As a prepper you must be prepared for when S.H.T.F. What better way to prepare for the possibility of the medical system collapsing than having your own personal pharmacy.
Whether diarrhea from contaminated drinking water or an allergic reaction, you need to hoard the best over the counter drugs. So here’s our list of the best over the counter drugs you should hoard.
We recommend keeping a variety of pain relievers in your hoard, in case of injury or chronic pain. They can also treat fevers and chest pains. These are the ones we think are the best ones to hoard:
Ibuprofen
Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It treats pain or inflammation caused by many conditions such as headache, toothache, back pain, arthritis, or minor injury.
Related: This Driveway Weed Has Pain-Killing Properties Similar to Ibuprofen
The shelf life of Ibuprofen is 5 years as long as it remains sealed and away from moisture. Ibuprofen is included in many other over the counter medications like Advil and Midol.
Aspirin
Aspirin is used to treat pain, and reduce fever or inflammation. It is sometimes used to treat or prevent heart attacks, strokes, and chest pain.
Aspirin was found to be 90% effective at 28 to 40 years past expiration date. Aspirin has a few other brand options Zorprin, Bayer Buffered Aspirin, and Adprin-B.
Tylenol
Tylenol is a pain reliever.
It is used to reduce fever and relieve minor pain caused by conditions such as colds or flu, headache, muscle aches, arthritis, and fevers.
Related: 12 Old Fashioned Arthritis Remedies Your Ancestors Used
The shelf life of Tylenol is 5 years as long as it remains sealed and away from moisture.
Tylenol has quite a few variants like Paracetamol, Mapap, Ofirmev, Arthritis Pain Relief, Altenol, Tylophen, Actamin, and Feverall.
When S.H.T.F grocery stores won’t be available to everyone. You’ll have to rely on your pantry. Some food may go bad without us realizing. Your water source may become contaminated.
These things can cause ailments like diarrhea or vomiting. These are the best drugs for stomach ailments to keep in your hoard.
Axid AR
Axid AR is a histamine-2 blocker that works by decreasing the amount of acid produced by the stomach. Axid AR works by reducing the production of stomach acid that can cause heartburn.
The shelf life of Axid AR is 3 years as long as it is stored in a cool, dark place. Axid AR only has two medications that are similar Axid, and Axid Pulvules.
Dulcolax
Dulcolax is a laxative that stimulates bowel movements. Dulcolax is used to treat constipation or to empty the bowels before surgery, colonoscopy, x-rays, or other intestinal medical procedure.
The shelf life of Dulcolax is 3 years as long as it remains sealed and away from moisture.
Here are a few other medications that will help get things moving: Correctol, Feen A Mint, Fleet Stimulant Laxative, Laxit, and Modane.
Loperamide
Loperamide is used to treat diarrhea. Loperamide is also used to reduce the amount of stool in people who have an ileostomy (re-routing of the bowel through a surgical opening in the stomach).
The shelf life of Loperamide is 3 years as long as it remains sealed and away from moisture. Imodium, Imodium A-D, and Diamode can be used instead of Loperamide.
If you’re someone who struggles with allergies, antihistamines are a lifesaver. Not only can some reduce allergy symptoms like hives, but some may reduce nausea from motion sickness and if S.H.T.F. travel may be a necessity for some.
Tums
TUMS is an antacid used to relieve heartburn, sour stomach, acid indigestion, and upset stomach associated with these symptoms.
Shelf life of Tums is indefinite but their effectiveness does lessen over time. Tums has a few similar drugs like Caltrate, Tums Smoothies, Cal-Mint, Calci-Chew, Titralac
Dramamine
Dramamine is an antihistamine that reduces the effects of natural chemical histamine in the body.
Dramamine is used to treat or prevent nausea, vomiting, and dizziness associated with motion sickness. Other medications like Dramamine are Driminate, Triptone, and Travel-Eze.
Sudafed
Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) is a decongestant that shrinks blood vessels in the nasal passages. Dilated blood vessels can cause nasal congestion (stuffy nose).
