ERIC - Ok Here's my basic meds list. This list is not complete, and i might make a few additions. These are the basic team meds we carry when we are working in ghetto's and disaster zones overseas. The meds do NOT address comprehensive problems, and they are not intended to treat patients where we go. They just help our own team members to overcome common problems that arise.

Anyone who has any suggestions or improvements ... I am always open to better ideas.

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BASIC TEAM MEDS

Wounds/First-Aid
* Clean water and mild antibacterial soap ... treatment of mild wounds
* Neosporin and hydrogen peroxide ... for mild wounds. These are kid-friendly. Hydrogen peroxide is heavy to carry!
* Shur-Clens: Used for cleaning acute wounds (we are still evaluating this item).

Cold/Flu
* Thera-flu packets work well. Individual team members typically bring their own preferred cold meds.

Eyes:
Visine for eye lubrication
*Gentamicin sulfate opthalmic solution for problems like conjunctivitis and pink eye

Diarrhea:
* Bring several clean towels! Explosive diarrhea is really messy.
* Immodium AD. Helps in mild cases.
* Both antibiotics below (esp. Cipro) help a lot when things are serious

Antibiotics:
* Ciproflaxacin: Good for skin infections, respiratory and urinary tract infections, bad diarrhea and infectious diarrhea
* Doxycycline ("doxy")": Used by our team as a daily anti-malarial preventive (works well), also effective against travelers diarrhea, some respiratory and urinary tract infections

Fever & Pain
* Aspirin, Motrin and Tylenol: Go like hotcakes. The locals always want what we don't use ourselves.
* Codeine: On our list of "want to have" meds, but depends on obtaining from appropriate sources. Not always legal.

Special Meds:
* Malarone for real malaria cases (Lariam NOT recommended, though it does work).
* Epi-pens: We sometimes have these, but have not needed one. Essential if you really do have an anaphylactic shock problem.

There are other meds, and I will post them. I also do a variety of "alternative" treatments, but I only do these on myself (as a guinea pig) and people in ghetto's. The ghetto folks are totally forgotten by their own system and have zero medical care. I do not use folklore meds, but rely upon clinically proven approaches. One example is the use of honey as an antimicrobial agent for treating mild wounds. Has worked OK for me.

all the best,
other Pete