Health-related items to stock up on

[68Camaro]

I asked my father (a Dr) about this so I could give a better answer but talking to him made me realize that there is no way one can be medically prepared for an economic crisis or apocalypse. First off, anyone who needs specialized medicine is done for, whether they stocked for months or a couple of years. Secondly, humans need all sorts of medical treatments that we barely think about: tetanus, rabies, epipens, IV saline solution with clean needles and tubing etc.
For healthy individuals having basic medical supplies a long with supplemental medicine. However, I could create a giant list of supplements that one should stock up upon but acquiring them all is expensive, requires specific storage, and like most products has a self life. If anyone wants some products to improve their mitochondrial, neurological, and immunological health, Pm me and I'll try and get some info (I have learnt a lot in the last 10 years of being sick but my brain doesn't work like it used to

Interested in his list regardless. While it's true that it is possible to conceive of a crisis that is both long and severe enough that many with long-term issues will not survive, there are also both shorter term crises to prepare for, as well as alternate forms of treatments for some issues, and the "giant list of supplements" can bridge some gaps for many people. Also, while many products have shelf life, it's also true that label dates for many products are artificial dates imposed by lawyers. What I would be interested in is the list of meds to avoid because they are truly not shelf-stable and which degrade not just to lower potency but to toxic by-products such that they become dangerous to take.

One category of aids that I've purchased in volume amounts are inexpensive bagged minerals that have health benefits and which are infinitely shelf stable: sodium bicarbonate, salt, magnesium sulfate (Epson salt), etc.

[Recyclersteve]

I want to add something that might be a bit controversial (and I'm no expert), but here goes: Not always, of course, but sometimes at least you don't have to worry so much about expiration dates. My wife and I have both taken generic aspirin that is well over 20 years old and not had any issues. I've also taken Imodium (for diarrhea) and even though it is 8-10 years old, it still does the trick. I am talking specifically about solid items, not liquids.

I fully realize that things tend to lose their potency over time. That said, don't be so quick to always throw expired things out.

Also, my wife has a background in science (microbiology) and also mechanical engineering. She first told me about this.

Some items I'd consider stocking up on:

Claritin (does wonders for me when I have watery eyes)
Imodium
Tums (for stomach acid, which you might have more of if your stomach is growling because you are skipping meals due to dwindling food supplies)

Now, on the other hand, if I see milk a couple days past the expiration date and it smells bad, there is no way I'm going to drink it.

I do want to mention a website (not for medicine, but for foods) that is worth checking out. It is http://www.stilltasty.com. This site has thousands of items and tells you how long they last, both in cooked and raw versions. I've used it for all kinds of foods for about 10 years now and it hasn't let me down. An example:

Luncheon meat (aka Spam):
Commercially canned and opened: 3-4 days in the fridge
Commercially canned and opened: 2-3 months in the freezer
Commercially canned and UNOPENED: 3-5 years in the pantry

This is an important thread and I'd recommend bookmarking it. On the other hand, if we have an EMP attack, that bookmark won't mean much!

[NotABigDeal]

Careful stockpiling items like Claritin. My wife uses the one that's controlled, (D?). You can only legally possess so many milligrams of the active ingredient. Damn meth-heads....

As far as Spam, it's spoiled when it comes off the machine and is put into the can.

Deal

[Thogey]

Spam might kill you faster than starving will.

[Recyclersteve]

Spam might kill you faster than starving will.

Cmon- if that's not an exaggeration, I don't know what is. Didn't see the emoji so I couldn't tell if you were serious or not.

[Rosco]

I save and store things I like its not compact but At 81 a lot might be harmful But probably not more harmful than 82

[silverflake]

As a pharmacist I can tell you that those expiration dates on solid oral drugs are put there by the manufacturer and are dates that they claim they can guarantee that the active drug retains 100% of its potency (when stored correctly). It does not mean that the day after, it becomes useless. Notice that those dates ate seldom longer than 2 years. Now, i personally will use oral meds for AT LEAST a year beyond the listed exp. date. Creams and ointment i might go 6 months but an open cream/ointment presents a good breeding ground for bacteria once opened especially if ungloved fingers have been used to apply.

I haven't researched this but i vaguely remember a study years ago that showed that meds can keep their potency upwards of 10 years when stored properly. It may have been shortly after the anthrax scare when oral cipro was being hoarded. But this is coming from my 49 year old brain that is scattered with anecdotal memories.

Regarding meds that actually DO expire and are important to pay attention to, one is epipens. I get these as i am allergic to bees. Exp dates are short to begin with on these but epinephrine is tough to keep from breaking down over long periods of time. Thus, you don't want to hold these beyond the expiration. It won't cause any extra danger but when you need an epipen, you NEED it to work or your life is in danger due to anaphylactic shock. Don't fool around.

I will report more as i dig further into this. Good thread.

