health issues & survival

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northern1

Joined
Apr 29, 2007
Messages
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i'm sure this has been brought up many time before but here it goes anyways.

i'm thinking about people with health issues or ailments and survival / long term survival.

it could be anything from a katrina type incident to a refugee type incident like in georgia republic or sudan or armagedon for cryin out loud,idk.

some people need daily medicine.me particularly need a combination of asthma inhalers and honestly believe i would eventually die without them since i have come close with them.for others it could be insulin.

any thoughts other than just being s.o.l.

i know if i was in a katrina / every man for him self situation it would either be loot the pharmacy or die but i'm sure i wouldnt be the only one with that on my mind.some would have legit reason while others would see it as a crime of opportunity to steal prescription narcotics.

life can be so easy and we can become so complacent.i turn on the faucet and water comes out,i hand the pharmacist a piece of paper and WHALLA i can breath again.once these things are gone and we have to fight to have them or die without them we would realize how much we took our lives daily conveniences for granted.

i'm also sure their would be natural remedies that could help somewhat but i dont know them and lets be honest the results would probably be minimal at best for the majority of heath issues.

its scary to think about it and its scary to be dependent on something to live productively or just to live period.just the more reason to try and be healthy and in shape.i'm trying to reverse all the damage i did in my youth....cough,cough....hack,hack.

any thoughts??
 
The average patient on Medicare now takes 6 Prescription Medications per day---which mean 50% take more than that.(they HAVE to).Diabetes,Hypertension,etc.

Do your best to never join that group(eat right-exercise,etc)--

and if you are not in shape---get back there..

I have patients that tell me they are too busy to exercise 20 minutes/day....

Sad part is that they actually BELIEVE it....

Dr.Bill
 
Improving your physical condition would help both with your current situation and potential events in the future. If you don't feel comfortable doing cardio yet, try weight training (lower weights for longer endurance) and then build to a stationary bike or other cardio.
 
Some people don't have the option.
Many ailments have nothing to do with what shape your in.
For instance being a diabetic. I'm not what anyone would consider in bad shape, I used to exercise more than just about anyone but dedicated athletes, have a physically demanding job, yet became diabetic. It's just one of those things that happens. Wasn't even genetic in my case as neither side of my family has a history of it. Stuff happens.

Some people need daily meds because of injuries, their bodies simply can't keep up anymore without meds.

So don't paint the "fat and lazy" with too wide a brush.

To answer the OP, For short term problems (like Katrina), you can always ask your doc for a prescription to put you a month or two ahead on meds. This being hurricane season, I made sure to be a month ahead for my meds. They may be less inclined to do so if you're on heavy duty stuff that sells on the street, however.

For long term, I hate to say it, but I think a lot of us will just die.
 
Cpl Punishment said:
For long term, I hate to say it, but I think a lot of us will just die.
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Quite frankly, that's what I think is the reality of it. I'm no doctor, and I haven't heard of any even remotely plausible natural medicines for serious health issues like diabetes or asthma.

The main reason there are six billion people in the world is that people no longer die from things that, earlier, almost invariably killed them. If SHTF in a most dramatic way and it's the end of the world as we know it, then a whole lot of people are going to die and there's no way to avoid it.

For short term emergencies, it makes sense to stockpile on vital medicines that you need.
 
Having enough of your meds on hand when you need them is what will determine whether or not you have a chance of surviving or not. I take 2 prescription drugs that I need to have to function well and I normally have at least 3 months of each on lhand at any given time. Neither requires refridgeration, so that wouldn't be a possible problem in a survival situation. Other than that, I've replaced the statins (cholesterol meds) with high fiber and super Omega capsules, as well as eating right and plenty of exericise and that seems to be working for me. Eliminating that costly (in more ways than one) medication.
 
It is a concern. My wife is on life-long medication for a very underactive thyroid. If she misses her meds for a just few days, she feels quite ill and has no energy. Unfortunately, in the UK, doctors refuse to prescribe more than a months supply, once a month. Stockpiling is definitely not allowed. The government knows what is best for us(!)

My mother is, coincidentally, on the same high dose for having no thyroid, due to cancer many years ago. She has often tried to build up a supply by ordering each months supply a couple of days earlier each month, with a little success.

Our practice refused this, so we're stuck with having to buy dodgy (and possibly illegal???) imports if we wanted extra.

One thing to remember (probably obvious) if you can stockpile - rotate your stock so that you are taking the oldest you have in store all the time. That way, they don't go past the use-by date.
 
For long term, I hate to say it, but I think a lot of us will just die.
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Basically. Natural selection kicks back in and the herd is thinned. Like Elen said, a lot of people are dependent on the Machine and "when the machine breaks down, WE break down"
 
sketchbag said:
Basically. Natural selection kicks back in and the herd is thinned. Like Elen said, a lot of people are dependent on the Machine and "when the machine breaks down, WE break down"
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That is a particularly mean, ugly and vile way to conceive of it, but I happen to agree. We are for all practical purposes modern minds wedded to stoneage bodies. How many of us upon hearing someone has cancer think "they've had an outstanding innings to have lived long enough to contract cancer". I know that's not strictly true in all instances, but it gives more than sufficient gist of how many life preserving, augmenting, and extending features we simply take for granted in modern living.
 
I was in Vegas a while back at the home of a diabetic. I wondered why one wouldn't hook up some solar cells to a small fridge. His medication needed refrigeration, and there certainly is enough sun for it.
 
Good post. I am on Meds that I have to have period. If you are in the same boat, dowhatever you have to do to get your doctor to help you keep a supply of your meds for any emergency that may arise. I have a few weeks supply of mine in my survival kit. That may not be enough but it's a start and gives me a fighting chance to get more before i run out. You should cycle your extra supply as some meds have a short shelf life.

