... It's a bit crazy but it's true and it's NOT an easy decision for me to make. We sometimes fall into a trap of defining who we are by how fast or how far we can go, and again, for some like me, not against others but against ones self. SOOOO, it's time for some deep personal reflection - maybe I should go for a run or ride to clear my head...