[68Camaro]

As a pharmacist I can tell you that those expiration dates on solid oral drugs are put there by the manufacturer and are dates that they claim they can guarantee that the active drug retains 100% of its potency (when stored correctly). It does not mean that the day after, it becomes useless. Notice that those dates ate seldom longer than 2 years. Now, i personally will use oral meds for AT LEAST a year beyond the listed exp. date. Creams and ointment i might go 6 months but an open cream/ointment presents a good breeding ground for bacteria once opened especially if ungloved fingers have been used to apply.

I haven't researched this but i vaguely remember a study years ago that showed that meds can keep their potency upwards of 10 years when stored properly. It may have been shortly after the anthrax scare when oral cipro was being hoarded. But this is coming from my 49 year old brain that is scattered with anecdotal memories.

Regarding meds that actually DO expire and are important to pay attention to, one is epipens. I get these as i am allergic to bees. Exp dates are short to begin with on these but epinephrine is tough to keep from breaking down over long periods of time. Thus, you don't want to hold these beyond the expiration. It won't cause any extra danger but when you need an epipen, you NEED it to work or your life is in danger due to anaphylactic shock. Don't fool around.

I will report more as i dig further into this. Good thread.

Here's a report that I've filed away that references some other work related to a USG Shelf Life Extension Program, focused on antibiotics. Interested to know what you think about it, and also interested in your top 3, 5, 7 (whatever) antibiotics that one should attempt to keep on hand, and alternates to each that would be appropriate for people that can't take them.

http://thesurvivaldoctor.com/2015/08/05 ... tibiotics/

[johnbrickner]

I'm big on silver and garlic (sulfer). This can boil down to silver ions, colodial silver, nano silver and garlic concentrate, or allicin but, it's still silver and garlic. In 2014, this study: Antimicrobial Synergic Effect of Allicin and Silver Nanoparticles on Skin Infection Caused by Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus spp determined for the first time that the two work better together against MRSA than they do independently.

Add to these various essential oils made from several plants and you have a virtual cornucopia of antibiotics you can grow and make your self. Except for the silver, but most of us have a few oz of that lying around.

On a separate but somewhat similar topic, silver left on the shelf in the kitchen shows nice rainbow toning when cooking with a lot of garlic in about 2 weeks give or take.

[Recyclersteve]

On a separate but somewhat similar topic, silver left on the shelf in the kitchen shows nice rainbow toning when cooking with a lot of garlic in about 2 weeks give or take.

Interesting tidbit.

I can now imagine people laying out hundreds of Morgan dollars in their kitchens and licking their chops about the prices they may someday fetch. I can imagine someone at a coin show saying "This slab smells a bit strange."

[68Camaro]

If you are of the persuasion as I am that talcum powder (aka baby powder) is not a carcinogen when used appropriately (women shouldn't stick it up their who-ha and none of us should breathe it) and if you value it in its conventional form you might consider buying up a stash. Johnson and Johnson has decided to stop selling it in the US and Canada due to the lawsuits claiming there are minute amounts of asbestos in it. The corn starch version will replace it and it is a whole nuther product - not the same thing. I bought a dozen containers to have - should take care of us for the rest of our lives.

[Recyclersteve]

If you are of the persuasion as I am that talcum powder (aka baby powder) is not a carcinogen when used appropriately (women shouldn't stick it up their who-ha and none of us should breathe it) and if you value it in its conventional form you might consider buying up a stash. Johnson and Johnson has decided to stop selling it in the US and Canada due to the lawsuits claiming there are minute amounts of asbestos in it. The corn starch version will replace it and it is a whole nuther product - not the same thing. I bought a dozen containers to have - should take care of us for the rest of our lives.

Interesting post. Also, if Johnson & Johnson stock (Ticker: JNJ) gets massacred (perhaps throwing the baby out with the bath water isn’t the most politically sensitive term to use), it could be a good time for a patient investor who doesn’t panic easily to invest in JNJ stock. Legal damage amounts can be potentially huge. Often times the actual settlements are more of a slap on the wrist.

[Recyclersteve]

There was a man on late night talk radio last night. The show is Coast to Coast AM with George Noory. His guest was Gary Collins, who is a former FDA employee and health fanatic now living off the grid in the Eastern part of Washington state. His property is so remote that he walks his dogs daily and says he’s never once in the past 7 years seen another human being while on these walks. He says he doesn’t even hear all terrain vehicles. When he goes to a city for a speaking engagement, he says the first night in a hotel is difficult because of all the noises.

Collins has a bunch of books, sells vitamins, etc. Anyone know about him and whether he is legit?

[Nickelless]

As a pharmacist I can tell you that those expiration dates on solid oral drugs are put there by the manufacturer and are dates that they claim they can guarantee that the active drug retains 100% of its potency (when stored correctly). It does not mean that the day after, it becomes useless. Notice that those dates ate seldom longer than 2 years. Now, i personally will use oral meds for AT LEAST a year beyond the listed exp. date. Creams and ointment i might go 6 months but an open cream/ointment presents a good breeding ground for bacteria once opened especially if ungloved fingers have been used to apply.

