Just incase we are heading for hard times, what would you suggest stocking up for as far as medical/medicine supplies?

-- r.h. in okla. (rhays@sstelco.com), September 20, 2001

Answers

For sure r.h., especially meds you know your family will need, asthma medicine, heart pills, that kind of thing. A good book on natural remedies might solve a lot of problems, combining common ingredients to solve most of the usual problems. Two items that might need some special thought: multi vitamins and birth control pills.

I'm no way qualified to picking what specific meds you might need; your family physician would be great help here. I live near the U.S. / Mexico border, so prescription drugs like penicillain(sp?), lomotil for stomach "events", and a host of others are easily available over the counter at their pharmacies.

Iodine or bleach for decontaminating water also would be helpful, an ounce of prevention being better than a pound of cure.

-- j.r. guerra (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), September 20, 2001.

I stocked up on my prescription meds and have two good books on natural remedies. I have stocked up on bandages and over the counter meds that we normally use along with some good multivitamins. I always keep a supply of bleach on hand but bought an extra five gallons yesterday when we were at the store.

-- Grannytoo (jacres40@hotmail.com), September 20, 2001.

I always have a well stocked first aid/medical kit. Its a duffle bag like EMT's use. I also have antiboitics (2 types), muscle relaxer, and plenty of anti septic and burn cream. (burn free is best)

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), September 20, 2001.

Stan, Please-Please throw away that burn cream!!

Cold water is b-e-s-t!

I learned this the hard way. Mom had some A and D cream, we were in an explosion back in 1978, temp's were 2400 degrees, most everyone that burnt was from the heat NOT the actual fire. Sure the cream felt good on the burns, however, creams-ointments etc. hold in and seal the heat into the skin and actually make the burn go in deeper, where as cold water draws out the heat from burns. Silvadene (sp?) IS the only burn cream that I know of and I believe it is by prescription??

Just had to tell ya, Debb LA/MS

-- Debb LA/MS (fly45@bellsouth.net), September 20, 2001.

i am getting a prescription filled for pitocin, going to buy some more herb seeds, get some extra homeopathic remedies, and get my oxygen tank filled (I'm a midwife.) I am also making sure to harvest extra herbs now to have on hand if needed (I'm also an herbalist, and training/studying to be homeopathist as well). A few great herb books would be useful.

If you can get some suture, this would be helpful too, or at least some nice strong coat thread and some curved needles of different sizes (including thin and delicate) in case someone gets a cut that needs suturing.

Safety pins and gauze tape might be useful.

-- marcee king (thathope@mwt.net), September 20, 2001.

Buy a big ol' box of cheap oatmeal - not instant, just plain oatmeal. Vaccuum pack it into small quantities if you have the means. It sounds strange, but I can guarantee from personal experience and from the adulations of those to whom I recommended it that an oatmeal poultice works wonders for many skin injuries, including burns.

After you THOROUGHLY clean a wound, cool off a burn, whatever, you put enough oatmeal to cover the wound with about 1/4 inch of the stuff in a bowl. Pour enough hot (not boiling) water over the oatmeal to make a medium paste (not runny, but enough juice to flow through a bandage freely) and let it sit until skin temp for cuts and the like, or cool for a burn. Cover the wound with a sterile gauze dressing, cover the dressing with the oatmeal, and cover that with another dressing. Wrap securely, but not too tightly, to hold it all in place and leave it on for several hours or overnight. Rinse lightly afterwards and give the skin some "air time" between applications.

You can also apply the oatmeal directly if it is not likely to get into the wound (punctures and burns). My mom made me sleep with a sock full of it when I stepped on a rusty nail once. Talk about GROSS! But it did heal - no tetnus (no shot) and no scar. Same thing for sis when she nearly sliced off a few toes on a piece of broken Coke bottle at the swimming hole. Very little scarring, full use of appendages, and one severely amazed doctor, enthralled by the quick and complete healing.

Oatmeal contains many skin-happy ingredients in the "juice" (which is why it is in so many cosmetic applications - usually at pointless concentrations). The straight stuff is healing, soothing, and cheap. One caveat - don't use if you have sutures - it could cause the dissolving ones to dissolve too quickly and it could cause the wound to heal to securely around the removable type, causing minor but painful extraction injuries when you have them taken out.

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), September 20, 2001.

Another common food item that can be used medicinally is honey. It has antibiotic properties and has been used as a wound dressing in the past. I would suggest that probably raw honey would work better than pastuerized/heat treated, though.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), September 20, 2001.

BURN FREE is something new,, it actually pulls the heat out,, doesnt trap it in. ALL EMT are supposed to be useing it,, and hospitals do also, as long as its a closed wound

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), September 20, 2001.

Wondering where and or how you all are stocking up on things like antibiotics? I am getting a natural type healing/remedy book and learning about natural alternatives, but until then, I’d like to start stocking up with some things like antibiotics, silvadene (actually would like to get some burn free too), maybe some local anesthetics and some pain relievers more powerful then the over the counter stuff and some muscles relaxers incase someone’s back goes, ect…

So, how do you obtain these things? Do you need to know a doc who will give you prescriptions for antibiotics and pain relievers? Can you order them from anywhere in Mexico and be rather legal about it?

I have been thinking about this for a while and with the recent attacks on our land, I feel much more hurried to get these kinds of things in order for my family.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

-- Kelly longing to live in the woods... (angelridgemom@ameritech.net), September 20, 2001.

Good ol' Bag Balm is the most used item in my first aid kit.

-- Joe (CactusJoe001@AOL.com), September 20, 2001.

tell you DR,, your going on a 3 week camping trip,, and want them just in case. OR you could use vet supplies. Same grade as for humans,, no prescription needed. The burn free, I get from work. But you can buy it also

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), September 20, 2001.

Stan, Thanks for the input!

Learning more, Debb LA/MS

-- Debb LA/MS (fly45@bellsouth.net), September 20, 2001.

Thanks Stan for your information! I am really new at this stuff but my brain has plenty of empty spaces I have dusted out for storage!

-- Kelly longing to live in the woods... (angelridgemom@ameritech.net), September 21, 2001.

We have found colloidal silver salve to work incredibly well for burns--it's even better than aloe. We've also used it for infected wounds, and seems to speed healing.

-- z in WA (beebedz@juno.com), September 21, 2001.

Wow! So much I could say. It depends on what your personal scenario is, what your level of training is, or that of people you expect might be available to you in time of crisis, ad nauseum.

Please allow me to offer this. I have a medical forum aimed at preparedness medicine. Since I'm busy scanning other threads for homesteading info I'll share in return.

If you check the various forums, notably Ditch Medicine, you will find some doctor designed or recommended medical bags and kits.

http://medtech.syrene.net/forum/

Now if I can just find that nice acreage in the country...

RR

-- Reasonable Rascal aka Dale (ayrman@pcsia.net), December 01, 2001.