Affordable medical supplies you should be stockpiling now

(Bugout.news) As Winter 2015 approaches a convergence of events and potential events makes it necessary for you to really start thinking about how you would take care of yourself and your loved ones in the event of a breakdown in the civil society.

One of these concerns is the same every year – extreme weather. In some parts of the country heavy snow from major winter storms can wreak havoc on a region for days or weeks on end. In other parts, hurricane-like conditions can develop quickly and spread devastation over a wide, multi-state area (remember Superstorm Sandy in 2012?).

But also, in this day and age as we recently saw in Paris, terrorism is again front and center as a concern. And while what happened in Paris was over in a few hours, the changes the attack brought to French society could be long-lasting (curbs to personal liberty, curfews and so forth).

Finally, there is always a threat, it seems, of political unrest, especially in a country as divided as ours is right now. Worse, it doesn’t appear as if those divisions are going to improve much in the next few years, no matter who becomes president or which political party is the majority in Congress.

With these things in mind, then, it will be up to each of us to personally ensure that in a time of trouble we have what we need to maintain our health and well-being as best we can, because the health care “system” may or may not be able to sustain society. As such, there are things we can do now to prepare for any emergency:

— Antibiotics are going to be important and chances are these will vanish quickly in times of strife. Hospitals, clinics and pharmacies are like grocery stores and other retail outlets – in normal times they don’t have trouble keeping a ready supply of pharmaceuticals on hand because the logistics chain that feeds them is intact. Once that chain is disrupted, however, pharmaceuticals (and all other goods dependent on uninterrupted resupply) will fail.

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To obtain a broad spectrum antibiotic you don’t need a prescription from your doctor. Fish amoxicillin contains the same penicillin-based medicine that humans are prescribed, according to Survival Medicine. There are many bacterial infections and illnesses that can be treated with amoxicillin (Survival Medicine advises that you ensure your patient is not allergic to penicillin first, though – so ask). Read up on what you can treat with Fish Mox here. And order some now.

Experts recommend keeping your stockpile in the refrigerator; keeping antibiotics cool will extend their potency.

Also: Antibiotic cream/ointment is extremely cheap, will store for years and will become an invaluable anti-bacterial healing salve for the inevitable cuts and scrapes you will experience in a survival situation. Think Band-aids® as well (like a variety pack).

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— Hydrogen peroxide will be a vital part of your post-SHTF medical kit. Some suggest obtaining “food grade” solution because at 35 percent it is strong. However, using hydrogen peroxide at this strength can also be hazardous (especially around an open flame). So regular peroxide will probably serve you just as well – and this stuff is dirt cheap.

If you’re interested in the stronger solution, learn about it first. A good book that discusses all kinds of uses for peroxide is called The One Minute Cure.

— This seems obvious but it needs to be said anyway because in a survival situation you are going to need them at some point: Heavy bandages. Major cuts and scrapes will quickly become infected quickly and you’re going to need clean bandages to help ward off the infection. The above items will greatly improve your chances of recovery as well, of course. Don’t forget to pick up some medical tape as well and, if you have room, some disposable latex gloves (if you’re not allergic to latex – do you even know?).

— It may seem trivial now but when you get a splitting headache or severe backache brought about by the suddenly difficult lifestyle you’re living, ibuprofen and acetaminophen will become more valuable to you than gold. Again, these items are very affordable, last for years and don’t take up much space. And one bottle can contain 100 tablets, so that will last you for a while.

Aspirin is good, too, but it comes with some health risks when combined with other medications, so consult your doctor first.

— Many people don’t associate heat and cold packs with “medical supplies” but they certainly have medical uses. Cold packs will ease pain and reduce swelling; hot packs can do the same and they can also be used to treat hypothermia (learn about recognition and treatment for cold-weather injury here). If you have space pick up a couple of each (cold and heat).

These are some of the most common items you are likely to need when things turn sour in your part of the world. They are also likely to be in high demand so any supplies that exist when things begin to turn bad will disappear quickly. Better to stock up on them now, before you find yourself in trouble.

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H/T’s:

http://www.theprepperjournal.com/2015/11/17/shtf-medical-alternatives-you-can-use-for-treatment/

http://www.doomandbloom.net/how-to-use-fish-mox-to-treat-your-sick-fish-of-course/

http://www.hypothermia.org/hypothermia1.htm