Travel Prescription Drugs and Antibiotics

[Crosis]

Originally Posted by LakeSuperior

A layman opinion that is contrary to that of an ex Navy flight surgeon and Dr. at a world class clinic. Thanks for weighing in with your expertise Roland.

Seriously? I doubt any doctor, much less a Navy doctor who actually cares about patients would suggest or condone a CNS drug be kept on a boat and administered by non-doctors on a whim without a full examination first. Roland is correct. Some drugs should not be handled by layman who do not know the indications, contraindications and side effects as well as negative drug interactions.

I am not a Navy flight surgeon but I was a career Navy corpsman and do have an education on this subject.

[LakeSuperior]

Originally Posted by Crosis

Seriously? I doubt any doctor, much less a Navy doctor who actually cares about patients would suggest or condone a CNS drug be kept on a boat and administered by non-doctors on a whim without a full examination first. Roland is correct. Some drugs should not be handled by layman who do not know the indications, contraindications and side effects as well as negative drug interactions.

I am not a Navy flight surgeon but I was a career Navy corpsman and do have an education on this subject.

I have the prescriptions for this use as proof. I know that this doctors cares about his patients and cares about me so I am sure your broad generalizations are not based on fact.

Furthermore, check out the Scop-Dex link above and learn more about the treatment. You may find this information helpful if passaging is in your future.

Cheers!

[challis0124]

wow thank you all for your input! Its a great wealth of information that I will make sure to digest fully and determine what will be ideal for us.

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by challis0124

wow thank you all for your input! Its a great wealth of information that I will make sure to digest fully and determine what will be ideal for us.

It would be prudent to discuss all your medicine ideas with a friendly sailing doctor.

Some people have sensitivities to some of the drugs listed in the helpful post #8. So, it makes sense to make the effort not only to get what will work best, but of those, which work best on your particular body.

I suggest you consider compazine suppositories [requires a prescription and refrigeration] for when vomiting makes even under the tongue anti seasickness drugs impossible.

Ann

[travellerw]

One thing I would like to post..

The US military did a study on Antibiotics to ascertain exactly when they really do expire (no longer effective). Their conclusion was as long as they were stored in a dark dry place, they essentially never expire. Even 20 year old antibiotics were still just as effective as fresh stuff.. WITH ONE EXCEPTION.. ERYTHOMYCIN or any derivative does expire, and once expired can become toxic.

This was originally told to me by a friend who is a prepper (yup batshit crazy). He said that no prepper would ever have Erythomicin or a derivative in their kit. There are better Antibiotics available. My research seems to back this up.

Here is a laymens website describing Erythomicin expiry.
Erythromycin Expiring - A site all about erythromycin - Erythromycin

An interesting aside! For Sh!ts and Giggles, I asked him where he gets all his meds (he has tons). I wondered if he had multiple Doctors writing him scripts. He said "nope", most of his stuff is fish antibiotics openly available every where for cheap. I asked him how safe that could be, and his quoted response "I haven't died yet, and neither has my dog". Says he has used them multiple times on both himself and his dog.. Some things make you go Hmmmm...

[Mark Stillwell]

Good discussion a prescription drugs to carry. But I don't see information on how to get prescriptions refilled.

I am on blood pressure and cholesterol medication. How do I get these refilled on an 3-5 year Caribbean adventure? I don't plan to return to US every month or two.

Is there a common chain of drug stores that can keep my prescription on file?

[challis0124]

I don't know from first hand experience but I believe most drugs can be bought over the counter at any drug store. Perhaps someone out there in cruiser world can confirm this?

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Mark Stillwell

Good discussion a prescription drugs to carry. But I don't see information on how to get prescriptions refilled.

I am on blood pressure and cholesterol medication. How do I get these refilled on an 3-5 year Caribbean adventure? I don't plan to return to US every month or two.

Is there a common chain of drug stores that can keep my prescription on file?

My understanding is it's not expensive to go to a local Doc and have them write you a prescription, assuming you take them your old one and for something like cholesterol meds it's really more of a formality isn't it?

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

My understanding is it's not expensive to go to a local Doc and have them write you a prescription, assuming you take them your old one and for something like cholesterol meds it's really more of a formality isn't it?

My experience is that in most countries pharmacies will re-issue against your original doctors prescriptions. In general you will use far less drugs then you imagine anyway

[a64pilot]

Should you have one of these on board?
Physicians' Desk Reference, 66th Edition: 9781563638077: Medicine & Health Science Books @ Amazon.com

[Mark Stillwell]

Thanks for the information.

