I was re-thinking the meds I should include in the kit I keep in my school backpack and transfer to the pack I take on weekend backpacking trips. But I have a couple questions for everyone here. First, What meds do you keep in a kit of this size and purpose? Second, How do you carry them? Third, Do you use generic or name-brand meds?

Here were my thoughts on what should be included
tylenol
advil
pepto bismol caplets
benadryl
tylenol cold

Each would be carried in something similar to these

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Chris.

I would personally substitute some Sudafed for the Tylenol Cold meds. Otherwise, we would be carrying the same meds, except migraine remedies I am always carrying. Good choices, some might say the advil and tylenol overlap, but the advil is better for muscle strains/aches, and you can use it for sunburn relief in a pinch.

Hi Hutch,

I'm new here on the forum, but I do have some advice to give as far as meds in FAK's go based on my personal experience.

Like you, I carry a backpack to where I go during the weekdays as well as the wild places on the weekends. I carry the same FAK in both environments (2 person A.M.A kit in a 6x4x3 zippered nylon container- modified ), my meds differ slightly when it comes to my survival environment FAK but their purpose is the same.

I carry Ibuprofen, acetiminophen, and aspirin tablets in both kits for pain relief, fever reduction, and other needs depending on the situation. Sudaphed, benadryl, tylenol cold tabs, nytol capsules, immodium AD, and tums tabs are all carried in my FAK. Generic is as good as name brand as long as the milligrams and coating are the same, and alot cheaper as well. I also carry an "EpiPen" ( ephinephrine auto-injector) in the basic kit. This is for wasp/bee/fire ant stings/shellfish allergy/ latex, etc. I consider it essintial even though I'm not allergic to any of the above mentioned items.

In my survial FAK:

I carry 10 tablets of Percocet ( medically perscribed specifically for my Kit - the sticker from the bottle is in the kit as well - VERY IMPORTANT ) vacuum packed by my Food Saver machine and then placed into a zip-loc bag . Obviously this is for serious pain resulting from trauma, broken bones, etc.

Also carried is Lomotil 2.5 mg tabs - 10 each.. This is for diarrhea. Also carried in vacuum packed pouch WITH LABEL from the bottle.

Also carried are 10, 5mg Valium tabs. This is used for a sedative. Once again vacuum packed WITH LABEL from bottle, and placed in smalll zip-lock bag.

Also included are 30 500mg penicillin vk tabs that are used to treat pneumonia, ear, throat and other infections, vacuum packed WITH LABEL and in zip-lock bag.

Thats the only difference in my FAK's. In my"In the green" kit I carry medications that I hope i'll never need to use.... But , the FAK I tote into the sticks needs to be stocked with at least the minimal meds to do the job..



matt

Hope this helps.







I

Meds carried:
1. Paracetamol (Tylenol) / generic 500mg - blister pack - 20
2. Mefenemic Acid (ponstan / NSAID same class as Advil)(generic) 250mg - blister pack 10
3. Lomoti (antidiarrhoeal)(generic) - blister pack - 10
4. Piriton (antihistamine)(generic) - blister pack 10
5. Triderm (steroid / antibiotic/ antifungal) (generic) cream - for insect bites / stings 10g container.

I usually don't carry any antibiotics unless going on a longer trip (3 days or more).
All in mini zip lock bags with printed instructions in a small tupperware typer container.

Please remember the adage "Do no harm." The simplest of medications may be dangerous to specific age groups or individuals. I was prescribed Hydrocodone (Vicodan) for my infection. It worked great at relieving the pain. Unfortuneately, it put me on an emotional roller coaster that directely inhibited rational thought. I fell back on that miracle drug of the US military and am doing fine.

Chris:

With all that you have gone through from the lousy cats bite, I hope you have seen to it (one way or another.) that it never bites anyone else again. Had my now departed German Shepard bite me once, but it was my fault and I the rest of his life trying to make up for causing him to bite me. The one thing I learned from someone many years ago is that if punctured, induce as much free bleeding as safely possible to cleanse the wound even if it means cutting it deeper. I still believe in that.

Just curious that since you have only one arm, if you own or use any spring-loaded automatic knives? Despite their bad reputation, I have been a long time fan of push-button knives and especially appreciate the German "gentleman's" knives and the Italian "stiletto" knives. Both are illegal to import, and in Wisconsin they are illegal to own except for police, military, coast guard, and individuals with one hand.

Bountyhunter

The only folder I currently own is a Fallkniven U2 and a Spyderco rescue. Having the use of only one arm ( and my weak one at that ) has me on a crash program to become ambidextrous again. It's frightening how little tuned my left is.

I've seen some other posts also listing prescription medications within a FAK. The question I have, is that without a reason such as backpain, how would one get a prescription for such meds just for a FAK? Wouldn't the doctor just say "Yeah right!" and send you on your way?

Just curious, maybe you know your doctor very well! <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

This is beyond what your asking but here's some interesting ideas, written by an ER doc, for emergency medical supplies.

http://www.aeromedix.com/aeromedix/art/medkit/?_sessid=c9d4d2e732b0ede98e46445a77797ad1

As long as it is not a specific type of anitbiotic or medicine doctors will have no problem prescribing you one when you ask for one. I always ask my doc to give me some ciprio or extra strength motrin. Also I think psych meds are out of the question.

Matt

I also have four baby aspirins in my FAK (cold, headache and/or sudden onset of heart attack). I also have some Immodium AD for when local food doesn;t agree with me. Tylenol and Advil are substituded with extra strentgh Motrin and I carry general antibiotic Ciprio.

Matt

I like to use the "samples" that my doc sometimes gives me in addition to the written script. The samples are packaged very well and hold up in the mini FAK or EDC altoids tin. I keep a dose of my perscrition migraine meds in the EDC as well as a sample of allergy meds. The mini FAK (for travel) has individual (1 or 2 pills) packages of Benadryl, Advil, Tylanol etc and chewable PeptoBismol. The" real " FAK has a larger selection and greater quanity of meds, including perscription meds .

Then there's also the topicals, like Neosporin, Betadine, Lanacaine, caladryl, absorbine jr, Benzocaine, Benzalkonium chloride et al.

You've pretty much nailed my pak down. I keep my meds in plastic film cannisters taped and labeled. I combine my motrin, aspirin, aleve, and tylenol in one container, as each is easily recognizable from the others. I keep Tylenol 3 w/ codeine for the real pains. Percoset knocks me down too far, and hydrocodone depresses me.

I have a friend that is an ER doctor that teaches hunter ed with me. He carries stuff like morphine, epinephrine, atropine, lidocaine, stabilized antibiotic hypos, etc. Of course, he can do that, he's a doctor. I don't even ask him for that kind of stuff as I don't know how to use it properly.

Thanks, everyone, for the replies <img src="images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Chris.