Medical Emergency Kit

[LuvOrlando]

Has anyone invested in one of the Medical Emergency Kit sets out there now?

I just got back from Florida, DD got strep and a sinus infection and shared it with everyone. I have the Binax Covid, Flu A & B on hand so I know it isn't that for everyone, it feels like every other strep/ ear infection & sinus infection I have had in my 55 years of life. While in Florida DD did do virtual urgent care and was diagnosed with a nasty sinus infection and strep and Zpack fixed her up. We got back to Boston and started with her symptoms and with Flu cases surging the virtual urgent care nurse practitioner wants me to waltz into a medical facility for a strep test... what? To me that is the dumbest suggestion I ever heard, and of course all my Dr's are on vacation so non Dr staff is all like deer in headlights and don't want to second guess. I am sooooo not going to any medical facility of any kind right now unless a limb was falling off or I thought death was imminent and I deeply regret talking to the person I did because now her idea is etched in stone on my stupid chart shared everywhere (another thing I regret). I do have leftover antibiotics if my fever climbs any higher.

OK so while griping over this current predicament someone mentioned to me there is a Dr Drew Medical Kit out there and so there must be many more brands out there and work arounds so now I'm wondering if it might be a good idea to have something like this for winter season and when we travel to see EPIC in a few months.

Anyone have experience with these kinds of at home Medical Emergency kits? It does seem like a good idea to be honest.

 

[barkley]

disclaimer-i am hyper-vigilant on the potential for/treating of strep. I lost 2 good friends (one in her 30's/one in her 40's) years ago due to the same situation that took jim henson (undiagnosed strep leading to toxic shock syndrome). i'm therefore a huge proponant of being tested if one suspects strep.

that said-i'm not a fan of taking unnecesary antibiotics b/c I grew up in the era that they gave us (kids) antibiotics for every little sniffle and like allot of people my age I built up a big resistance. I'm to the point where I have to have the heavy duty stuff to have any effect.

I don't know about these medical kits that sell antibiotics OTC, I don't think I would be comfortable with taking them BUT rapid strep tests ARE sold OTC at pharmacies so I imagine you could walk into one and quickly determine if antibiotics are even needed. I understand that Walmart in about half the States now do in person quick strep testing and their pharmacists can prescribe.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I do have leftover antibiotics if my fever climbs any higher.

Why do you have leftover antibiotics?

 

[LuvOrlando]

disclaimer-i am hyper-vigilant on the potential for/treating of strep. I lost 2 good friends (one in her 30's/one in her 40's) years ago due to the same situation that took jim henson (undiagnosed strep leading to toxic shock syndrome). i'm therefore a huge proponant of being tested if one suspects strep.

that said-i'm not a fan of taking unnecesary antibiotics b/c I grew up in the era that they gave us (kids) antibiotics for every little sniffle and like allot of people my age I built up a big resistance. I'm to the point where I have to have the heavy duty stuff to have any effect.

I don't know about these medical kits that sell antibiotics OTC, I don't think I would be comfortable with taking them BUT rapid strep tests ARE sold OTC at pharmacies so I imagine you could walk into one and quickly determine if antibiotics are even needed. I understand that Walmart in about half the States now do in person quick strep testing and their pharmacists can prescribe.

What stores do you see the at home Strep Tests? I am looking and not seeing any at the stores I prefer. Binax (Fisher Scientiffic) has them online but they come in a pack of 25 for $369 and I doubt I'd use than many before they'd expire, I figure for my entire family maybe 2 each so 8 for a year... also I am assuming they would sell to me, they might not.

Why do you have leftover antibiotics?

Sometimes they don't work for a thing and another kind is ordered so I have extra that could put together a full dose.

So many countries in the world have antibiotics OTC, including some in Europe and it is used so often in animal husbandry in the US it seems absurd the US is taking a stance on this, it's big money after all.

 

[kdonnel]

I stop by a pharmacy in Mexico every couple years and buy some OTC antibiotics, keep enough on hand for my immediate family.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Sometimes they don't work for a thing and another kind is ordered so I have extra that could put together a full dose.

So many countries in the world have antibiotics OTC, including some in Europe and it is used so often in animal husbandry in the US it seems absurd the US is taking a stance on this, it's big money after all.

Yeah that's what I thought you were meaning. The general public is having more resistance to antibiotics because we overprescribe them and people don't follow the full regiment i.e. 10 days of it is prescribed they stop several days in when they are not advised to.

