Medicine: stock up on what? From where? How long will it keep?

[breakingcontact]

So allergies have me in fits currently.

SHTF im in trouble.

But there are even more severe concerns im sure for those with diabetes, heart issues and so on have or providing care for people with those or other conditions.

So I stock up on all the allergy medicine I can from where and how long will it stay effective? I know meds (and stored food) degrade over time.

Yes I know there are some natural remedies as well and im not against them but do find them less effective.

 

[TX69]

It depends on the medication for its shelf life. As for diabetes some insulin (as long as its kept under 90 degrees) will last three years before it starts to lose its effectiveness. In case SHTF and depending upon how long it lasts, without the manufacturing of new insulin there will be mass death in the millions with that disease. Not all are insulin dependent as it does matter whether they are Type 1 or 2.

For your meds the best places to check are Wiki to see if there is good info and the manufacture's website for instruction.

 

[HKaltwasser]

I stock up on advil, children's Ibprofrin, children's tylenol, fish mox, and Mucinex. These are the main ones.

I can't speak on how long allergy meds will last past their expiration date. This lady has allot of useful info on medicine,first aid, and taking care of yourself in bad times.

 

[Andy]

Among other things I have various antibiotics, purchased as fish meds without prescription:

Fish Mox = Amoxicillin
Fish Flex = Cephalexin/Keflex
Fish Cillin = Ampicillin
Fish Flox = Ciprofloxacin

Google "Dr Bones antibiotics" sometime - he's a real M.D.

 

[Southpaw]

Among other things I have various antibiotics, purchased as fish meds without prescription:

Fish Mox = Amoxicillin
Fish Flex = Cephalexin/Keflex
Fish Cillin = Ampicillin
Fish Flox = Ciprofloxacin

Google "Dr Bones antibiotics" sometime - he's a real M.D.

I stock the same. I rarely use antibiotics and if I can I try to avoid them, but sometimes you really need them and I couldn't imagine how bad it would be to need them and not have them at your disposal.

 

[F350-6]

I'm by no means an expert on this stuff, but in SHTF scenarios, I'm not as worried about a stuffy nose as I would normally be. As for insulin, I'd be doing research to try and determine what effect the projected diet would have on blood sugar levels and stock accordingly.

Again, don't really know, but I'd be worried that foods tailored for SHTF survival scenarios weren't designed with diabetes as a primary concern.

 

[Se7en62]

I'm by no means an expert on this stuff, but in SHTF scenarios, I'm not as worried about a stuffy nose as I would normally be. As for insulin, I'd be doing research to try and determine what effect the projected diet would have on blood sugar levels and stock accordingly.

Again, don't really know, but I'd be worried that foods tailored for SHTF survival scenarios weren't designed with diabetes as a primary concern.

Agreed. Luckily my wife and I have no allergies nor diagnosed ailments, so when the SHTF all I'll have is my medical kit and fish antibiotics (thank you Andy for the idea!) and be on my merry way.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Methinks "The Patriot Nurse" might drink too much coffee, lol....

 

[Andy]

fish antibiotics (thank you Andy for the idea!)

Didn't invent the concept, of course, but happy to share it around - it's pretty interesting once you start researching the human uses of veterinary medicines.

 

[Texas42]

Honestly. I'd stock up on all the OTC allergy, antihistamine, analgesics, and topical antibiotics. Also as much alcohol as possible. As far as meds go, baby aspirin maybe. Best bang for your buck.

If you are diabetic and require insulin, long term you are going to die.

As as far as expiration, all meds have them. The documented will be conservative. Very conservative, but what the medication degrades into is anotherquestion entirely. Toxic or just useless?

if you think social order will be disrupted for a few months, it makes sence to have thee months on hand of all your rx meds and a reliable fridge. But long term and the supply will eventually dry up.

I dont trust fish antibiotics. That's just me.

