Need prescription medications (NOT narcotics)

[Guest theconstitutionrocks]

Found this fantastic telemedicine site, http://www.medcallassist.com/ These guys operate out of Alaska. There IS an annual fee (last one was $125) but it gives you telephonic/online access to a doc 24/7 as well as opening an accout that you can order from. The site has a list of meds and supplies but you can order just about anything simply by calling or dropping an email and asking for specifics but, as I said before NO NARCOTICS (and that is a good thing). So, for those of us with medical backgrounds, this might help.

[Garufa]

What are you about?

[Guest Lester Weevils]

When a kid in the early 1960's read a book or article about setting up a cold war bomb shelter and the author had a long list of medical supplies including some rather heavy duty sedatives and stimulants, with the advice to get the family doctor to write Rx for all the supplies. I wondered at the time what the typical family doctor would think presented with such a list, and it was a much more innocent time back then.

[tennessee01tacoma]

I was watching Dr. Phil the other day, dont judge me I only have over the air tv and daytime tv sucks, and he was talking about an app for smart phone or tablet for the same thing it's $40 per "visit" Edited January 5, 2014 by tennessee01tacoma

[tennessee01tacoma]

Even though they aren't for human consumtion ; ), fish antibiotics are available in the same dosages normally prescribed to humans. My lab is alive and very healthy after her round of fishmox to combat infection from a gash on her leg. Edited January 5, 2014 by tennessee01tacoma

[xjsnake]

Don't take this the wrong way but a new member posting about online pharmacies and in another thread talking about "one voice" against things sounds kinda like one is fishing for responses.

[Erik88]

Even though they aren't for human consumtion ; ), fish antibiotics are available in the same dosages normally prescribed to humans. My lab is alive and very healthy after her round of fishmox to combat infection from a gash on her leg.

 

I've heard this before. What is the shelf life and where did you buy them?

[eRay]

You can get antibiotics for cattle at Tractor Supply. Most of it probably is produced in the same labs as meds for humans.

[tennessee01tacoma]

I've heard this before. What is the shelf life and where did you buy them?

I bought fishmox back in November from petmountain.com and the expiration is 03/2015. I can't decipher when they were made. I'm guessing different meds would have different shelf life.

[tennessee01tacoma]

You can get antibiotics for cattle at Tractor Supply. Most of it probably is produced in the same labs as meds for humans.

As for my tractor supply, they had a very limited selection and none of it was capsule form. I called and asked as well as went and saw what they had.

[Guest theconstitutionrocks]

What are you about?

Not sure I understand your question...I'm just trying to share some information I have relative to a forum where it might be applicable. I have absolutely nothing to gain from it...I'm not selling anything, I'm not trying to push any agenda. The forum is survival and preparedness. If you prescribe to the beans, bullets, bandaids mindset, then I offer my input may be useful. Further, just so there is no misunderstanding AT ALL, I am certainly not advocating that ANYONE get this stuff unless you have a clear understanding and experience about what they are doing. I have years of medical background and I don't even stock IVs, why?....because using crystalloids for trauma is a temp fix at best since you aren't replacing whole blood or plasma, all you are doing is trying to maintain volume. Getting the bleeding stopped is much more important, and if I need to expand volume, there are other less dangerous ways to do it. If the issue is rehydration, I can use other meds to stop the vomiting or diarrhea and again, there are other routes to administer volume replacement. 

[Guest theconstitutionrocks]

I've heard this before. What is the shelf life and where did you buy them?

The expiration dates are usually abt 2-3 years however a lot of antibiotics remain viable to around 5 yrs after date of manufacture. This does NOT, I say again NOT apply to the Tetracyclines...those things can become toxic shortly after expiration. While they do have their uses, I generally don't keep them.

[Guest theconstitutionrocks]

Don't take this the wrong way but a new member posting about online pharmacies and in another thread talking about "one voice" against things sounds kinda like one is fishing for responses.

Not fishing for responses at all...just trying to contribute and engage in debate. I understand I'm the new guy but if I have information that MIGHT be useful, or I have a position that is applicable to a debate or forum I'm going to speak my mind. Open debate, sharing of ideas, and considerations of the opinions/facts presented by others is one of the tenents of a successful organization or group. 

[Jamie Jackson]

This is a topic of interest to me as well.

 

It is my understanding that the antibiotics used in veterinary medicine is exactly the same as used for humans...same manufacture, same equipment, just different labeling.

 

There was a study conducted by our military several years back entitled SLEP or Shelf Life Extension Program. Our military was trashing countless millions of dollars worth of meds related to an arbitrary expiration date agreed upon by the FDA and Pharmaceutical companies. This study (which was pulled from general circulation...you can Google it for more details) indicated that the vast majority of oral antibiotics maintain up to or greater than 90% of their efficacy 10-15 years after their expiration date.

As with all things LTS (long term storage) protecting the items from extreme temperature changes, moisture, light and oxygen dramatically extend their shelf life. IIRC liquid medications ( IV antibiotics) did not store as well, nor as long.

The vast majority of IV antibiotics we use are in powder form and mixed prior to administration.

 

Big Pharma makes big bucks selling meds and on disease maintenance...so I'm sure they were really happy about the SLEP and wanted the info freely given to the public... :squint:

 

The SLEP is still listed via a few .gov websites, but access is restricted. I've had a couple of my prepper buds that happen to be physicians try to sign up to gain access, but were denied as they were not active military not .gov employees. ymmv.