I haven't researched this but i vaguely remember a study years ago that showed that meds can keep their potency upwards of 10 years when stored properly. It may have been shortly after the anthrax scare when oral cipro was being hoarded. But this is coming from my 49 year old brain that is scattered with anecdotal memories.

Regarding meds that actually DO expire and are important to pay attention to, one is epipens. I get these as i am allergic to bees. Exp dates are short to begin with on these but epinephrine is tough to keep from breaking down over long periods of time. Thus, you don't want to hold these beyond the expiration. It won't cause any extra danger but when you need an epipen, you NEED it to work or your life is in danger due to anaphylactic shock. Don't fool around.

I will report more as i dig further into this. Good thread.

My neurologist first prescribed me Nortriptylene as a migraine preventive sometime around 2009-2010. She wrote the script for 100 mg at bedtime but said to take the lowest dose that worked. I discovered that 50 mg seemed to keep the migraines away, so I take half the prescribed dose every night at bedtime, get a refill of a full bottle at the same time every month and have built up around an eight-year supply at this moment. The bottle I am taking at the moment was filled in Sept. 2015 and seems to be doing fine. I keep all meds for long-term storage in a metal cabinet in my 62-degree basement.

Likewise I've been stocking up on many other OTC meds. My goal is to have at least a 10-year supply of each one I use regularly. I just stopped stocking up on BC Powder after reaching what I estimate to be about a 12-year supply under normal circumstances, with 150 single-dose packets in each quart-sized mason jar. I have about an eight-year supply of melatonin, which was an absolute godsend for me after I lost my wife two years ago and couldn't sleep at all. I'm likewise stocking up on my Men's 50+ gummy vitamins as well as calcium chews. I have less than a year's worth of the gummies and calcium chews at the moment but I'm just getting started on those. I have a magnetic dry-erase board with running totals on meds in a place only I know where to look.

[Recyclersteve]

This is a long thread which has lasted several years, but I will say (or even reiterate if that is the case) that aspirin and immodium (for diarrhea) are two cheap must have items that will last for years.

Aspirin has many uses. For instance, it can help you overcome pain, fall asleep, overcome headaches, etc.

[Tourney64]

I believe Aspirin in Canada has codeine in it.

[Cu Penny Hoarder]

This is a long thread which has lasted several years, but I will say (or even reiterate if that is the case) that aspirin and immodium (for diarrhea) are two cheap must have items that will last for years.

Aspirin has many uses. For instance, it can help you overcome pain, fall asleep, overcome headaches, etc.

Baby aspirin yes, but don't take them everyday. Get into a serious accident and you could bleed to death.

[Cu Penny Hoarder]

People who take these meds should stock up on them, if possible: Thyroid, insulin and blood pressure meds.

People who are dependant on these meds everyday will be the first to perish when the SHTF.

[frugi]

I do estate liquidations. I save all medicines.

[silverflake]

As a pharmacist I can tell you that those expiration dates on solid oral drugs are put there by the manufacturer and are dates that they claim they can guarantee that the active drug retains 100% of its potency (when stored correctly). It does not mean that the day after, it becomes useless. Notice that those dates ate seldom longer than 2 years. Now, i personally will use oral meds for AT LEAST a year beyond the listed exp. date. Creams and ointment i might go 6 months but an open cream/ointment presents a good breeding ground for bacteria once opened especially if ungloved fingers have been used to apply.

I haven't researched this but i vaguely remember a study years ago that showed that meds can keep their potency upwards of 10 years when stored properly. It may have been shortly after the anthrax scare when oral cipro was being hoarded. But this is coming from my 49 year old brain that is scattered with anecdotal memories.

Regarding meds that actually DO expire and are important to pay attention to, one is epipens. I get these as i am allergic to bees. Exp dates are short to begin with on these but epinephrine is tough to keep from breaking down over long periods of time. Thus, you don't want to hold these beyond the expiration. It won't cause any extra danger but when you need an epipen, you NEED it to work or your life is in danger due to anaphylactic shock. Don't fool around.

I will report more as i dig further into this. Good thread.

Here's a report that I've filed away that references some other work related to a USG Shelf Life Extension Program, focused on antibiotics. Interested to know what you think about it, and also interested in your top 3, 5, 7 (whatever) antibiotics that one should attempt to keep on hand, and alternates to each that would be appropriate for people that can't take them.

http://thesurvivaldoctor.com/2015/08/05 ... tibiotics/

I just saw this after 4 years or so. Re: top antibiotics to keep on hand - if I could keep 2 they would be Doxycycline and Azithromycin (tradename Zithromax or "Z-Pack). Doxy is old and is effective treatment against so many bacterial infections ranging from the plague (yes THAT plague), acne vulgaris, MRSA, Lyme disease and many other. Azithromycin is in the same class as Erythromycin but is effective against many of the bacteria that cause community pneumonias and many others too.