antibiotics and pain meds

[drrufo]

Are we talking topical or internal? I use a neosporine cream with a pain control for all my minor scrapes and such.
I have MRSA and am diabetic, so I want to stay on top of my problems, but I don't want to overuse any antibiotics. I spent 11 days in the hospital in June with sepsis and pneumonia. The amount of antibiotics I got thru the iv was incredible. They wouldn't release me until they understood why I had the runs. I had eocynaphils(?) and they thought they were from some infectious source. It turned out my system didn't like the antibiotics and as soon as they stopped so did the trots.
I am trying to not use any internal antibiotics so I don't have the same symptoms I had after the bout sepsis.

[onebigelf]

Without offering advice on whether self prescription is a good idea or not... try Tractor Supply over with the equine stuff.

John

[Hmac]

Am I mistaken in thinking that the more people have the ability and means to provide for themselves, both medically and physically, the better off they are, esp. in extended austere situations such as Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent flooding.

Hurricane comes in, knocks out power and downs power lines in the roads and scatters debris, leaving no passable route to the local hospital if need be. Then, just casually, you cut your foot on something. No big deal. Low level flooding begins. Storm drains, septic tanks, and sewage pipes begin mixing with the rising water. Lower floor of your home begins to take on water, even just 6-7 inches.

Well that not so serious cut on your foot, is now a breeding ground for severe bacterial infections. Septicemia, E. Coli, Staph, a number of awful, highly life threatening infections if left untreated.

I believe the death rate for Septicemia is around 50%... so I think its advisable to have some type of antibiotic around to ward off infections before it gets to that stage...even if its just neosporin

Really? Do you know how to diagnose septicemia? What bugs are you going to be treating? Are you going to administer your fish antibiotics prophylactically, risking resistance, or are you going to wait for evidence of an actual infection? What are the signs of an actual infection? Are you going to be covering both gram negative and gram positive bacteria? How are you going to deal with anaerobes? What about resistant streptococcus species? How are you going to cover resistant strains? I mean, MRSA is community-based now. C'mon...you have to know this stuff, because, you know, the shit has hit the fan and it's the end of the world as we know it, and Google is down. What are you going to do about....wait...never mind, here comes the USCG rescue chopper.

The Mad Max movies really provide fertile ground for active imaginations.

[Hmac]

Without offering advice on whether self prescription is a good idea or not... try Tractor Supply over with the equine stuff.

John

Sure, because ungulate gastrointestinal physiology (absorption) and medication dosing is about the same as for humans. Well, anyway the medications have the same names...

[broylz]

i started my storage when i was getting yearly sinus infections. one year i had to wait a couple weeks to see a doctor due to insurace BS and while waiting, i had someone give me a Z-pack that they had stored. when i got to see my doctor, he gave me the same thing so i stored one for the next year.

since this time, i have ended up with a prep friendly doctor who will write prescriptions for travelers who go places that the medical care isnt up to our standards. in my small group of friends, there are a couple RNs, a doctor, and a EMT so i have plenty of experience on hand to properly diagnose and give dosing instructions. i have also done lots of research on my own and have printed the drug info out for my personal records. i think of this as just one more skill to know as far as being self sufficient.

[onebigelf]

Sure, because ungulate gastrointestinal physiology (absorption) and medication dosing is about the same as for humans. Well, anyway the medications have the same names...

As I said, I'm not interested in offering medical advice. Some people will take the position that if they are in a bind and they've got a raging infection they'll take their chances on what meds they could access, regardless of the source or intended use and hope it will help deal with whatever is killing them, figuring they have little to lose. Other might be happier with "Gee, I'm not a doctor. Nothing I can do but lay here and wait to die...". Darwinism works for me, either way. I have the advantage of a significant other who's a medical professional (experienced ER RN) and a brother who's a vet. Both of them like me enough to keep me alive (I think). The OP didn't ask for medical advice. He asked for a source. Beyond that I'll assume that he'll get appropriate advice before proceeding.

John

[Reagans Rascals]

Really? Do you know how to diagnose septicemia? What bugs are you going to be treating? Are you going to administer your fish antibiotics prophylactically, risking resistance, or are you going to wait for evidence of an actual infection? What are the signs of an actual infection? Are you going to be covering both gram negative and gram positive bacteria? How are you going to deal with anaerobes? What about resistant streptococcus species? How are you going to cover resistant strains? I mean, MRSA is community-based now. C'mon...you have to know this stuff, because, you know, the shit has hit the fan and it's the end of the world as we know it, and Google is down. What are you going to do about....wait...never mind, here comes the USCG rescue chopper.

The Mad Max movies really provide fertile ground for active imaginations.

key phrase in my statement.. "so I think its advisable to have some type of antibiotic around to ward off infections before it gets to that stage...even if its just neosporin"... as in... protect against infection before it reaches septicemia.

[Hmac]

key phrase in my statement.. "so I think its advisable to have some type of antibiotic around to ward off infections before it gets to that stage...even if its just neosporin"... as in... protect against infection before it reaches septicemia.

You missed the point. I'm talking about prophylaxis, same as you. What are you going to use to keep your foot from getting infected from your backed up sewer? What type of bug did you likely get in that foot wound? What are you treating? "Some type of antibiotic" just doesn't cut it in this day and age of rampant bacterial resistance. Does neosporin, or any such topical nostrum have any effectiveness in terms of preventing a deep space infection, or preventing a wound infection from becoming a source of sepsis? (the answer is "no"). Does tetracycline work well as prophylaxis?

These are things you should know as you go down to Tractor Supply to stock up for the SHTF scenario.

[Reagans Rascals]

You missed the point. I'm talking about prophylaxis, same as you. What are you going to use to keep your foot from getting infected from your backed up sewer? What type of bug did you likely get in that foot wound? What are you treating? "Some type of antibiotic" just doesn't cut it in this day and age of rampant bacterial resistance. Does neosporin, or any such topical nostrum have any effectiveness in terms of preventing a deep space infection, or preventing a wound infection from becoming a source of sepsis? (the answer is "no"). Does tetracycline work well as prophylaxis?

These are things you should know as you go down to Tractor Supply to stock up for the SHTF scenario.

I don't recall stating I was going to Tractor Supply for anything.

I believe a plastic walmart bag with a rubber band, some neosporin and a band aid will work wonders in keeping the infections out..

btw... you may have a sense of superiority due to your vast medical knowledge however there is a way to convey such knowledge without intentionally elevating yourself while publicly assailing an individual for the paucity of their medical education... I believe they call that bedside manner

[Sensei]

In terms of storing pain meds, a couple of bottles of the NSAID of your choice and acetaminophen is reasonable and legal. Storing a controlled substance that was not prescribed to you is a big no-no.

In terms of antibiotics, a stash over the counter topical antibiotics is also perfectly reasonable. On the other hand, storing systemic antibiotics is dangerous. First, the vast majority of antibiotics that are prescribed (inappropriatly) in America are for respiratory infections and have not activity against skin flora that infect most wounds in a SHTF situation. Second, you run the risk of partial treatment of diseases when you stop medications prematurely. There is also a ton of misinformation about particular antibiotics that is largely due to the internet and overprescribing behavior by physicians as a means of patient satisfaction. Take azithromycin (Z-pack) as an example of a drug that has been so frequently and inappropriately prescribed for conditions such as "sinusitis" that it is loosing its effectiveness for the conditions for which it was designed. A layperson who self-prescribes is far more likely to suffer a side-effect than effectively treat a condition (i.e. 20% of people taking azithromycin for uncomplicated sinusitis will suffer a GI side-effect vs. 5% who get better only 2 days faster than those not taking an antibiotic).