Falcon, I think these older threads will give you some ideas. Try this , this, and this.

Considering how many of us rely on one or more prescription meds long term, I think this is an important topic and we've had some good discussion about it in the past.

Thank you for the links Arney, I wasn't aware of the 80% rule, now it gives me some ideas what needs to be done. Thanks again.

I would advocate that people avoid carrying any antibiotics. Most of them are at least mildly toxic and allergies are not uncommon. Selection of the right antibiotic for a condition is not a simple choice and dosing is problematic.

Most people who carry them have no idea what the right dose is, and given the right dose most of them don't carry enough to complete a proper course of treatment. Half a dose or half the proper time is a grand way to make sure any infection becomes resistant to the antibiotic you half-use.

A stock of antibiotics can make sense if you are spending a long time in a very remote location. They can save the day if you're 500 miles and two weeks from anywhere. But 99% of the people don't qualify and are not far enough out long enough for antibiotics to be any benefit.

Given that a PSK is going to be limited to a short-time, typically two to five days, but always less than ten days, there is no need for antibiotics.

Count me in with the "do not carry" group, with the exception of a dozen single use packs of neosporin in my FAK.

Antibiotics may be potent years beyond the expiration date. I worked in the drug industry and a vp of quality control was in the office next to me. He told me one day that expiration dates on drug bottles had nothing to do with when the medicine was no longer potent. All the FDA wanted to know was the medicine was effective up to that date. What drug companies wanted to do was push the product through the system and a long effective date was contrary to that desire. (Tetracycline may be one exception and an antibiotic that should not be taken after the expiration date.) For what it's worth here's one link to a Wall St Journal story:

http://www.endtimesreport.com/Prescription_longevity.html

Tim W.

Most drugs, including MOST antibiotics remain effective past their expiration date. There is a potiential loss of potency depending on storage conditions ( especially temp and possibly humidity{depending on packaging}) as well as the passage of time. HOWEVER TETRACYLINE clearly develops toxicity when used past expiration.

+1. When tetracycline expires, throw it out! Modern (aka post 1980) manufacturing makes that family of antibiotics generally safe past the expiration date, but don't risk it with that one.

Art, you said it better than I could.

Big ditto!

Even us allied health care professionals can get in trouble when we think we know as much as the doctor does.

I've been shocked at finding out that a few pharmacists self-treat with rx meds without a physician's prescription because they "know as much as he/she does." Not only is that ill-advised, it's also illegal.

One thing the practice of pharmacy has taught me is to respect medications. They are not candy, folks. Let the prescriber be the one to make the judgment call. (That's what he/she pays those exorbitant malpractice fees for!)

Boy, nothing like correcting yourself. Current recommendations are NOT to flush your meds, but to take them to those aforementioned kiosks. Ask your pharmacist where to find them. In our state, we have some at police stations. My apologies to the fish and amphibians that were harmed by my outdated info!

Actually, the current recommended treatment for Traveler's Diarrhea (TD) is immodium and anywhere from one dose to three days of a fluoroquinolone antibiotic......ie Cipro or Levaquin. Self treatment is the standard of care too.

I was on a mission trip to China and the morning were to leave, TD hit. The thought of being on a plane for 22+ hours with diarrhea is unthinkable.

I loaded up on immodium and took a single dose of Cipro. I was good the entire trip home.