Sudafed is used to treat nasal and sinus congestion, or congestion of the tubes that drain fluid from your inner ears, called the eustachian tubes.
The shelf life of Sudafed is 5 years as long as it remains sealed and away from moisture. Suphedrine, Chlor-Trimeton Nasal Decongestant, Cenafed, and Zephrex-D all work similarly to Sudafed.
Benadryl
Benadryl is used to treat sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, hives, skin rash, itching, and other cold or allergy symptoms.
Benadryl is also used to treat motion sickness, to induce sleep, and to treat certain symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
The shelf life of Benadryl is 15 years, as long as it is kept in a dry area away from heat and direct light. Banophen, Nytol, and Complete Allergy Relief are other dupes for Benadryl.
Related: How to Treat Allergies Naturally
When the system collapses we don’t have time to deal with cold symptoms. We all get colds when it’s winter and usually we run to the pharmacy to ask the pharmacist for help. When S.H.T.F you need to play your own pharmacist.
Mucinex
Mucinex helps loosen congestion in your chest and throat, making it easier to cough out through your mouth.
Here are a few medications that work if mucinex is not available to you: Robitussin Chest Congestion, Tussin Expectorant, Benylin E, Guiatuss, Organidin NR.
Prepping includes variety, from food to our personal pharmacy. We may not be able to access prescription mental health medications (if things go down it will affect our moods.)
A scratch can lead to infection. Poison may leach into our water supply. Our food may not have enough nutrients to keep our bodies healthy.
So here’s a list of miscellaneous over the counter drugs to treat these problems that are the best to add to your hoard.
St John’s wort
St. John’s Wort has been used in alternative medicine as a likely effective aid in treating mild to moderate depression and related symptoms such as anxiety or insomnia.
Related: How to Grow Medicinal Herbs On Your Windowsill
St. John’s Wort has been used in alternative medicine as a possibly effective aid in treating somatization disorder (physical illness or symptoms without a known cause), or hot flashes.
The shelf life of St. John’s wort is 3 years as long as it remains sealed and away from moisture.
Multivitamins
Multivitamins are a combination of many different vitamins that are normally found in foods and other natural sources. Multivitamins are used to provide vitamins that are not taken in through the diet.
The shelf life of most of these multivitamins is 2 years as long as it remains sealed and away from moisture. These are a few over the counter Multivitamins we recommend such as Folbee, Vitamins, MTX Support, Folbic, and Virt-Gard.
Neosporin
Neosporin are antibiotics that kill bacteria on your skin. Neosporin is a combination medicine used as a first aid antibiotic to prevent infections in minor cuts, scrapes, or burns on your skin.
The shelf life of Neosporin is 10 years as long as it remains sealed and away from moisture.
Activated Charcoal
Common charcoal is made from wood, coconut shell, peat, coal, or petroleum.
“Activated charcoal” is a processed form of common charcoal that contains pores that can trap other chemicals and prevent them from being absorbed by the body. Activated charcoal is used to treat certain types of chemical poisonings.
Activated charcoal has also been used in alternative medicine as an aid in treating gas and indigestion. The shelf life of activated charcoal is indefinite but their effectiveness does lessen over time.
While these drugs are not the only ones you should have, they are the best that all preppers should keep in their hoard. The best way to store your stockpile is not to open the drugs until they are needed.
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Got most, but need more. Better get all you can. Things are starting to get harder to find.
Still out there but the cost is a bit outrages.
It’s going to get a lot crazier out here.
Remember. Our guns are the only reason we are not slaves yet. The time is getting closer.
I think,we became willing slaves to the system a long time ago. We let things get out of hand and fear of fighting back, made us a slave
Very true raven. I see it, every where. like we just gave up. No fight in us, easier to just be a slave. I guess.
Sad….
But, I am glad that I have my pea shooter.
Raven speaks truth. If WE want to blame someone for where we are look in the mirror.
Raven is spot on. We have become a nation of sheep by and large. As for me I have fought before and will fight again. I guess my hard head will not allow me being a slave !
