Excellent points, garrett. We should all take note.

I learned the same lesson the hard way years ago. Ironically enough it was during a 2-day basic survival course. During the overnight I came down with a wicked head cold. The congestion and sneezing kept me up all night and made the next day much more miserable than it had to be. But I learned...

I keep 2 types of cold/flu meds in my kits: daytime meds (no drowsiness) and nighttime meds (maximum drowsiness). The nighttime cold meds also serve as ad-hoc sleeping aids.

I explained my frequent outdoor/isolated activities to my doctor and got him to prescribe me a cycle of Zithromax and some narcotic pain meds good for about 3 days. I also carry an adrenaline injector since my wife is allergic to insect stings.

For their awesome benefit-to-weight ratio, I feel that appropriate meds are a must for every FAK, whether for survival or general travel use. Consider testing over-the-counter meds ahead of time in benign conditions to ensure personal effectiveness.