 

[pharmaco]

From your friendly neighborhood RPh:

if you have a tetracycline that changes color- don't eat it.

Also, don't listen to nurses on youtube for advice on medication, SHTF or otherwise. I'm sure her 6 week class on basic pharmacology is enough to get her by in a hospital setting, but... yeah.

 

[benenglish]

I hate it when meds degrade by design.

My sis had some serious angina yesterday. She probably has 4 bottles of nitroglycerin spray around the house. At minimum, I always have one on me, there's one near where she sits to watch TV, there's one in her purse, and one in a box as a backup.

About a year or more ago, the generic brand that was being provided by her insurance changed. We compared labels. It's the same on the labels. Same ingredients. Same dosage. Same instructions.

The difference between her old and new medicine, though, is like night and day. The old stuff burns in the mouth and kicks her in the head instantly with a headache that makes you consider suicide but it also kicks ass on the angina. The new stuff? You don't feel it under the tongue when you spray it, it causes almost no headache, and does next to nothing to impact the angina.

So yesterday she had some pretty bad angina. Two applications of the old stuff and she was fine. I honestly think if she only had the new stuff, she'd take 8 doses, have no improvement, and have to call an ambulance.

We've begged the insurance company to specify the name brand of the old generic. They say they'll make a note in the file but can make no guarantees. The good stuff hasn't arrived in forever.

The next step is to head down to the local CVS with both bottles. As of this year, CVS/Caremark has taken over as her prescription provider. I'm going to help her move her nitro prescription from mail order to the local pharmacy. With that done, I'm going to see if it's possible to get the good stuff again.

Some of this stuff I just don't understand.

 

[Andy]

From your friendly neighborhood RPh:

if you have a tetracycline that changes color- don't eat it.

Also, don't listen to nurses on youtube for advice on medication, SHTF or otherwise. I'm sure her 6 week class on basic pharmacology is enough to get her by in a hospital setting, but... yeah.

Thanks. How do you feel about Dr Bones' info? He's an MD:

 

[NeckBeard]

this is a huge concern of mine since i have family who are literally kept alive by very specialized meds. it honestly keeps me awake sometimes when i get into thinking about it.

when the meds run out, i am going to have to use a lot of duct tape.

 

[Se7en62]

I have kept some Rx stuff for SHTF scenarios in my bugout. I don't take medicine, but whoever I use a tourniquet on may be interested in a pain killer. Otherwise, I have Tylonol, Advil, FishMox, a couple Z packs, Benadryl, Allegra, and Viagra (blood thinner.)

 

[NeckBeard]

I have kept some Rx stuff for SHTF scenarios in my bugout. I don't take medicine, but whoever I use a tourniquet on may be interested in a pain killer. Otherwise, I have Tylonol, Advil, FishMox, a couple Z packs, Benadryl, Allegra, and Viagra (blood thinner.)

I keep a lot of allergy meds on hand.... pain killers are also important.

its quite frightening to see how many people in this country are dependent on man made medication to survive. Lord have mercy.

 

[benenglish]

OT Warning

...Viagra (blood thinner.)

Pulmonary hypertension. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[benenglish]

OT Warning

I was looking for some OTC meds for my sis last night and I dug into a couple of places that I don't usually look. With two very ill women having lived in this house over the last couple of decades, medicines can pop up in odd locations.

I found an interesting clear glass bottle where the pharmacy label simply said "Take as directed". There was no name for the liquid medicine inside and no name of a doctor. The prescription had been filled by my mother at the Fulton Road Pharmacy in Mobile, Alabama, in 1965. Obviously, pharmacy practices have changed a bit over the years.

Oddly, the purpose of this medicine has, too. This one has passed from useful to outdated to "I think I'll keep it as a memento."

 

[Rebel]

Booze.

You can make it yourself, and it takes a long time to go bad.

Pain killer, sterilizer, sleep aid...

 

[lobo]

Pharmacy would be the first place I visit if the SHTF!!