Paul Harvey’s “From Freedom to Chains” on YouTube will tell you all about how we messed up. Go there and listen to a prediction made back in 1965. The 16th Amendment was a sad day in our history.
PAUL HARVEY FREEDOM TO CHAINS 1965
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0FF13u13WE
Note: If you are a senior, on an aspirin regimen (which I am) … my doctor veered me away from taking ibuprofen. Recommending Acetaminophen (Tylenol) instead. As I understand the science, aspirin irritates the stomach lining, and causes an internal bleed … not a concern, but actually a benefit for those elderly folks … assisting the prevention of heart attacks and strokes. But Ibuprofen has the same effect as aspirin … so basically you are doubling your dose or more of your aspirin regimen … and a little is fine, too much is not so good.
This was my doctor’s advice … I am not a doctor nor do I play one on Television.
Aspirin is the worst thing to take!! Do you know who invented aspirin?? Non other than the Nazi Bayer and are you going to believe someone that killed and experimented on people that were still awake??!! Our military brought over 15000 of Hitler’s worse of the worst scientist over here after the war!! Yes, we did get some good out of it but WOW!! all the things they did out at Plum Island!!!!! They finally closed that pace and moved it to Kansas City!!
please take a nice walk, maybe a cup of tea lattelady9.
Asprin was indeed created by a chemist in the Bayer company.
in 1897, a German chemist with Friedrich Bayer and Company was searching for a treatment for his father’s arthritis pain and produced the first stable form of a product introduced as Aspirin.
A bit before the Nazi’s were even a thought.
Yes, Nazi did absolutely horrendous things, but mass production of Aspirin was not one of them. Aspirin is also natural extract from plants, and it has many (positive) effects on the body. Aspirin, if you can take it, I would pick it first over other NASAIDS because of the other side effects.
Aspirin was used in WW1 to treat the Spanish Flu. It was the then new wonder drug and they gave it to people by the hand-full. We now know that it causes fluid build up in the lungs and results in pneumonia, which is what killed most Spanish Flu victims.
Aspirin is also the synthetic form of Willow Stem Bark (Salix alba), which does not have the side effects of aspirin. So if you can stock up on both, the real and the synthetic (aspirin may have a longer shelf life), do so.
I use a combination of both Willow Stem Bark and Boswellia serrata (the Biblical “Frankincense”), along with a Chinese herb for pain “Fang feng” and several other herbs, which is sold in Australia as “Fusion” brand “Pain and Inflammation” and it worked better than any doctor prescribed pain and inflammation remedy (and I’m talking a ripped meniscus in the knee). You may have something similar in the States.
I also used it with some success for kidney stone pain, but nothing beats Chanca Piedra (Phyllanthus niruri) in that situation, long term.
Traditional medicine had, and still has, many successful remedies that we can fall back on.
If I could only chose one OTC drug to stockpile, it would be “The Wonder Drug” – Bayer aspirin. since you do not think that that is a good idea, it might be a good idea if you planted a willow tree just in case you have a change of heart. That way you will be able to help yourself in a dire situation and you wont need to buy Bayer Aspirin. There are several articles here which will help you make a tincture for yourself from the bark of the tree. Mind you, you wont have the pharmaceutical expertise and quality control that Bayer brings to the manufacturing process of the product and your results may not prove to be the most effective in a SHTF scenario. Stocking up on Bayer aspirin and taking it as directed in my opinion, is a smart move!
Just a tid-bit of medical history.
Much of the medical knowledge we have now, on certain diseases, certain types of injuries, etc., came from the Nazi ‘medical experiments’ that were done on prisoners and other unfortunate individuals. That’s why many of these physicians never faced charges…except for the most extreme. They pandered their immunity, from trial, for their medical knowledge and the records they kept. As despicable as it sounds and is…many countries benefited from these depraved experiments. Believe me, I’m no fan of the Nazis or what they did to countless people, but this is just part of the history. Of note, too, is that the U.S. and Russia kind of divided-up the German rocket scientists and their nuclear scientists at the end of WW2…the same scientists that developed the V-1 and V-2 that leveled much of London and killed thousands. It’s just a part of history, right or wrong.