[Whitebread117]

Originally Posted by travellerw

An interesting aside! For Sh!ts and Giggles, I asked him where he gets all his meds (he has tons). I wondered if he had multiple Doctors writing him scripts. He said "nope", most of his stuff is fish antibiotics openly available every where for cheap. I asked him how safe that could be, and his quoted response "I haven't died yet, and neither has my dog". Says he has used them multiple times on both himself and his dog.. Some things make you go Hmmmm...

Your crazy friend is correct, though he didn't do his research as to why. The aquarium antibiotics such as Fish-cil, Fish-Mox, and Fish-Flex are human grade forms of penicillin, amoxicillin, and cefalexin, respectively. For the skeptics, buy a bottle and look up the lot code printed on the capsule. You'll find it references a lot of fda approved antibiotics- at the production lab they are diverted to fda and USDA packaging. The latter is legal OTC, the former requires a doc's scrip.

Fwiw I've spent a number of years in joint fda/USDA regulated manufacturing facilities and its not at all uncommon for a food/medical product to be diverted one direction for fda approved packaging and another direction for USDA packaging, the base product being the same. Ironically in some instances the USDA regulations are more stringent than the fda regulations.

I'm sure the naysayers will be along shortly to ridicule, but this particular self employed individual (obamacare sucks yo) has used fish MOX in the past to treat minor infections with excellent results and won't hesitate to do so again if the need arises.

If anyone would like more information as to my specific experiences, pm me and I'll be glad to discuss.

Apologies for spelling or punctuation, posting from phone.

[SmartMove]

Originally Posted by Mark Stillwell

Good discussion a prescription drugs to carry. But I don't see information on how to get prescriptions refilled.

I am on blood pressure and cholesterol medication. How do I get these refilled on an 3-5 year Caribbean adventure? I don't plan to return to US every month or two.

Is there a common chain of drug stores that can keep my prescription on file?

We have been in the Caribbean for the last two years, my husband takes meds for blood pressure I take meds for cholesterol. We simply take our empty prescription bottle to the pharmacy and they are refilled. I think, but won't swear to it, the script has to have something about refills on it. We have found that things that need a script in the US can be gotten over the counter too (such as Voltaren Gel) a whole lot cheaper.


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[pbmaise]

Every essential drug I need for long term cruisering is missing. As an owner, I found I must watch for signs of trouble.

Life and death. If MRSA sweeps the boat you need 2 weeks clindamycin 3 times a day 300 mg for All Passengers. Here in Philippines generic costs about $0.30 per pill. Brand $3 per pill.

On trip from Thailand I was only one prepared for MRSA because I had it before and know how fast and bad it is.

For topical treatment of MRSA silver burn cream. $3 in Malaysia or Thailand and $45 in US.

Note: Guys that wear wet board shorts all day are breeding grounds for this dangerous staph. Get the guys washed and into dry shorts after swimming. Anything worn into saltwater must be freshwater rinsed and dried. Therefore, the less they where in, the better. Girls are less of a problem, however once a guy gets it, every place he sits with open sores is spreading it to whole boat.

Lancing and draining very large boils may be necessary. Boils bigger than golf balls. The girls are embarassed about them.

Keep an eye out for UTI. The guys won't admit there is a problem because they are afraid it is an STD. One crew member deflected my questions a full week.

I don't see condoms on the list. I keep them on hand and tell crew where to get them without asking.

Also

If you eat or drink off the boat you need both deworming pill and anti-protozoa. Best deworming is Mebendazole 500 mg. Two per person per trip.

Keep an eye out for someone hiding this problem. Never take anti-diahria pills for these two bugs.

[pbmaise]

Watch anyone you put on Clindamycin for a rash. They can suddenly become hypersensitive. Progress on closure of a deep MRSA wound may appear to stop owing to a new sensitivity to the glue or latix in a dressing. Further all sheets may need fresh water wash no detergents. Residue detergent in particular will cause new rashes on their back arms and legs.

Based on seeing options I am not a fan of switching to Bactrim. Handle the new sensitivity. Explain to crew that the new rash is normal is.

As an owner in the tropics the most important thing to teach is not an MOB, fire, or pump location. For a distance trip, the most important thing to train the crew and guests on is that anything as small as a mite bite can become infected. That if it is ignored ... they can learn why so many pirates were called peg leg.

Which reminds me. 70% ethyl alcohol is fantastic for skin infections. The moment you get any cut wash it.

Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.

For younger crew, yet another problem watch them for is jock itch. Tinactin.

Oh..white and brown spotted skin is a fungal infection. Commonly on neck. Topical treat with Head & Shoulders dandruff shampoo.