What do you carry with you for medicine in the woods? Obviously this will vary from person to person, and for differing venues, but what goes into your most 'basic kit,' the one you 'always have.' (Not talking about bandages here, just medicines.) How would you augment that for longer trips?
I always have:
antihistamine tablets -commercial sealed packets
Tylenol - commercial sealed packets
Imodium - commercial sealed packets
Oral rehydration salts - Individual packets, each to make one liter
Triple Antibiotic ointment - commercial individual foil packets
Hydro-cortizone cream - very small tube
Ciproflaxacin - 500mg for severe diarrhea - I seal in plastic
Tramadol HCL - 100mg severe pain - I seal in plastic
Alprazolam - I seal in plastic
I even carry the first three in my around-town daypack if I don't speak the language of the country I'm in!
The last three require a doctor's prescription if you live in First World countries, but this shouldn't be a problem for adults as you only need 4-8 tablets of each for a basic kit. Be sure your doctor gives you clear dosage instructions for each. It might help to print that out and include it in your kit.
For extended trips or further from the trailhead (say several days out,) I add;
Amoxicillin 500mg
Co-tri-moxizol - for dysentery (I do a lot of hiking in Third World countries)
Caffeine tablets
For a long trip, all of this can fit into a plastic waterproof cigarette case with room to spare, a Rubbermaid plastic foodsaver, or an Altoids tin if space is an issue. I prefer the waterproof case myself.
Stitchawl
I always have:
antihistamine tablets -commercial sealed packets
Tylenol - commercial sealed packets
Imodium - commercial sealed packets
Oral rehydration salts - Individual packets, each to make one liter
Triple Antibiotic ointment - commercial individual foil packets
Hydro-cortizone cream - very small tube
Ciproflaxacin - 500mg for severe diarrhea - I seal in plastic
Tramadol HCL - 100mg severe pain - I seal in plastic
Alprazolam - I seal in plastic
I even carry the first three in my around-town daypack if I don't speak the language of the country I'm in!
The last three require a doctor's prescription if you live in First World countries, but this shouldn't be a problem for adults as you only need 4-8 tablets of each for a basic kit. Be sure your doctor gives you clear dosage instructions for each. It might help to print that out and include it in your kit.
For extended trips or further from the trailhead (say several days out,) I add;
Amoxicillin 500mg
Co-tri-moxizol - for dysentery (I do a lot of hiking in Third World countries)
Caffeine tablets
For a long trip, all of this can fit into a plastic waterproof cigarette case with room to spare, a Rubbermaid plastic foodsaver, or an Altoids tin if space is an issue. I prefer the waterproof case myself.
Stitchawl