In 1894, the young chemist Felix Hoffmann joined the pharmaceutical group. Dreser, Eichengrün and Hoffmann would be the key figures in the development of acetylsalicylic acid as the drug Aspirin
Bayer didn’t invent aspirin – they synthesized it (the material is present in birch bark). Further, this was done in the 1890’s.
Also do not mix ibuprofen and alcohol. Hard on your liver. No liver transplants after the EOTW.
Even though aspirin was invented by Bayer, many companies now produce it. You gotta trust one of them as long as they’re in not controlled by any politician or government entity. And don’t buy China made crap!
An alternative painkiller is white willow bark, which I believe was used in the past. You can get it in tablet form now. I would say from experience that Paracetamol/ Tylenol can also thin the blood, and too much makes you prone to bruising.
Also people on BP meds shouldn’t take ibuprofen as it increases the pressure.
Ginny: Thank you, I didn’t know that. How is winter treating you? We’re supposed to get up to 100 F for a few days. niio
Hi Red, we’re enjoying the rains and busy seeding wheat and oats. Prices for everything has skyrocketed; fertiliser and Chems have tripled in price, fuel is over $2 a litre and spare parts are almost non existent. At least it cost little to enjoy the rain and sunshine, garden or talk to my animals lol. We have a bit of a mouse plague but we’ll manage.
Hope you have a great summer, the gardens produce amazingly and you always have a shady tree. 😄
I should have said that people with hypertension should restrict their intake of ibuprofen. Hubby’s cardiologist said take it very sparingly, preferably not at all. YMMV
Ginny: We’re still ‘way down in rain, but hoping for a good el Nino. There’s a pine out front that feels cool even on hot days, and the smell is very good. Out back, the best shade is the tobacco tree, not great but it helps a lot of things like calendula survive summer and feeds the hummingbirds year-long. Chilacayote squash (7 year melon) are starting to climb the fence. The corn is not good, but I’m using zinc to knock back maize dwarf virus, and will try it on curly top in the beans. It’s helps stressed sorghum, as well. Last year, untreated sorghum and maize did not produce seed but treated did. I should try to find the Apache Red sugar sorghum seed and see if that works. I like the variety, it’s drought resistant and a good juicer. niio
There’s some new guidance out on aspirin regimens for us older folks. Interesting,
Daily Aspirin Regimen Not Safe for Everyone: FDA
I took one baby aspirin a day after I had 3 heart attacks until I saw a new doctor and he took me off the aspirin.
You can buy off brand stuff cheap right now.
My ex wife mentioned getting caffeine pills too
In my opinion, you are gambling with your health by stocking up on off brand cheap stuff. Poor manufacturing and inadequate quality control, that’s were most of the savings comes into the picture in the manufacturing of these products, most if not all, manufactured off shore in third world countries. Buyer be ware!
China manufactures almost all of our drugs, now. How much worse could it get. Almost every prescription I’m on comes from Chinese manufacturers and are distributed by US and European drug companies.
If you wanna 4x as much for mortin go for it
If the label says, “Manufactured for XYZ Company” with a U.S. address you can pretty well bet that it was manufactured overseas. You can call the company and ask where the drug is manufactured. I have always had the folks on the other end tell me. One of the heart medications I take is manufactured in India. Don’t know which is worse, India or China.
True shelf life of drugs
Medicine expiration dates
“Axid AR works by reducing the production of stomach acid that can cause heartburn.”
This is a very common misnomer.
Heartburn is caused by too little stomach acid when food is not digested properly.
The cure for heartburn is ACV. Take one oz in a shot glass of straight ACV (Apple Cide Vinegar) and heartburn goes away relatively quickly.
Cider, meant to write “Apple Cider Vinegar”…
Nearly all fermented foods will ease heartburn. ACV has lots of enzymes in it which aid digestion, it’s not the increase of acid that helps nor does white vinegar replace it. ACV also alkalises the body which helps with a lot of other things. The capsules I take have amylase, protease etc which are all byproducts of fermentation, in this case the Aspergillus oryzae mold grown on white rice to make Koji.
