Medicine and Preparedness: The 22 Medications You Need in Your Personal Stockpile

Mdeicine for Survival

Medicine and Preparedness: The 22 Medications You Need in Your Personal Stockpile NOW!

I have seen and read many posts over the years about adding or using medicines meant for pets during preparedness or survival situations. Now, I am not going to go all out and say that you shouldn’t do this or go this route, but there are several problems with this. I am also going to provide you with what I believe is a better solution.

The first problem that arises is the expiration data and shelf life of medicines. The biggest factor in this is that some medicines can as they degrade become toxic. Other medicines contain preservatives that may allow bacteria to grow once the preservative is no longer effective.

In addition, during survival situations – scavenging comes to mind and where we tend to find most medicines throughout most homes (the bathroom) is not the ideal place to store medicine. The heat and humidity is not ideal and makes the medicines degrade faster.

What is interesting is that the Department of Defense had the Federal Drug Administration test some drugs for what is known as the Shelf Life Extension Program (SLEP). It has been found that the shelf life of some drugs can be extended. Though not all drugs, and the drugs tested were kept in their original containers – unopened and in optimal temperature and humidity conditions. NOTE: When you obtain a prescription drug at the pharmacy and they place it into a medication bottle – that is not the original container.

Some other life-saving drugs have been found to degrade after the expiry date, such as EpiPen’s and Insulin. Nitroglycerin decreases in potency quickly once the bottle is opened. Most vaccines and biologicals such as blood products also degrade quickly after their expiration dates.

If any medicine has become powdery, crumbly, caked, has a strong smell, cloudy, or has dried up it should be discarded and not used.

During normal situations if you have medicine at home and you need to take it and the medicine is expired no evidence has been found that it would be unsafe to take. Though, it would be best to acquire a new prescription as soon as possible.

Research does show that medicines past their expiration date do and will degrade in potency over time. Under ideal conditions and in original containers within the military stockpile medications have been shown to retain as much as 90 percent of their potency. Though most household conditions do not meet these standards.

The second problem is that pet based medicines were not included in these studies. Now some of the medications may be the same thing, but as I said I have a better solution for you.

If you can, start your own stockpile of medicines. This may cost you some money out of pocket but you will have them when you need them. The good news is, most of the medications I will be recommending have been found to have no failures when tested and typically can have a long shelf life.

In addition to the medicines I recommend you should consider obtaining and even storing some of the medicine you may need on a regular basis. This may be easier said than done, since most drug insurance programs limit the amount you can obtain. So, you may have to get creative or even pay out of pocket to establish your supply.

Uncle Sam and Your MedsThe government does even recommend you keep a small extra supply of medicine in case of a disaster. Try telling that to your insurance company though. Some things you can do to get creative in this area:

1.       Tell them you lost your medication while on a weekend trip.

2.       Tell them you need an extended supply for a trip.

3.       Try telling them you need extra in case of an emergency.

4.       Purchase the extra month- 3 months’ worth from the pharmacy.

Some insurance programs will give you up to three months’ worth of medicine if you purchase through a mail order program. Ask them.

Once you are successful in obtaining ‘extra’ medicine it is important that you store them properly and rotate them. So, as you get new prescriptions filled, store those and take the ones you were holding onto in case of an emergency.

Now, here is an extensive list of medications to obtain for your own Disaster Preparedness Supply. Please do your own research on usage, dosages and contraindications.

Medication List for Survival

NOTE: These and all medications listed are intended for your preparedness stockpile. If you become sick during normal times and you need medication go to your doctor and obtain a prescription. If you have the medicine and can swap out of your stockpile even better.

ANTIBIOTICS:

1.       Cipro (Ciprofloxacin) 500 mg – 750 mg tabs – 750 mg is a high dosage, but if you can get it go with that one. Otherwise get the 500 mg.  Reasons to have: It can treat a wide variety of ailments but can also treat Anthrax, Plague, Travelers Disease, Cholera, Tularemia, Typhoid, Pneumonia, Infectious Diarrhea, and Urinary Tract Infections (UTI’s). In the event of a major outbreak, epidemic, or even pandemic supplies may be short and allocated to certain individuals. I do not recommend for prophylactic use just to have in case of real sickness. Please review contraindications of use on your own.

2.       Bactrim DS (trimethoprim/sulfa methazole) 160/800 mg tabs This is another Cover it all antibiotic agent. Good for UTI’s, pneumonia, bite wounds and MRSA skin infections.

3.       Amoxicillin 500 mg tabs – This is good for Upper Respiratory Infections, UTI, Bronchitis, skin or soft tissue infections, Pneumonia, and Lyme Disease.

