Great info!

That's two votes for Zertec. I'll get that in addition to the liquid Benadryl I already have.


One thing I know about aspirin is that it's expired when it smells like vinegar.


I'll focus more on tablets when it's an option.


I have a pill crusher that I use every morning. It's nearly bombproof, made of thick plastic, and I have two spares just in case.

In addition to what drug to add, is the count of what I have listed or a product that one of you has recommended enough?

If it's a product I've only used once or have not used since I was a child, such as Caladryl, Loperamide (Imodium A-D), Milk of Magnesia, the lice kit, Vicks VaporRub, and Visine, I only include one count. If it's a drug I regularly use, such as once a day, I can calculate how much I will use and stock up for a year, such as Omeprazole. For the products I use semi-regularly, there is no predictable pattern for me to calculate how much I will need. For those items, I have or will get four of each.

Given all that, do you see an area where I need to change? How do you determine how much of something to stock when you don't know how much you will need?

Jeanette Isabelle

Maybe it is there and I missed seeing it: Vaselene
It is multipurpose stuff.

Also, a pair of tweezers

In my own kit :
# Hot/cold compress for my knee and finger joints (the reuseabe type, you can throw it in the fridge or warm it on a tea kettle)

# Knee wrap, for my knee, just in case

Everyone of us has different health issues, but I do believe the majority of us in this forum maybe in an age group that can benefit from adding a walking cane, just in case. My knee is better these days, but I have a spare cane in the car trunk, just in case.

Oh, almost forgot :
eye moisturizing drops, or gel.

By eyedrops, do you mean Visine?


Thanks. I have tweezers in my medical bag and EDC FAK.


For now, I don't have any hot or ice packs. However, not listed, I do have an electric heating pad.


Are you talking about an ace bandage, which I have in my medical bag, or something else?

Jeanette Isabelle

Famdoc: Do the two other anti-histamines you mentioned, to use instead of Benadryl, have the same useful anti anaphylaxis properties?

I was about to lose my mind on your numbers, but then re-read and saw that you're sort of having a cache at home.

First, what's your education/training level in the medical field?

That's a lot of biohazard bags. You probably don't need them, for 2 reasons: 1, you probably throw 'biohazards' away for 5-7 days every month, in the regular trash; and 2, where are you going to properly dispose of them in a SHFT/end of the world event? But, they're cheap, so enjoy.

I see lubricating jelly under airway, but no airways. What do you plan to do with jelly?

I'd recommend tourniquets and combat gauze(or similar) in your wound care plans.

Consider SAM splints under 'immobilization.'

Dayquil is liquid mucinex. Nyquil, Robitussin, all the 'cough syrups' are basically mucinex with a cough medicine (dextromethorphan, the -DM) and/or 'runny nose medicine' pseudophedrine (the -D) added.

Aspirin, Ibuprofen and naproxen are all anti-inflammatories. I'm not partial to any, but Ibu and Naprox aren't used for cardiac/stroke events.

Visine is bad long term. Just go with regular non-medicated eye drops if you can.

Do you have diabetics to worry about? If not, I'd not bother with a glucometer. What do you plan to do with the scalpel?

Good call on dental and eye kits.

Do you know how to suture? If so, I'd recommend more and different suture materials. And consider dermabond and steri-strips.

What's the point of the travel syringe kit?

*************
Acropolis, antihistamines aren't the treatment for anaphylaxis. Epinephrine is. Antihistamines help with the itching and some peripheral symptoms, and yes, any can be used (though zyrtec probably has the best skin penetration). Famotidine is also an OTC antihistamine; even though it uses a different H-receptor, it's still often included in the cocktail if someone is having an issue.

Thank you for your well-thought-out reply. I've taken classes (including nursing and trauma), self-study, and in-the-field first aid.


Fifty is how many came in the box. That box is for refilling my medical bag.


I have the nasal airways in my medical bag. The box of lubricating jelly is for refilling.


I have them in my medical bag.


That's helpful to know. A little redundancy never hurts.


What would you recommend?


I have low blood sugar.