I went on a diet a few years ago that included a morning “shooter” of pomegranate and ACV. I didn’t lose much weight but acid indigestion problems went to ZERO!
After the diet was long gone, I still use diluted ACV when I have indigestion. It’s really amazing how well it works.
For those like myself in chronic pain I believe major pharmaceuticals will be impossible to get at some point. I have heard about wild lettuce that is boiled down and alcohol added as a tincture. I believe it can be grown indoors if necessary. I actually just bought a small packet of 6 seeds. You can let the plant go to seed and have more and I am on a really fixed income. Comparable to a low grade morphine (plus all natural considering what is added in manufactured pain medicine). I am thinking about a few bottles from Amazon to have on reserve as I am growing it. Just in case.
I found wild lettuce in my yard, told hubby not to touch it or spray it or mow it.
Wild lettuce, I mow it down. There is so much of it around. Got seeds and some put up.
Need to look up all the other plants. Too.
For some, chewing on some feverfew plants helps with pain such as severe migraines. My relative found that feverfew worked better for her migraines than allopathic meds. She is a critical care nurse, so she is well-versed on meds.
Feverfew (tanacetum parthenium) is great for migraines, inflammation, arthritic pain, etc. Some do well chewing on a couple of leaves per day. Do not take at the same time as ibuprofen or other allopathic meds.
It doesn’t work for everyone and for a small minority of people will make the headache worse.
Sage: For me, migraines are part of the allergies. If desperate, half an allergy tab works. Better to try the hair pull first, gently pulling on hair and working loose muscles on the temples and back of the neck. niio
Make sure its real wild lettuce and not one of its poisonous look a likes.
Look at the back side of the leaf, real wild lettuce will have “hairs” going up the spine of the leaf, the look a likes won’t have hairs.
Sunscreen/ zinc oxide.
Vasoline/Vapo rub
should be mentioned in passing.
Inasmuch as our diets might be severely limited in scope, vitamins to prevent certain vitamin deficiency conditions such as scurvy are, in my opinion, equally important to the medications listed above, if not more so. Rather than write a long list of such diseases and the vitamins necessary to prevent them, research vitamin deficiency diseases and the vitamins necessary to prevent them. Not all multi-vitamins contain every essential vitamin. The research will also allow you to determine if your favorite multi-vitamin is doing the job you think it is.
Fermented foods can help with this and it is a really good food preserving method. Obviously not for everything or everyone but it can extend the useful life of many perishables and makes most foods more digestible.
BTW LCC I went down a rabbit hole following your comments on nixtamalization of corn. So interesting! Thanks for that. I now have corn/maize stored and feel comfortable that I can utilise it for corn breads and masa now.
Ginny: Try saying nixtamalization five times fast. Because most wealthier countries have a varied diet, the inability of the body to absorb the vitamins from corn don’t enter into the equation. How many of us have something made from corn three times a day every day of the week to the exclusion of other vegetables? However as I mentioned in my post above, our diets in an EOTW situation might be more limited and corn may once again become a major staple in our diets and if the corn isn’t treated first, Pellegra may once again rear it’s ugly head. It was only after WWII that it was mostly eliminated in the South in the US. That’s almost 100 years ago, but certainly within my lifetime.
Vitamin C is largely derived from fruits and some vegetables, to prevent scurvy and dehydration. Emergency C packets are foil sealed, keep for years, and great for low C/illness periods of time. Fresh ginger root and fresh garlic can also be helpful, freshly shaved/minced into soups and teas to improve absorption. I agree that canned or fermented foods can also be helpful!