4.       Flagyl (Metronidazole) – 500 mg tabs This covers Giardiasis (Beaver Fever)

5.       Azithromycin – If you can get it I recommend adding a couple of 3-day and/or 5-day Dose Packs for each member of the family. Good for Pertussis and Pertussis Prophylaxis, URI, Bronchitis, and several STD’s.

Topical Creams and Ointments:

1.       Triple Antibiotic Ointment (Neomycin, Polymyxin B Sulfates, Bacitracin Zinc, Neosporin,) – A good cure-all for topical based infections. While I like creams and ointments, I had a wound specialist doctor share with me that the Neosporin cream is better than the ointment. It helps promote faster healing and reduces scaring. He seemed to be correct and I primarily use this now.

2.       Lamisil or Tinactin Cream – Antifungal. Athletes foot, Jock itch, Ring Worm

3.       Lotrisone (Betamethasone/Clotrimazole) – prescription strength Antifungal (covers entire body)

4.       Hydrocortisone Cream – Great for skin rashes, bug bites/stings, and itchy skin.

5.       Silver Sulfadiazine (SSD) – For preventing and treating skin infections after second and third degree burns. Targets multiple types of bacteria and yeast.

Anti-Diarrhea:

1.       Imodium (loperamide) – The best solution for diarrhea.

Anti-Vomit:

1.       Zofran (ondansetron) – Anti-Vomiting.

Pain:

1.       Aspirin 325 mg tabs – Aspirin is often overlooked these days, but 2 tabs or 650 mg works great for relieving most aches and pains.

2.       Ibuprofen – Another good choice for aches pains and minor to moderate injuries. Also, helpful at reducing fever.

3.       Tylenol (acetaminophen) – Another good choice for minor to moderate injuries, aches and pains. Fever reducer.

4.       Oxycodone 5 mg – Narcotic – is great for major injuries, but will require a prescription and is a heavily restricted narcotic.

5.       Codeine 30 mg – Narcotic – Good for moderate pain but again a prescription is required.

NOTE: For high and prolonged fever, you can give both Ibuprofen and Tylenol together at every six and four hours respectively.

Other Medications:

1.       Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) – is an antihistamine for treating sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, hives, skin rash, cold and allergy symptoms and mild allergic reactions. (severe allergic reactions will require a shot). Will cause dizziness and drowsiness (sleepiness).

2.       Neosporin Antiseptic Spray – easy to use spray that offers both antiseptic properties and pain relief. Topical use only.

3.       FlexSEAL – Spray on water tight bandage. Great for quickly covering minor cuts and scrapes.

4.       New-Skin – Liquid bandage – waterproof.

5.       Hydrogen Peroxide.

As mentioned previously, some of these may be difficult to obtain unless you have a prescription from your doctor. If you have a close trusted relationship with your doctor you may be able to ask and explain why you wish to obtain these. Additionally, you may want to consider adding a doctor to your preparedness group if you have one and have them help you gather the needed supplies for your group.

If you do not belong to a preparing group, now is a good time to start considering one and looking for good people like a doctor or pharmacist to join you.

All the information in this post are based on survival and preparedness and not considered medical advice. As with any medical situation you should always seek out proper medical advice. We recommend consulting with your doctor before proceeding.

You can also download a PDF of our Medications to Stockpile for Preparedness.

WHY YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE A THREE DAY SUPPLY OF WATER

Water is Life by Williami5 via Flicker

Having water is essential for survival. This we know. Over the years however a massive campaign was launched to get ALL Americans to have At Least three days of water stored for emergencies. This then become 72 hours. Over time the message of At Least three days seems to have become lost.

In fact over the last year I have seen some messages put out by local Emergency Management Offices around the country change this message to a week or a months worth of water. This is a good thing.

Though, I have written about this before as a Disaster Tip of the Week as, Is 72 Hours Enough To Prepare For Disaster this message of storing water for emergencies, has still become lost.

Basically, the PR campaign for three days worth of water was so effective that people "hear" they only need three days of water and end up not storing any. Thinking they can get by for three days or it is such a small amount they really do not need it.

So. How much water do you really need? Well. That is a great question. It is normally stated that you NEED 1 gallon of water per person in your home per day. This amount is supposed to take care of all your needs. From sanitation to drinking. Have you ever tried to get by using only 1 gallon of water per day? This amount also does not account for pets and other needs. So, you will need extra for them.

If you live in a warmer climate, plan on being active, have medical or special needs, you are going to require an increased amount for drinking.

Though I will consult people to have greater amounts on an individual basis. As a general rule, I believe 3 gallons per person/ plus 1 gallon per pet, extra activity per day for one week is a good water storage plan.

Yes. That is a lot of water to store. However, when your tap stops flowing you wont regret the "extra" you have on hand. See also Treating Water.

