Medical kit

[mcarling]

Originally Posted by Jimbo485

We took out our son´s appendix before cruising.

Seriously?!?!?

I've practiced an emergency appendectomy (rather different from a normal surgical appendectomy) first on a sedated cat and then on a human cadaver under the supervision of an ER surgeon, just in case I might ever be faced with the situation in the middle of nowhere, but I would never, ever perform an unnecessary appendectomy on a living person. I'm just about speechless. I really hope you're kidding.

[s/v Beth]

Back in the old days, many docs took out the appendix when taking out a gal bladder or even a uterus. I remember those days. That is not considered good medicine anymore. The appendix has recently been found to be useful to replenish the bowel with working bacteria after being wiped out by Rx or disease.

[Jimbo485]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

What, just on the off chance he should get appendicitis? Wi no previous history of appendicitis?

Appendicitis was present in his family history on both sides. Always occurred as kids, not adults. So it cost us a $200 part pay and a night in hospital, and they pulled it out through his navel. It was insurance against the chance that he could get appendicitis before adulthood, especially while cruising in remote areas. Imagine your kid dying through the pain of a ruptured appendix while at sea. YMMV.

My doctor mother was prepared, but horrified at the thought, of removing an appendix when she took me cruising as a kid many decades ago. For us non-doctors, prevention is better.

[Target9000]

As a possibly unrelated side note....

We were considering buying a medical kit made for cruisers but like many here found the price to be totally outlandish, but then... The end of that year was upon us and we had tons of money left over in a FSA account (tax free medical spending for those of you in the US that have private insurance). The money must be spent by the end of the ear or it simply vanishes.

My wife did some research and found out the medical kit was covered and approved as an item for which the FSA could be spent on. We spent almost 800 dollars on the kit, but it was money we had no other use for and would simply have disappeared otherwise. She went to her doctor and asked him to write her an order for it, then we bought it using those funds.

[nigel1]

Originally Posted by sestina

I've done the STCW Medical Care Aboard Ship course twice. This is a proper merchant navy qualification, usually held by Ship's Masters and First Officers.

It is probably the most comprehensive medical course you can do as an amateur. The book the couse is based on is available as a PDF

Ships Captain's Medical Guide

Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

Hi, I have done the same course 3 times, but earlier this year had to do the Danish equivalent. Much better course than the UK one IMO, much more hands on, and certainly not for the squeamish. If you have the choice, the Danish course is far more worth while, you even get to set up infusions drips in real live people. The downside is that they get to set up an infusion drip in you, and if the aim is not good, you end the course with sore and bruised arms.


Use first aid book here

http://www.dma.dk/SiteCollectionDocu...glish_2011.pdf

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by nigel1

Hi, I have done the same course 3 times, but earlier this year had to do the Danish equivalent. Much better course than the UK one IMO, much more hands on, and certainly not for the squeamish. If you have the choice, the Danish course is far more worth while, you even get to set up infusions drips in real live people. The downside is that they get to set up an infusion drip in you, and if the aim is not good, you end the course with sore and bruised arms.

I'll stick with the UK one I did thanks... hate needles in me...
Other folks..? No worries..

[goboatingnow]

I got a doctor friend who's a sailor to write me a list , some of which is prescription. Besides the usual bandages. Etc, it had broad spectrum anti biotics in both tablet and cream amd two strong painkillers. ( zydol based) I found to a good compromise.

I once took the offshore French medcal required list to a local chemist. 400 euros later I had enough stuff to handle battlefield injuries. ( I remember it had lots of stuff for women !) you can go over the top.

Dave

[Ziggy]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

What, just on the off chance he should get appendicitis? Wi no previous history of appendicitis?

I don't necessarily agree with prophylactic appendectomy, but I'd like to point out that most people who get appendicitis had no previous history of it.

When you are one or two weeks away from a hospital, things like appendicitis become pretty serious.

[Outwest34au]

Originally Posted by Jimbo485

We took out our son´s appendix before cruising. Did you spend an hour or two or a day or two to check those stats? What will you do on a long term cruise away from civilization if your kid goes down with appendicitis?

Gotta be easier than doing it at home on the kitchen table rather than on the rolling seas. My kids are total wusses and wouldn't even let me do their tonsils at home.

Do you carry plaster and splints? De-fribs? tracheotomy tubes? Saline drips? Rat sak for bl;ood clotting?
Caution is wonderful, but I think my level of forward concern would be at a level I deem suitable for myself and my situation also.

[aclmck]

Any resonable type first aid kit filledwith products you know how to use, mine contains
Bandaids
antiseptic
small tweezer
heat and burn cream
sting releif
Large sheet of plastic and tape (to wrap a body in if required) for hypo or death

[DeepFrz]

By the way there is a thread on this topic that quotes a study and link to the study by the US army about drug expiry dates. I remember that most drugs, maybe all, that the US army stocks did not show any decline in efficacy after many years of storage past the expiry date.

[jgbrown]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

By the way there is a thread on this topic that quotes a study and link to the study by the US army about drug expiry dates. I remember that most drugs, maybe all, that the US army stocks did not show any decline in efficacy after many years of storage past the expiry date.

True but care must be taken. Some are ok. Some become useless. Some become toxic and dangerous...

[Matt sachs]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

By the way there is a thread on this topic that quotes a study and link to the study by the US army about drug expiry dates. I remember that most drugs, maybe all, that the US army stocks did not show any decline in efficacy after many years of storage past the expiry date.

Ive read the studies. However, I dont want to pay the fines. Its easy to just toss them out and get new. This way the DEA dosent pull my number. I'm talking about injectables, not OTC stuff. Hell, I'm taking nsaids that expired 3 years ago, and they work great.

[mcarling]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

Back in the old days, many docs took out the appendix when taking out a gal bladder or even a uterus. I remember those days. That is not considered good medicine anymore. The appendix has recently been found to be useful to replenish the bowel with working bacteria after being wiped out by Rx or disease.

Back in the old days, lobotomy was an accepted treatment for nightmares. I think we're fast approaching the day when the normal treatment for acute appendicitis will be removing the blockage and returning the appendix to good health.

BTW, blockage of the appendix is almost always a result of eating meat. Vegetarians have extremely low rates of acute appendicitis. If one is worried about the possibility developing an acute appendicitis at sea, I suggest not eating meat (and also not eating very heavy fish like tuna or swordfish) for a few days before and during the voyage.

Originally Posted by Ziggy

When you are one or two weeks away from a hospital, things like appendicitis become pretty serious.

If you have a radio or satellite phone, you're probably a lot less than seven days away from a hospital.

Originally Posted by jgbrown

True but care must be taken. Some are ok. Some become useless. Some become toxic and dangerous...

Since this post, I've spoken to two pharmacists and one pharma research scientist and they all suggested that I challenge you to name just one FDA or EU currently-approved medicine that "becomes toxic and dangerous" after expiration but which is not toxic or dangerous before expiration. I, along with all three of them, don't believe that a hypothetical med with such characteristics would ever be approved in developed countries and would quickly be banned if discovered.

[shorebird]

I saw only one mention of a laxative on this subject, and no mention of Imodium. Stool softener, a laxative, and an anti-diarrea med would be most wise for any cruising kit. Any of the pain meds mentioned which are opiate-based can lead to very severe constipation, and should normally be combined with some form of laxative. (subject to proper medical advice regarding the possession and use of opiate based meds and management of possible side effects.)