I am going to try St John’s Wort to see if will me with the sadness I feel sometimes
That’s a magnesium deficiency if you don’t know those feeling’s source. Try eating cashews and nuts. Make sure you find UNPASTEURIZED. The FDA works for BP and pasteurizes the beneficial nutrients out of everything. Never take antidepressant drugs. They destroy the Dopamine centers in your brain and the Serotonin in your stomach… so you feel addicted. Get out in the SUNSHINE (NO TOXIC LOTIONS) at least 15 minututes a day, take a 15-30 brisk walk Stay away from the TV helps too! St Johns Wort works great, also!
I used St John’s Wort for years actually “prescribed” by a medical Dr. Cannot use western antidepressants. now I’m checking out a capsule. If it works, will be growing the plant.
Nick: My background in psychiatry is limited to reporting commitment hearings back in the bad old days when we used to actually treat folks with mental health problems in a hospital setting.
That said, because I was writing down every word the docs said, I was paying close attention. Depression is a serious condition. Ordinarily, I would urge you to seek professional help for your bouts of sadness which can be a symptom of depression. HOWEVER, with the increase in so-called red flag laws and their total denial of rights delineated in the Amendments, the only advice I feel that I can offer is to actively keep after your bouts don’t just slough them off as nothing.
Perhaps if there is an anonymous help line in your area you could avail yourself of that line of assistance. Do you have a close friend who will honor your confidential discussions with him or her? That might help if you talk about them and see if that person can help you identify the source of your sadness.
Please don’t ignore your problem. It’s no shame to have a mental problem. It most certainly isn’t our fault. There was a period in my life where I suffered from severe depression. I finally somehow grew out of it, but it is debilitating. I think it was only the warm love of my wife that kept me from taking the wrong ultimate step. Don’t neglect your health. In old age if you make it that far you will regret that you didn’t take better care of yourself.
I sincerely hope you can find a solution to your health problem. Try everything reasonable.
Nick, Left Coast Chuck’s comments below are very valid.
I read a few years ago that, for some, there is a time frame (1 week +/-) during initially taking St. John’s Wort, that symptoms get worse. Of course, everyone’s body reacts differently.
Nick, you can also look into rhodiola, ,ashwaganda 5HTP , and Gabba. There are several natural things that may help before prescribed meds.
In addition to all that’s been said, meditate. A psychologist may also advise attending church once a week. A lot of atheists will do that to alleviate depression. Just sit in the back and take a nap like friends do. You’ll find quite a few who do that. niio
I have tried a lot of antihistamines and Benadryl dries me out to the point of chapped and cracked mucus membranes, sometimes causing bleeding, so I use Claritin instead which works better for me.
I heard that many people take hayfever medication to help them sleep, as it can make you drowsy.
That is true. Some drs recommend it as the first drug of choice for sleeplessness. Also Dramamine is reputed to make one drowse. That’s why Bonamine is prescribed in situations where alertness is required.
Benadryl is not habit forming as are some of the other sleep inducing drugs which is why it is the first recommendation by some docs. Funny. It is used to make meth but in it unaltered form it makes one drowsy.
NSAIDs may be toxic for some with liver and kidney issues. Turmeric may be a good replacement. Willow bark has the same salicylic acid that aspirin does. Arnica is good with arthritis pain. ACV for heartburn. Stay away from big pharma acid reducers. When shtf, I would want to have the more homeopathic and natural alternatives around.
I’m not sure of the accuracy….maybe someone here has heard or knows more….but I was told to keep Benadryl (tablet form) in the camper or truck to take immediately in case of a snake bite. It’s supposed to buy you some time till you can get to a doctor for anti venom. Pills were considered better than liquid because the liquid could eventually dry up if it’s just stored for a long period of time. Has anyone else heard this?
Always hard pill form.
Last longer, if taken care of propely.
Dovey: I don’t know about snake bite. Different snake’s venom reacts differently in the body. Some affect coagulation of the blood and some affect the nervous system. Because the venom varies, I would suspect antihistamine may relate to the snake bite of just one venomous snake but I wouldn’t care to hazard a guess as to which one or ones.
All of that said, I do know that antihistamines help with allergic reactions to bee stings and it is handy to have them with you on trips to the country. Just because you have been stung in the past and did not have an allergic reaction doesn’t mean that you won’t with future stings.
