Medication fine tuning

Last spring I was on a panel and spoke with students at the school of pharmacy. There were 4 of us, each with a different health challenge, including MS, Parkinson's, Chronic Migraines, and Fibromyalgia. As we spoke, it became apparent that each of us had tweaked our own medications to some degree or another.

One had stopped her medication without telling her doctor. One had experimented with different dosages on her own, and another didn't take her medications when it wasn't convenient.

I have done this, too, but I always tell my doctor when I feel the need to tweak the dosage a little or go off of a certain drug. I learned the last one the hard way when I hit the Medicare gap and couldn't afford to buy two of my drugs. I rationed them, but then stopped and went through terrible depression until I got things in balance again.

Now I always talk to my doctor. She supports me with my "tweaking", and is also there when I need her.

Does anyone else have any thoughts about this?