Choosing The Right Bug-Out-Bag Can Be The Difference

There are humdreds of posts out there on putting your Bug-Out-Bag together. What to include in it, what not to include in it, essentials, just-in-case, and so on. I've even done a few posts like that including - The most important Thing You Should Consider When Creating a Bug-Out-Bag. What few do talk about is how to choose the right Bug-Out-Bag for you.

First, should come fit and with fit comfort. You don't want to lug around a bag weighing 50, 70, 80 or even 100 pounds of weight without it being comfortable. Also, you want it to fit right. The most practical choice for many is the backpack and you want to be certain you can wear it and be able to move freely with it on.

Second, You want to be able to access at least some items rapidly and easily. Certain bags lend themselves to this category easily, others do not. Also, depending on your size and body type it may be easier for you to use one type of bag but the same bag for someone else they may have difficulty reaching an item.

With both of these thing in mind, going out and trying different types of bags on for size may be best. This is especially true if you have never tried one before. If you are unsure, go to a camping goods or outdoor store and ask for help. Many of the stores have people trained to help you find the right fit. A good idea is if you find one that you would be comfortable hiking or camping with, it will likely make a good Bug-Out-Bag. The only exception here is that I would not choose a brightly colored bag.

The next thing to consider is what you need to place into the bag, and how much the maximum weight you want the bag to be at. Then find ways to reduce the pack load any way you can.

Finally, make sure that you are able to carry everything you need inside that Bug-Out-Bag that you would need to reach your destination. Another good idea is to have places with items cached along the route you will be traveling.

Below are some of the types of bags I use. Yes, I have different ones, but I also use them to show other people. The most important thing about choosing the right Bug-Out-Bag is picking the right one for you.

Statement from California’s Department of Public Health and Emergency Management Agency on Risk of Radiation Exposure

*The following news release was issued by Cal EMA on Tuesday, March 15, 2011.*

SACRAMENTO – Today the interim director of the California Department of Public Health, Dr. Howard Backer, and acting secretary of the California Emergency Management Agency, Mike Dayton, issued the following statement emphasizing Californians’ safety from radiation exposure and the risks of taking potassium iodide as a precautionary measure.

“The safety of all Californians is our highest priority, and we are in constant contact with the federal agencies responsible for monitoring radiation levels across the West Coast.

We want to emphasize that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have all stated that there is no risk expected to California or its residents as a result of the situation in Japan.

We are actively monitoring the situation in Japan and are ready to take all steps necessary to protect Californians should risks develop.

We urge Californians to not take potassium iodide as a precautionary measure. It is not necessary given the current circumstances in Japan, it can present a danger to people with allergies to iodine, shellfish or who have thyroid problems, and taken inappropriately it can have serious side effects including abnormal heart rhythms, nausea, vomiting, electrolyte abnormalities and bleeding.

Our thoughts are with the people of Japan at this tragic time.”

Californians with questions about radiation exposure can contact the California Department of Public Health’s Emergency Operations information line at 916 341-3947.

For updated information on monitoring, response and relief efforts in California and Japan, please visit the California Emergency Management Agency website at www.calema.ca.gov.

###

For more you can go to our recent Disaster Preparedness Blog post on:

What You Need To Know About Potassium Iodide or KI

What You Need To Know About Potassium Iodide or KI

The news is reporting on people buying up Potassium Iodide also known as KI in droves and that suppliers have run out and are scrambling to make more. One supplier has also donated a large supply to Japan.

I also know several preparedness retailers who have also run out and have a large number of orders being placed that they can't currently fill. The two things that worry me about this is first, the people who may need them may not get them since the supply is short (though governments do have stock piles of them) and the second is the potential for people who should not be taking KI to have adverse side effects.

Some facts you should know about KI:

• KI only protects the thyroid gland from radioactive iodide
• KI does NOT protect the thyroid from other types of radiation
• KI does NOT protect other parts of the body internally or externally from radioactivity or harm
• KI has the potential to damage or cause swelling to the parotid glands (they produce your saliva)

Other side effects include: acne, loss of appetite, or upset stomach. More severe side effects which require notification of a physician are: fever, weakness, unusual tiredness, swelling in the neck or throat, mouth sores, skin rash, nausea, vomiting, stomach pains, irregular heartbeat, numbness or tingling of the hands or feet, or a metallic taste in the mouth.

Severe allergic reactions from taking KI are possible especially if you have certain food allergies.

People who should avoid KI:

• You know you are allergic to Iodine
• Certain skin disorders such as dermatitis herpetiformis or urticaria vasculitis
• People with thyroid disease (for example, multinodular goiter, Graves’ disease, or autoimmune thyroiditis)

Lastly KI is considered a possible teratogen (meaning birth defects or developmental issues in young people).