Some people become almost immune to bee stings with more stings and others become highly allergic with more stings and you don’t know which group you are in until you lapse into anaphylactic shock. Also as we age we become more susceptible to bee stings and anaphylactic shock can be deadly if not treated promptly.
The internet is a wonderful source of information. As a search basis I asked about antihistamine for snake bites and found snakebitefoundation. .org.
The article is entitled “Benadryl Does Not Fix Snakenites”
It is purportedly is authored by an MD. It explains the difference in the body’s reaction to bee stings and to snake bites. So antihistamines are not any help without previous administration of anti-venom. Histamines ARE used after administration of anti-venom to help the body deal with all it is attempting to handle everything that is going on which is probably what led to the urban legend that Benadryl is an anti-venom agent.
Interesting footnote to the article. Year to date world wide snake bites 2,065.013. Envomations, 1.032,509. Disabilities, 206,503. Deaths, 55,068.
So there are approximately twice as many bites as there are venom injections. I have read the an annoyed python will bite the annoyed but the bite is non-poisonous. You may get an infection from the bite but that is not an envenomatuon.
I would recommend visiting the website and reading the explanation for yourselves.
LCC: amazing, isn’t it, the level of sheep IQ.
BTW, saw a hairy one on you tube, an Australian about 80 or so walked by a brown snake. It struck and he kicked it out of his way. It dried again and he kicked it harder. The snake left in a hurry. niio
A python is a constrictor. It will “hug” you to death. A python will strangle its prey until death, crushing bones in the process, then swallow the prey whole, allowing the digestive processes to do the work that chewing accomplishes in mammals. Additionally, a python grows in size in direct proportion to the amount of food it takes in, as opposed to growth being dependant upon age.
antihistamines are supposed to help with bee stings, but I have not heard it is effective for snake venom. I recommend doing some more research before relying on it, especially for traveling or heading into more remote locations.
IIRC, St. John’s Wort can have adverse effects if taken in conjunction with some other drugs or supplements. Check before starting to take St. John”s Wort.
Antihistamines definitely help with allergic reactions to bee stings and other insect venoms. For a faster reaction to the antihistamine, I keep a Primatine
Mist inhaler handy, one in my Get Home Bag and usually one somewhere else handy. It was taken off the market a few years ago because of the propellant it used (apparently the EPA was more concerned about the atmosphere being affected by a few particles of a propellant creating a hole than about a few million people with asthma and allergies being unable to breathe) but it came back out about 2 years ago with a pump-type spray dispensing system. The price went from about $10 to the $30 neighborhood but still a huge improvement compared to $300 or more for an EpiPen and no needles. The advantage s of the Primatine include OTC, no prescription required, and as long as you take it early, before throat swelling begins, the effects are almost instant since it goes directly into the lungs versus having to wait for the EpiPen-administered Epinephrine to make it’s way through the blood stream.
Another thing to keep on hand for insect stings is some tobacco. If you wet some tobacco (a small chunk broken off a cigarette) and hold it on the sting for awhile, it will neutralize the venom. By the next day, you shouldn’t have any pain at all and any swelling at the sting’s location should be gone as well.
I am a tea drinker, no coffee, so I have become something of a “tea snob.”. I am picky about the tea I drink. However, I keep a supply of cheap black tea bags (Lipton, Tetley, store brand) around for use as a barter item (caffeine) and for first aid. The tannins in the tea leaves help to clot blood from minor cuts and puncture wounds.
As for NSAIDS, my personal preference is Naproxen Sodium, whether Aleve or the store brand. Few side effects, no stomach upset, it is a fever reducer as well as an anti-inflammatory, like aspirin and Tylenol.
My oral surgeon — you know you have tooth problems when you are on a first name basis with an oral surgeon — recommends putting a tea bag on the surgery site if you have post-surgical bleeding. It is an astringent which contracts the blood vessels which aids in controlling bleeding.
