Sick in a Bug Out. What do you do?

[moab]

I've got the flu. Since early this morning. I'm experiencing lethargy, nausea, stomach cramps, diarrhea, and generally feel like shit.

Which got me thinking. What would I do in a PAW if I had the flu or some other sickness? Cause I feel terrible right now. I'm sure if I started out on a bug out right now. I would be moving at a much slower pace than normal. And possibly making poor decisions. I can "suck it up". I have before in the military and other times in my life. Like speaking at your best friends funeral with a 102F fever. When whatever I was doing was just way more important than being sick.

But I'm sure this sickness would hinder me.

I was really really sick once. With a flu. But not a normal flu. I was seriously bad off. So I went to an all night urgent care. I could barely ride in the car with my wife. I was so sick.

I happen to live right next to LAX. And the Urgent Care was right at the airport. Right at the entrance to LAX. One of the largest centers for people coming into and out of the US with lord knows what teaming thru their systems. So this Urgent Care sees a lot. Probably more hardcore weird sicknesses than most ER's.

While I was there I got a shot. A really painful shot in my rear end. Which made be feel great (well maybe not great. But a hell of a lot better.) within about 15 minutes to a half hour later. It was like a miracle. And I could never remember what the shot was.

What was that shot? I thought maybe it was B12. But I have no idea if it's a mystery cure for the terrible flu I had. But it makes me wonder if there are certain drugs that would be worth taking with you or seeking out in a PAW. That have that kind of power to take you from a day full of slowly made poor decisions. Hunched over and moaning. Or if it's just a waste of time.

So does anybody think it was B12 I got? And is B12 a wonder drug that will sort out a lot of different ailments or at least give you a boost? Are there drugs like that? That can give you a boost of energy or at least take away some terrible symptoms like a flu?

[raptor]

Not a doctor, but just tonight getting a similar shot at a "quack in a shack". I can tell you mine was steroids and it made me feel much better.

I have had a cold now for about 12 days, nothing like your flu but still miserable. If I had to bug out I would say I am at 50% efficiency at best. I would likely find a close by place to crash until I could recover.

Still in a PAW health is critical to survival. There is a reason not too many people lived past 30 up until the last few hundred years.

In my life time I have had 2 simple things that would have killed me 100 years ago.

One was a kidney infection complete with 105 fever which was cured by a 4 day hospital stay, lots of iv fluids and antibiotics. The second one was in 2013. It was appendicitis. It was caught early (note: I have had a kidney stone but appendicitis hurts MORE!) and it was removed surgically and within 10 days all was great.

So where am I going with this?
Simple you get sick, hurt or incapacitated in a PAW your chance of survival goes down. The severity determines how much it declines but for instance with the 2 examples I gave, without proper medical care, death is a high probability. if not from the issue then from your inability to take care of yourself.

Even something like a kidney stone is going to knock you down and keep you down. If you are alone you could die of simple dehydration due to the inability to obtain water.

Stay healthy, keep your immunizations up to date, flu shot, tetanus, hep c and you may dodge a bullet in a PAW. That and make sure you have a team you can trust.

[teotwaki]

I would tack on that we should all keep up to date on our checkups for eyes, teeth, etc.

Seek out a family member or neighbor who is in health care and might be of help in a PAW.

Get some basic medical text books and read as much as possible. Take wilderness first aid and first responder courses. Learn about antibiotics and look into the mail order drug sources.

[Beowolf]

Not a big preventive, but I keep multivitamins, Advil (ibuprofen), Tylenol (acetaminophen), Benadryl (diphenhydramine), antacids (ranitidine), and Imodium in my bug out bag.

Small efforts, but those would potentially aid in somewhat addressing the issue.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[teotwaki]

http://www.thesurvivalistblog.net/fish- ... -settings/

Fish antibiotics in survival settings – what you should know.
October 25, 2013 By M.D. Creekmore

by Joe Alton, M.D. aka Dr. Bones of doomandbloom.net

Years ago, I wrote the original article on aquarium antibiotics as an option in a survival setting. Many of the questions that we field during our speaking engagements are related to the stockpiling of medicines. What fish medicines are equivalent to the human versions? What illness is each one used for? How much to take? Can children take them?

There isn’t a 60 second answer to these questions. Actually, there isn’t a 60 MINUTE answer to this, but anyone that is interested in preserving the health of their loved ones in a collapse will have to learn about and stockpile antibiotics.

FULL ARTICLE AT LINK

[majorhavoc]

And starting out with a decent level of physical conditioning (cardiovascular health and core body strength, as examples) also helps to - if not completely avoid, then at least mitigate - the effects of the flu, colds, cuts and other minor sicknesses and injuries.

If you're in decent physical health to begin with, it'll make it easier to get yourself out of immediate danger and to that a safe situation/location where you can then fully heal/recover. And hopefully quicker and more completely than if you had started at a lower general state of physical health.

[teotwaki]

The Survival Medicine Handbook: A Guide for When Help is Not on the Way

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/09888 ... ag=ccsb-20

The 2nd edition Survival Medicine Handbook(tm) is a guide for those who want to be medically prepared for any disaster where help is NOT on the way. This book is written by Joe Alton, M.D. and Amy Alton, A.R.N.P., the premiere Medical Preparedness Professionals from the top ten survival website http://www.doomandbloom.net. This book is available in print and kindle, and print book buyers can take advantage of Kindle's matchbook program to also buy the digital version for just $2.99 (normal retail $24.99). The expanded second edition of the 3 category Amazon bestseller (Survival Skills, Disaster Relief, Safety/First Aid) is geared to enable the non-medical professional to deal with all the likely issues they will encounter in catastrophic scenarios. The Survival Medicine Handbook (tm) is not your standard first aid book. It assumes that no hospital or doctor is available in the aftermath of a catastrophic event. This book will give you the tools to handle injuries and illness for when YOU might be the end of the line with regards to your family's medical well-being. In circumstances where medical personnel are overwhelmed and access to modern technology is limited or non-existent, The Survival Medicine Handbook(tm) is the essential reference book for every library. Written in plain English, you'll find step-by-step instructions on how to identify and treat over 100 different medical issues. The second edition also covers alternative remedies for almost every possible medical condition in situations where modern healthcare is inaccessible.