One should of course try to keep in shape but time will take it's toll no matter what you try to do. Except it, prepare for it and make the most you can of it.
 
I was speaking to asthma not diabetes and not trying to be cruel or judgemental. In this case the preacher - needs to listen to his own words.

Type 1 diabetes has strong genetic ties but can result from chronic condition of Type II. If genetic though, unfortuntately life style will have a less beneficial effect on your condition. Type II diabetes has definite linkages to obesity and nutritional factors. In its earlier stages, Type II shows strong response to improved diet and physical fitness.

Anyhow, having a stock necessary meds seems like the likely answer. But it isn't as easy as that. A lot of meds are controlled and there is unwillingness to refill a prescription before the previous one is completed. I know people with anxiety meds have this problem all the time - where they run close to the wire of running out because sometimes you just can't arrange to get a refill and pick-up on the very same day you run-out.
 
My left eye gets so dry at night that when it is first opened in the morning tears the protective layer off (I'm not going to even try to spell the medical term for this condition). This causes blurred vision, as in clouded like a thick fog, redness, sensitivity to light, and a very bad pain. I describe the pain as the inside of my eyelid feeling like a peice of sand paper. If I don't have my ointment then, well I'd say I'm S.O.L. I wouldn't die without the ointment, but I like both my eyes.
 
Specifically for asthma- I beat it. I went from 59 Er visits in ONE YEAR to using an inhaler once in a blue moon. Opening windows, cleaning, getting rid of dust and dead air and canned food and processed meat helped an amazing amount. CArpets and mold are killers. Surprisingly, so are air conditioners. Exercise did the rest- hiking is life.

Now, There's gonna be cases that can't be beat. I acknowledge that. But I've seen a few people beat asthma the same way. Kick its butt. Asthma is in ALL cases at least partially an environmental disease- even when the environmental changes don't cure it, they help. Stress control helps a lot, too.
Now, since meds are still needed- stock up on breathe easy tea and sugar packets. Hot sweet drinks help all by themselves, the breathe easy tea helps, as well. Rescue meds aren't that hard, you can still find epi in halers around- they'll kill you long term but will hold you through a drought of other meds. Stocking up on albuterol helps, even after expiration, they work for a longish time. 2 or 3 in each pack, glove box, etc. STAY ON TOP OF REFILLS- don't do what I used to do and let yourself get to one half empty inhaler just because the VA refill process is a PITA.

IIRC, albuterol is OTC in mexico and canada.

Most of the more exotic asthma meds are snake oil- adding to certain classes of asthma triggers as much as they take away from others. (the discus is fairly good, long term, though)

BUT, I am NOT a doctor.

For more serious ailments, look at the drug sources, some are plant based. Look deep and hard at other therapies- maybe your itchinitis is helped 95% by whamocrotul (TM), but whamocrotul is extracted from appalachian pink pine needles- which work half as well in a tea. You just owe it to yourself to find out.

Insulin is a biggy. cold packs, 12VDC thermo coolers, use what you need to. And figre out how to maximize time if you have to do without- what's the limit? 3 days? 20 hours? Where's the line between bad news and dead?
 
You have that right, Every darn one of us is going to die. However that doesn't mean that steps can't be taken to live longer and improve your standard of life. Part of that is being prepared.
 
udtjim said:
You have that right, Every darn one of us is going to die. However that doesn't mean that steps can't be taken to live longer and improve your standard of life. Part of that is being prepared.
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Agreed. I have frequently wondered about this exact question. Step one is that ackowledging that we who have chronic diseases are living with heightened risk, and it is appropriate to be more vigilant, prepared, and cautious. It's easy to forget we are more vulnerable, but we are. So threats that would interrupt a lifeline like insulin, have to be reacted to very strongly. There shouldn't be any question of "toughing it out." That's for Rambo, not Wilford Brimley. Also, IMHO people are the key to survival. A weaker person can contribute by having tools and supplies, watching children or tending the sick, while stronger folks go out and gather or hunt. It's in an ill person's interests to try to join and stay with a group rather than trying to go solo. As the old saying goes, "There is strength in numbers."

Finally attitude and mindset are everything.

I keep reminding myself:
"It isn't the size of the dog in the fight. It's the size of the fight in the dog."
"God helps those who help themselves."
"A stitch in time saves nine."
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

etc..

Maybe too, if you're just plain too stubborn to die, you might just live.
 
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great stuff guys and just what i was looking for and what i have been thinking about.

personally i'm in great shape,28yrs old,strong as an ox,healthy as a horse.i work out,hike and have a very physical job.my only problem is asthma and when your lungs freeze up it gets serious quick.

i've tried to get extras on my inhalers but they just told me know.when you say its for an emergency they look at you like your crazy.i think it would be different if i live in hurricane territory.their just narrow minded but i will kepp pushing them.

i do have a small stock and i do rotate it.

a lot of times i think how lucky we are with modern medicine.i used to get bad strep throat before having my tonsils removed.that,pneumonia or this asthma would've killed me years ago if it wasnt for anti-biotics.

a certain amount of our health is in our hands while some of it is totally out of our control.i guess i'll do my part the best i can and hope the "machine" keeps on a runnin
 
northern1 said:
i've tried to get extras on my inhalers but they just told me know.when you say its for an emergency they look at you like your crazy.i think it would be different if i live in hurricane territory.their just narrow minded but i will kepp pushing them.
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Do you have automatic refills (my dc writes my meds for 5 auto refills before needing a new prescription)? If so, you can refill a little early and "stockpile" maybe one each refill cycle.

Anotehr option is to go to another town, go to a walk in clinic, tell them you're on vacation and your inhaler got lost or left behind by accident. That could put you 1 or 2 ahead.
 
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