While I have never tried this myself, I suspect if you have persimmon trees, a poultice of mashed persimmon would aid in controlling bleeding also. If you have an alum block on hand for shaving nicks, that too will aid in controlling bleeding. I would scrape some of the alum off the block and pulverize it into powder and sprinkle it on the bleeding surface.
My 35# dog got bitten by a copperhead & I treated her with Benadryl. You can look up the dose online but I want to say it was a pill every 6 hrs. Yes I got up middle of the night to treat her. She was bitten in the lower jaw which swelled & hung down 6 to 7″. She was a very sad dog, lethargic & hardly moved for several days but she made it ok. She did lose all hair around the site.
Most of the poisonous snakes (pit vipers) native to the US venom attacks mainly muscle tissue but some of the rattlers are now believed to also affect the nervous system. The coral snake, which does not have fangs, venom targets the nervous system.
RK: I had a dachshund and in the evening he would go out back and a rattler tried for him a few times. He understood pit vipers because when we were still in PA, he would kill small copperheads. He died of a tumor, poor guy. Best rabbit dog I ever had, and God help anyone trying to get in the house at night.
How’s your girl doing? We like antihistamines for a lot of things, arthritis, breathing, allergies, and so on. niio
Maybe the result has more to do with making the dog lethargic so it’s not moving around , the circulation is slowed therefore the body has more time to deal with the affects of the venom. If we get bitten it is compression bandage and DO NOT MOVE. Even in hospital the treatment is bed rest and no movement of the limb and minimal body movements. Here in AU we use antivenin less and less due to the risks to an already compromised body which have come to light over time and most deaths occur from baby snakes which have no control over their venom sacs and the amount they inject.
So the Benadryl may not be a silly idea if that is how it helps. Just my 2 cents worth.
I have read that baby snakes inject more venom also due to lack of control in injecting the venom. Adults have learned that they may need more venom before they produce more internally. Baby snakes give you the whole shot.
LCC: I’m always on people for killing ravens. When you see any on piles of rocks or around trash, they’re snake hunting. niio
Tylenol (acetiminaphin or paracetamol) can be hard on the liver.
Wild lettuce works on pain but it tastes yucky. Some may say so what, but if they are used to simply swallowing a pill and now don’t have any, it can be a sad wakeup call.
Birch twigs contain salicylic components and chewing on one releases it. I’ve heard it called “aspirin on a stick.”
Learning a few plants and trees that are in one’s own region and their uses can be a great comfort.
Red, sadly almost a year ago apx. 2 yrs after the snake bite I had to put our girl down. Her heart was giving out & as she tried to walk she would just slowly sink to the ground & couldn’t get up. She was 2 to 3 yrs past the avg. age of her breed. She was a great companion & a pretty good bird dog! Just didn’t have the nose she should have had to make a great birder. She is terribly missed!! I really expected the copperhead bite to do her in at her advanced age.
Thanks for asking.
How about adding electrolytes or a simple recipe and the ingredients to make your own to the list.
Very good idea! niio
4 Homemade Electrolyte Recipes You Can Make At Home
25 Foods That Replenish Electrolytes
This is I think is the best web pages on the net,
It gets use back to basics ,
and all comments are helpful to every one,
It has more Survival Knowledge this any thing I have found on the net
and web page so far
But don.t get me wrong , There is a lot of great web pages out there,
This is just one of my favorites ,
Its like going to collage . every day for all that it teaches every one,
Thank you all ,for sharing your Knowledge and comments.
I think it saves many lives and makes life better around the world,
God bless you all,
Larry. In Wisconsin
Thanks Larry.
It’s nice to hear the positive side of prepping.
God bless…
For those folks that need Tums for heart burn but can’t get them, save your egg shells and wash them.
Bake them in a hot oven around 450 degrees until they crumble into a powder, they have now become Calcium Carbonate or basically chalk.
Mix about a tablespoon into a paste with a little honey for flavour and swallow it.
povidone iodine for topical use and lugal’s for internal.
Call me crazy, but with a slew of 5 gallon buckets of pintos in my preps, I’m adding gas medicine to this list. Family loaded up on beans+gas= toxic air!