Sinus infections, as you mentioned, is one of the main ones where antibiotics are not generally advised and I myself have been prescribed that in the past but it's a case where we're often overprescribed that.

I have no idea why you're playing roulette with antibiotics. There is shelf life, there is not mixing different kinds, there's doing these things without the watchful eye of your doctor, etc.

Decades of these decisions means the public is at risk increasingly with being up against infections, bacteria, etc that are increasingly resistant to antibiotics.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I stop by a pharmacy in Mexico every couple years and buy some OTC antibiotics, keep enough on hand for my immediate family.

I watch Contraband: Seized at the Border a lot and it is quite common for Americans to go to Mexico for medications because they are cheaper. You're allowed a certain amount depending on the actual medication for personal use. The issue however is that a vast overwhelming majority of these meds are not the actual medication but faked. Not to mention there is a difference in laws around medication regulation.

In one recent episode a few months back a man went to Mexico to get what he thought was his anti-anxiety meds because he had run out and wasn't able to get more for a bit of time. He didn't declare it at the border and he was searched. Thank goodness he was as the agents tested the pills because they did not match what the bottle said it should be. Turns out it was pure fentanyl. That would have killed him should he have ingested it. It happens that the pharmacies down there create poor knock offs but also very real looking knock offs. That situation scared the heck out of that person and he vowed never to do that again. Just a word of caution. Fentanyl is increasingly common here in the U.S. to be mixed with stuff but you don't have the same risk as going to your CVS or Walgreens like you do going to a Mexican pharmacy that can contain various drugs that are not what you think they are.

 

[focusondisney]

Yeah that's what I thought you were meaning. The general public is having more resistance to antibiotics because we overprescribe them and people don't follow the full regiment i.e. 10 days of it is prescribed they stop several days in when they are not advised to.

Sinus infections, as you mentioned, is one of the main ones where antibiotics are not generally advised and I myself have been prescribed that in the past but it's a case where we're often overprescribed that.

I have no idea why you're playing roulette with antibiotics. There is shelf life, there is not mixing different kinds, there's doing these things without the watchful eye of your doctor, etc.

Decades of these decisions means the public is at risk increasingly with being up against infections, bacteria, etc that are increasingly resistant to antibiotics.

Exactly! In addition, it’s important to get the right antibiotic for the specific bacteria. Using the wrong antibiotic won’t help & leads to increased resistance. Antibiotics don’t work on viruses, most people can’t differentiate between a virus & a bacterial infection.

 

[kdonnel]

people don't follow the full regiment i.e. 10 days of it is prescribed they stop several days in when they are not advised to.

There is evidence that shorter courses of treatment is better. That the long regiments prescribed are a primary cause of resistance.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

There is evidence that shorter courses of treatment is better. That the long regiments prescribed are a primary cause of resistance.

The exact number I used wasn't the point of my comment, simply a number put in there. People would stop it because they started feeling better and assumed because of that they no longer needed to take more. Yes over the years we've become more targeted on prescribing but that goes into overprescribing, like assuming a certain amount of days was the golden rule of thumb. But if we're not clearing whatever we're taking antibiotics for out of our system it can negatively affect our system's response to future antibiotics. And if we're running to use antibiotics for much more than we should (even falsely thinking shorter timeframe of using a specific antibiotic doesn't matter) it also can negatively affect our system's response.

Basically...Take whatever number you want 5 days, 6 days 7 days, 4 days, etc.

 

[kdonnel]

The exact number I used wasn't the point of my comment, simply a number put in there. People would stop it because they started feeling better and assumed because of that they no longer needed to take more. Yes over the years we've become more targeted on prescribing but that goes into overprescribing, like assuming a certain amount of days was the golden rule of thumb. But if we're not clearing whatever we're taking antibiotics for out of our system it can negatively affect our system's response to future antibiotics. And if we're running to use antibiotics for much more than we should (even falsely thinking shorter timeframe of using a specific antibiotic doesn't matter) it also can negatively affect our system's response.

Basically...Take whatever number you want 5 days, 6 days 7 days, 4 days, etc.

I think you missed my point.

I am saying that doctors are contributing to resistance by prescribing antibiotics for a longer period than needed.

I am not at all talking about people stopping their treatment early, though by doing so they might actually be helping.

Duration of Antibiotic Therapy: Shorter Is Better​

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6736742/

An AI summary:

Key Findings​

Traditional durations lack solid evidence
The historical practice of prescribing antibiotics for 7–14 days is rooted more in tradition than in scientific evidence.

