Many medications come with side effects, and the dialogue tends to go like this. “As you are on these it’s best that you take these to counter the side effects of those, however those will come with their own side effects for which it might be best if we give you these, so with those and these we might be able to improve your condition. Take them when there’s an r in the month but never on a full moon, eat huge amounts of fibre just so you don’t get too constipated as with this level of medication it’s possible that you may become a stranger to the lavatory, but it’s also possible but by no means certain that you will want to pee every ten minutes, but nothing will happen until you think nothing is happening when of course it will happen. You should not drink alcohol whilst on this medication, but then it’s probably wise not to drink alcohol anyway.”

Much better than pills is a walk, like this recent one at Haresfield Beacon with its stunning views.