What OTC drugs to stock for SHTF

[AlphaTea]

all good to know
also hot packs, cold packs, visene, Vaseline, Epson salts, rubbing alcohol, H2O2,, chap stick, to name a few more

[Fidel MD]

Chemical hot and cold packs are very expensive, short lived, and have short shelf lives. An ice bag and ice, and a hot water bottle or sock filled with rice that can be heated on a stove work just as well.

Peroxide (H2O2) is a bad thing to use. Visine? If you need to wash out eyes, use water and lots of it. Rubbing alcohol has little use, it should NEVER be used on an open wound, and it is a poor disinfectant.

You can make replacements for most cosmetic products (including lip balm) out of combinations of bees wax (find a bee hive) and olive oil (which, if purchased in metal or glass containers will last forever).

And epsom salts? Seriously, what for?

[Sniper-T]

Epsom salts have long been considered one of the 'super' products available, for a multitude of reasons.

Some basic info:
http://www.saltworks.us/salt_info/ep...s-benefits.asp

What about cold medications? Dirixoral, Contact-C, Sudafed, Otrivan, etc.

Vitamin C (or multi vitamins)

[realist]

Cold packs are just ammonium nitrate and water. You can make them yourself if you do not have ice. But I agree they are expensive and take up too much room for me to store.

I've never used Epsom salts, some swear by it, just never had a need.

As to alcohol, I drink it, grain that is.

Hydrogen peroxide is something people keep using. It is not good for wounds, if you are irrigating a wound use saline or good sterile water. There is piles of information on the internet but the problem in not knowing what is true and good.

[Sniper-T]

I've always used peroxide on wounds. what's the problem with it? What does everyone use instead?

[jamesneuen]

As long as it's shallow enough I just put drawing salve on everything. Homemade stuff rocks

[realist]

A good topical antibiotic works very well, a Neosporin or Polysporin is what I use. When it comes to cleaning a wound I irrigate it with water for day to day dings. My hands are always getting dings. If I get a slight infection, that is when just good hot soapy water works well (time to clean the dishes) for cleaning it out then a topical on top. However most of a time just keeping it clean and putting on a band aid.

I've never heard of drawing salve.

Oh ya regarding hydrogen peroxide it will cause tissue damage that is why it has stopped being used. Some people like to use it as a disinfectant on material such as counter tops. The best thing is just good bleach, it works for just about everything, except wounds.

[Sniper-T]

Kind of like Dettol? That stuff used to be used in first aid, but on the label it gave mix ratios for mopping floors.
lol

I may have to keep a bottle or two of HP around though. I always liked watching wounds fizz.

[Fidel MD]

I've always used peroxide on wounds. what's the problem with it? What does everyone use instead?

Peroxide looks cool to use because of the fizzing.

The problem is that fizzing is the result of the peroxide blowing live cells apart. It literally causes the cell walls to rupture. Why would you want to do that?

Then, the dead cells are in the wound, at body temperature. You would be hard pressed to create a better incubator for bacteria than that.

For minor (i.e. you aren't thinking about going to the ED to get stitches) wounds, washing with running water (tap water is fine, if it is safe to drink) and getting all the foreign material out of the wound is best. If there is lots of dirt, then wash with soap too. In the ED I'd use saline and something like hibiclens scrub, because thats what we have, but there is no real evidence that it works any better than plain old soap and water.

There is a little evidence that keeping the wound kind of moist with something like an ointment helps speed healing. The various antiseptic ointments work that way. It doesnt matter in a typical incision what antibiotic you use. Petroleum jelly (Vaseline) would work as well. I keep a tube of the antibiotic ointment around because it's harder to contaminate than a jar of vaseline that someone stuck their booger-hook into.

This does not apply to big wounds, burns or things you need to see one of my colleagues for.

- - - Updated - - -

Kind of like Dettol? That stuff used to be used in first aid, but on the label it gave mix ratios for mopping floors.
lol

I may have to keep a bottle or two of HP around though. I always liked watching wounds fizz.

Dettol isn't a bad topical or surface disinfectant but some people are allergic to it.

[Sniper-T]

The problem is that fizzing is the result of the peroxide blowing live cells apart. It literally causes the cell walls to rupture. Why would you want to do that?...

Peroxide looks cool to use because of the fizzing.

...

Um... I think you answered your own question...



besides, my wife hates the smell when I use gasoline.