Clinical trials support shorter therapy
Many randomized controlled trials across various infections (like pneumonia, sinusitis, urinary infections, and skin infections) show that shorter courses are as effective as longer ones.

Pneumonia example
For community-acquired pneumonia, 3–5 days of antibiotics work as well as longer courses.

Reduced harm with shorter courses
Shorter antibiotic treatment:

• Decreases adverse effects (side effects and complications).
• Lowers the development of resistant bacteria, a major public health concern.

Overuse is still common
Despite evidence, many clinicians continue prescribing longer courses than necessary.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I think you missed my point.

I am saying that doctors are contributing to resistance by prescribing antibiotics for a longer period than needed.

I am not at all talking about people stopping their treatment early, though by doing so they might actually be helping.

Duration of Antibiotic Therapy: Shorter Is Better​

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6736742/

An AI summary:

Key Findings​

Traditional durations lack solid evidence
The historical practice of prescribing antibiotics for 7–14 days is rooted more in tradition than in scientific evidence.

Clinical trials support shorter therapy
Many randomized controlled trials across various infections (like pneumonia, sinusitis, urinary infections, and skin infections) show that shorter courses are as effective as longer ones.

Pneumonia example
For community-acquired pneumonia, 3–5 days of antibiotics work as well as longer courses.

Reduced harm with shorter courses
Shorter antibiotic treatment:

• Decreases adverse effects (side effects and complications).
• Lowers the development of resistant bacteria, a major public health concern.

Overuse is still common
Despite evidence, many clinicians continue prescribing longer courses than necessary.

I got your point. You took my usage of 10 days to mean something like an absolute and commented on that by saying "actually less..." when I didn't say anything about there being prescribed too long of a regiment. To say it again 10 was just a number used. If you're prescribed 3 days but you only took 1 or prescribed 5 days but stopped at 3. The medical understanding over time is that we don't necessarily have to prescribe X number of days as a more widespread general thing, that does not stop people from stopping early without the advice of their doctor.

You're still talking about the number of days. I further clarified already, again it's not about a specific exact timeframe. I think we're good now on this particular thing not trying to offend here.

 

[monsterkitty]

I stop by a pharmacy in Mexico every couple years and buy some OTC antibiotics, keep enough on hand for my immediate family.

Different antibiotics treat different bacterial infections. How would you know which antibiotic to take?

I had a co-worker who had strep. It was going around school, and she was one of the teachers who caught it. They called me out of my class because she was in the office complaining of chest pains. I knew she had had strep, and I knew that strep can cause heart damage such as rheumatic heart disease. She refused emergency medical care because how could she be having a heart attack at thirty-something years old. I made a deal with her that if the traveling school nurse said call 911 that's what I would do. She rolled her eyes and agreed to the deal. I called the traveling school nurse, told her the situation and she immediately said call 911.

The teacher not only had a heart attack caused by complications from strep, but she has had to have 3 heart valves replaced due to the damage.

After she returned to school a few months later she told me that she used antibiotics they'd gotten in Mexico. She thought the strep went away but it came back - twice. She finally went to her doctor and was given an antibiotic. She was feeling better but stopped taking it about a week before she complained of chest pain.

(The principal often called me out of my class for emergencies because I was an EMT at this time and going to paramedic school as well. We did not have an in-building nurse because of budget cuts.)

 

[lanejudy]

the virtual urgent care nurse practitioner wants me to waltz into a medical facility for a strep test... what? To me that is the dumbest suggestion I ever heard

I've never had strep throat diagnosed without a culture -- so honestly I would be leery of anyone diagnosing strep throat virtually. As for taking leftover antibiotics -- how do you know that is the correct product to treat the current infection? DD is prone to UTIs but the antibiotic prescribed depends on the type of bacteria and often differs each time. You may actually be contributing to the reason your body doesn't react well to meds if you are taking the wrong antibiotics or taking them unnecessarily.

I am saying that doctors are contributing to resistance by prescribing antibiotics for a longer period than needed.

Most antibiotics today are not a 10-day course. For several years now my family has only had 5-day or 7-day courses prescribed.

 

[kdonnel]

Different antibiotics treat different bacterial infections. How would you know which antibiotic to take?

Years ago I asked my doctor if I wanted to keep a broad spectrum antibiotic on hand for emergency purposes, primarily when traveling abroad, what should I get?

He prescribed a z-pack and I have since just replenished it myself when in Mexico.