Another member of this forum strongly recommended it.


I have the suture and syringe kits if someone can do the procedures but needs more supplies. I'm considering getting Vetbond.

I posted the list before in another thread, but here again are the updated contents of my medical bag:

MEDICAL INFORMATION / TRIAGE
(1) Wilderness & Travel Medicine
(1) Tactical Combat Casualty Reference Card
(4) Tactical Combat Casualty Care Card
(1) Fresnel Lens

PERSONAL PROTECTION
(1) Biohazard Waste Bag
(1) Rescue Mask, Soft Case
(6) Personal Antimicrobial Wipe
(2) Emergency/Survival Blanket
(2) Respirator Mask
(6) Bear Claw Glove Kit
(1) Crews Safety Glass - BearKat

BLEEDING
(2) Combat Application Tourniquet, Rescue Orange
(1) QuikClot 3" x 4 yds Bleeding Control Dressing, Z-Fold
(2) Trauma Bandage, 4"
(4) Compressed Gauze

AIRWAY
(2) Bolin Chest Seal
(1) Hyfin Vent Chest Seal Twin Pack
(2) Nasopharyngeal Airway w/ Lube, 28 Fr
(2) ARS Decompression Needle, 10 g x 3.25"
(1) Oral Airway Set
(1) Pocket BVM
(2) SAM ThoraSite

WOUND / BLISTER / BURN
(3) Burn Jel, 3.5 g
(1) 30 Band-Aid, 6 Knuckle, 6 Moleskin
(1) Durapore Tape, 1"
(1) Stretch Gauze, 3" x 12 yds.
(1) Wound Closure Strips, 0.25" x 4"
(2) Non-Adherent Dressing, 3" x 4"
(5) Sterile Gauze Pad, 3" x 3"
(6) Povidone-Iodine Prep Pad

IMMOBILIZATION
(1) Elastic Bandage Wrap, 3" x 4.5 yds.
(1) Splint, Orange, 4.25" x 36"
(2) Cravat Triangular Bandage

MEDICATION
(1) Eye Wash, 4 oz.
(6) Aspirin, 2/pk (Analgesic)
(6) Diamode, 1/pk (Anti-diarrheal)
(6) Diotame, 2/pk (Stomach)
(6) Diphen, 1/pk (Antihistamine)
(6) Hydrocortisone 1% Creme, 1.5 g
(6) Ibuprofen, 2/pk (Anti-inflammatory)
(6) Triple Antibiotic Ointment, 0.9 g
(2) Hydration Powder
(2) Glucose, 15 g
(1) Insect Bite Treatment

INSTRUMENTS
(1) Catheter Tip, 18G
(1) Digital Thermometer
(1) EMT Shears, 7.25"
(1) Irrigation Syringe, 20 mL, Luer Lock Tip
(1) Permanent Marker, Extra-Fine Point
(1) Scalpel, Sterile, #11
(1) Tweezers
(3) Safety Pins, 2"
(1) Blood Pressure Kit
(1) Disposable Penlight
(1) Stethoscope, Sprague
(1) Flat Duct Tape, 1.89" x 2 yds.
(1) Hemostat, Kelly Forceps Straight, 5.5"
(1) SYNC 200

OTHER
(1) TMM-DE, Dental Module

Sorry for the late reply, I've been away: MDindiana said it well: benadryl is NOT the drug of choice for anaphylaxis: injectable epinephrine is the mainstay, such as an Epipen - Which is expensive. Individual vials of epi. and syringes are cheaper, but harder to come by. A willing physician may be willing to prescribe either for someone without a clear personal diagosis of anaphylaxis/severe allergic reactions.
Having said that I've never had opportunity to need it in 40 years of office practice, nor outside the office; so I haven't kept it in my car kit. "Expiration" dates on it are probably "real" as well, being a liquid: I think about 2 years after purchase. So spending perhaps a over a hundred dollars every two years to replace an epipen is a factor to consider.
If the need exists however, and all you have is an expired epipen, it would be better to use it than do nothing IMHO.