Well, the \"What did you do today?\" thread brought up some points about medication brought along while in the backcountry. I thought I\'d share my perspective.
1. Aspirin. This should be with everyone. Fully a third of ALL deaths in North America are related to coronary artery disease. That\'s even more true in the woods. Aspirin, given within the first 3 hours of a heart attack, can reduce the death rate of the event by half. Take a single 325mg pill, chew it and swallow it. Other doses have been looked at, but this is safe for almost* anyone. Someone mentioned Nitroglycerin in the other thread. Keep in mind that Nitro treats pain, but does not reduce the chance of death, and does not alter the course of a heart attack.
2. Your home medications. Seems dumb to say it, but if you take medicines at home, keep taking them in the woods. Stopping prescription medications can cause all kinds of trouble. I\'ve had patients do this, and then have to cancel their trip 3 days into it due to withdrawal symptoms. I take my BP med, my inhaler, and some prednisone to treat asthma if I get in trouble like I did last year.
3. Pain relievers. It\'s nice to have prescription pain meds (opiates like Percocet) but are they really necessary? If you need Percocet, your trip is shot anyway, so go see a real doctor and quit treating yourself. I generally do take a few, but they are for those times when I might be stuck in camp with an injury. But do take something ... Aspirin pulls double-duty here and is an obvious choice, but you might choose Ibuprofen, Aleve, or Tylenol depending on how they\'ve worked for you before and what other medical problems you might have.
4. Antibiotics. Nice to have, but again, if you need antibiotics, your trip is basically over, anyway. If you\'re going to be on a drop camp in Alaska, that\'s different.
5. Anti-diarrhea meds. Now we\'re talking. Most bouts of diarrhea last only a day or so, and they are quite annoying when you are in the woods. Immodium comes along with me. I\'ve learned my lesson.
6. Anti-biotic ointment. There\'s not a lot of evidence that these really help all that much, but they do come in handy little containers, and the grease they come in is good for open abrasions, etc.
7. Sun-screen. Yep, I\'d count that as a medicine, and it may be reasonable while camping or traveling in the woods. Lousy for hunting elk, though.
8. Epi-pen. I don\'t take one, generally, but I can\'t fault those who do. Actually, I do usually have one in \"base-camp\" situations where there are larger gatherings (not hunting). Large groups have all kinds of things happen.
9. Albuterol. A simple asthma inhaler can be a lifesaver ... I\'ve come across folks in the woods who have asthma and left their inhalers at home, and they\'re very happy to share mine. If you have asthma, you know what I mean.
10. Benadryl. Allergic reactions occur. Last time I used Benadryl was last summer when my dog got bit by a bug that was trying to get some private time under a dead log. Her face swelled up about twice the size of normal, and 13 miles from the pickup, we didn\'t have much else to do. Benadryl works. It also sedates, and can be a good sleep aid. Sometimes that\'s just what the doctor ordered, too, eh?
11. Wine. While there is conflicting evidence on whether wine reduces heart attacks and strokes, I figure: Why take chances? I try to make sure I enjoy some on most days of the week, and wouldn\'t want to stop that just because I\'m camping.
12. What am I forgetting? Brad, wasn\'t there a thread on another forum about a \"medicine\" you can get in Colorado? I can\'t remember what they were talking about. Seriously, I must be forgetting something, but I think if you have these in your kit, you\'re doing well.
1. Aspirin. This should be with everyone. Fully a third of ALL deaths in North America are related to coronary artery disease. That\'s even more true in the woods. Aspirin, given within the first 3 hours of a heart attack, can reduce the death rate of the event by half. Take a single 325mg pill, chew it and swallow it. Other doses have been looked at, but this is safe for almost* anyone. Someone mentioned Nitroglycerin in the other thread. Keep in mind that Nitro treats pain, but does not reduce the chance of death, and does not alter the course of a heart attack.
2. Your home medications. Seems dumb to say it, but if you take medicines at home, keep taking them in the woods. Stopping prescription medications can cause all kinds of trouble. I\'ve had patients do this, and then have to cancel their trip 3 days into it due to withdrawal symptoms. I take my BP med, my inhaler, and some prednisone to treat asthma if I get in trouble like I did last year.
3. Pain relievers. It\'s nice to have prescription pain meds (opiates like Percocet) but are they really necessary? If you need Percocet, your trip is shot anyway, so go see a real doctor and quit treating yourself. I generally do take a few, but they are for those times when I might be stuck in camp with an injury. But do take something ... Aspirin pulls double-duty here and is an obvious choice, but you might choose Ibuprofen, Aleve, or Tylenol depending on how they\'ve worked for you before and what other medical problems you might have.
4. Antibiotics. Nice to have, but again, if you need antibiotics, your trip is basically over, anyway. If you\'re going to be on a drop camp in Alaska, that\'s different.
5. Anti-diarrhea meds. Now we\'re talking. Most bouts of diarrhea last only a day or so, and they are quite annoying when you are in the woods. Immodium comes along with me. I\'ve learned my lesson.
6. Anti-biotic ointment. There\'s not a lot of evidence that these really help all that much, but they do come in handy little containers, and the grease they come in is good for open abrasions, etc.
7. Sun-screen. Yep, I\'d count that as a medicine, and it may be reasonable while camping or traveling in the woods. Lousy for hunting elk, though.
8. Epi-pen. I don\'t take one, generally, but I can\'t fault those who do. Actually, I do usually have one in \"base-camp\" situations where there are larger gatherings (not hunting). Large groups have all kinds of things happen.
9. Albuterol. A simple asthma inhaler can be a lifesaver ... I\'ve come across folks in the woods who have asthma and left their inhalers at home, and they\'re very happy to share mine. If you have asthma, you know what I mean.
10. Benadryl. Allergic reactions occur. Last time I used Benadryl was last summer when my dog got bit by a bug that was trying to get some private time under a dead log. Her face swelled up about twice the size of normal, and 13 miles from the pickup, we didn\'t have much else to do. Benadryl works. It also sedates, and can be a good sleep aid. Sometimes that\'s just what the doctor ordered, too, eh?
11. Wine. While there is conflicting evidence on whether wine reduces heart attacks and strokes, I figure: Why take chances? I try to make sure I enjoy some on most days of the week, and wouldn\'t want to stop that just because I\'m camping.
12. What am I forgetting? Brad, wasn\'t there a thread on another forum about a \"medicine\" you can get in Colorado? I can\'t remember what they were talking about. Seriously, I must be forgetting something, but I think if you have these in your kit, you\'re doing well.