 

Regards the tetracycline like antibiotics.

As best I have been able to discover that concern over "outdated" tetracycline being deadly stems from a case in 1960 or 1961 where a patient with multiorgan system failure and complicated disease processes died...the most recent antibiotic having been tried being tetracycline and the drug was blamed for his death...which was imminent anyway. And so the legend of deadly tetracycline was born. Now bear in mind that I in no way recommend anyone storing any medication, nor purchasing any medication from any source you an uncomfortable with.

Most folks may just be surprised how helpful your primary care physician would be in helping you to build up a reasonable supply of appropriate non-controlled medications. My advice is to simply express your concerns and needs with them in a reasonable manner...I probably wouldn't mention zombies ( although I'm certain more than a few inhabit our local Emergency rooms late at night :cool: ).

 

 

Just my unsolicited and ever devaluing :2cents: .

 

 

[Randall53]

No wonder antibiotics have lost their magic against bacteria and we now have super bacterial infections that are immune to treatment.

http://www.cdc.gov/features/getsmart/

[whiskey]

Thanks for the link and info. Don't sweat the the guys wearing tinfoil hats. :)

[Jamie Jackson]

Good link and point Randall.

 

In my experience, we...as a society...want a prescription for "something" every time we see a physician or NP or PA...just so we "feel" they are doing "something".

 

Antibiotics don't "kill" a bacteria in the generally accepted sense.. They were never designed to do so.

They interfere in cell wall growth or formation (RNA/DNA) in some manner, allowing the body to complete the job....oversimplified explanation I know...

 

Link: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-do-antibiotics-kill-b

 

One issue as far as the proliferation of superbugs is, as Randall mentioned, overuse and or inappropriate use and (my biggest pet peeve) not completing the antibiotic dose regime.

Incomplete dosing (i.e. having "left over" antibiotics) as folks sometimes do because they stop taking them when symptoms diminish only accelerates the bacteria's ability to develop resistance.

The length of time an antibiotic is prescribed for isn't an arbitrary time frame, but a length of time and dosing scientifically proven to be optimal for elimination of that particular organism...

 

My point being that if a person chooses to store antibiotics just to make sure you know when to use them, which one is needed for what type of bacterial infection, be aware of drug allergies and interactions, learn the treatment regimes, and don't use them for viral infections in general...

You don't have to go to medical school to be safe on this. Great info is available...both online and from your health care provider...while you still have one anyway thanks to the Unobtainable Care Act and .gov....

 

 

"Where there is no Doctor", "Ditch Medicine", A PDR (Physician's Desk reference) and a "Dorland's Medical Dictionary" aren't bad to have on hand for SHTF.

 

The TC3 or "Tactical Combat Casualty Care" guidelines are pretty helpful as well.

 

 

Thanks to the OP for the topic btw...

I'm not wearing my tinfoil hat today anyway. :cool:

[Guest Lester Weevils]

I tend to get minor skin infections, and just this year noticed that $2 a bottle povidone iodine clears them better faster than even Rx antibiotic creams such as mupirocin calcium. Odd color on the skin seems the worst side effect assuming one isn't allergic. Edited January 5, 2014 by Lester Weevils

[Guest theconstitutionrocks]

I tend to get minor skin infections, and just this year noticed that $2 a bottle povidone iodine clears them better faster than even Rx antibiotic creams such as mupirocin calcium. Odd color on the skin seems the worst side effect assuming one isn't allergic.

Povidone-Iodine works well for cleaning wounds but it should not be left on there for too long. The reason is that it can inhibit cellular repair.

[eRay]

As for my tractor supply, they had a very limited selection and none of it was capsule form. I called and asked as well as went and saw what they had.

If you can't find what you need at Tractor Supply, try the local Farmers Co-op. The cattle that I used to have to doctor were not too good about taking capsules. I usually had to inject them. Both places also carry syringes. In a true SHTF situation, you might have to just man up and take an injection of cattle antibiotic.

[dawgdoc]

In regard to fish antibiotics (from a guy who actually took a fish medicine course):  there are very few FDA-approved drugs for fish.  All those fish antibiotics that you see packaged as individual capsules in blister packs are illegally re-packaged generic antibiotics.  Most likely, some company is literally taking a thousand count amoxicillin bottle and repackaging it as if it were an actual fish drug (and probably marking it up a gazillion percent).  The FDA just has not made it one of their enforcement priorities.  My fish med professor said that at one time, it was an open secret among special forces guys about using these antibiotics, until one guy got a resistant infection, and then the medical community was suddenly aware of what was going on in aquarium stores.  But no one with enforcement authority seemed to care.

 

So if you choose to take one of these "fish antibiotics," you can probably feel safe that it is an actual human drug.  You can always Google the code on the capsule to be sure.  However, for fish diseases, these antibiotics are mostly useless and potentially harmful.

 

In regard to resistance bacteria, I blame people like my childhood pediatrician who always prescribed amoxicillin regardless of what I had.  Sometimes it was probably warranted, but I bet I got overtreated as a child.   As for the people who don't take a full course of antibiotics--the research is evolving as to what a "full course" actually is (one study showed clearing UTI in just three days), so they may not be to blame.  I think the flushing of unused antibiotics from the unfinished treatment could be as bad as not taking all the antibiotics.

 

Edit:  And epinephrine is one of the few drugs that actually goes toxic after its expiration date; I think that was in the military study cited above.

Edited January 7, 2014 by dawgdoc