[ZombieGranny]

Hesperian Health Guides publishes 20 titles, spanning women’s health, children, disabilities, dentistry, health education, HIV, and environmental health. From this page, you can buy, download, or read health materials in English.
Among others, there are:
Where There Is No Doctor, Where There Is No Dentist, A Book for Midwives

http://hesperian.org/books-and-resources/

[SCBrian]

Hesperian Health Guides publishes 20 titles, spanning women’s health, children, disabilities, dentistry, health education, HIV, and environmental health. From this page, you can buy, download, or read health materials in English.
Among others, there are:
Where There Is No Doctor, Where There Is No Dentist, A Book for Midwives

http://hesperian.org/books-and-resources/

^^ I have both those (DR/Dentist)in paper and on a few electronic devices.

[Close_enough]

Not a big preventive, but I keep multivitamins, Advil (ibuprofen), Tylenol (acetaminophen), Benadryl (diphenhydramine), antacids (ranitidine), and Imodium in my bug out bag.

Small efforts, but those would potentially aid in somewhat addressing the issue.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

I've gotten sick on a couple of trips (motion sickness, flue, stomach bugs), and I've found that treating the symptoms often gave me the necessary relief to get home. There's nothing I can do about the underlying infection except wait it out.

NSAIDs tend to work well against body aches and fever
http://www.webmd.com/drug-medication/ot ... r-reducers

Pepto, Gas-X, Imodium, and Tums will take the edge off the worst of the stomach problems
http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorder ... ays?page=3

Chewable Dramamine - In addition to motion sickness, it's a fairly effective short lived sedative.

Mineral oil - I use it as a food safe honing oil, but it's also be effective against constipation. Yet to need it personally, but have seen it used against the constipation induced by the use of the heavy duty opioid painkillers (Vicodin, Percoset, etc.). If you're in recovery when the salad hits the fan, you will be on those painkillers, and will welcome relief from their side effects

Activated charcoal - First aid against poisoning. Yet to need it.
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-suppl ... es-risks#1

[VXMerlinXV]

My guess was the shot was Pen VK, a one shot, high dose antibiotic. No other injection really makes sense. Was it white/kept in the fridge?

[TwistedSense]

My guess was the shot was Pen VK, a one shot, high dose antibiotic. No other injection really makes sense. Was it white/kept in the fridge?

If he came to the clinic I work for it would have been either an antibiotic shot of rocephin or lincocin if not antibiotics a steroid shot of either kenalog, decadron or depo-medrol cocktail. That's what the NPs push here often.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[Stercutus]

I am thinking if you get sick in the ZPAW you probably have the Zeta virus and are going to turn soon. I'd like to help you but; you know...

If there is no ZPAW and you are just sick you won't be able to travel. If you are staying in then this is not much of a problem. Another reason to have a good support system.

[Asymetryczna]

H3. Hide. Heal. Hope.
The smart plan is to have greater things to hope for

[Zembecowicz]

In the past I was sick a lot (not really sure why, just seem healthier now). I was also working full time and going to college, so I had to glue myself back together in order to keep the ball rolling. I still keep a lot of medicine around because I'm stubborn and hate it when being sick keeps me from doing what I want to.

Don't be shy about taking NSAIDS. They'll get your fever down and take the edge off muscle aches and sinus headaches.

On the subject of sinus stuff, phenylephrine is completely useless as a decongestant. Real pseudoephedrine actually does work. The state I live in has made it a prescription-only drug to cut down on people making meth, so I made sure I keep some of it around the house. In the case that pseudoephedrine won't open your head up enough to let you breathe, decongestant nasal spray will more or less open your sinuses with a crowbar. The package says you can only use it for three days in a row or rebound congestion can occur.

For stomach stuff I found that dimenhydrinate works very well for just plain nausea. If you have an irritated/burning feeling in your stomach pepto seems to be better. I've also found that immodium works as advertised. With that said if you need it you also need to rehydrate. A lot of people say that sports drinks are the way to go if this happens, but I never noticed much difference between them and just plain water.

Generally speaking, a little bit of caffeine can make you feel a lot better if you're able to keep it down. Emphasis on the little bit part.

[doitnstyle1]

Let me, by all means necro this thread. I have been going on about 5 weeks now with a cold. Just your average run-of-the-mill cold. It started in the sinuses, I took some decongestants, and it dropped to my lungs.
I happen to have Albuterol the nebulizer on hand try and treat myself, and I still got worse. I waited a couple of weeks, and then when I couldn't handle it at home anymore and I was running a slight fever and went to the doctor. They gave me steroids, a z-pack at double dose, and more Albuterol.
Just as I thought I was getting better, I ended up getting a sinus infection. Which I had to try to resolve it still go to work. I had already lost a few days worth of work, and I couldn't afford to miss out anymore.
In my time off, I found that just simple cold remedies that treat the symptoms helped significantly. I thought about getting all the over-the-counter meds that I could and start stocking up.
This thing I have is tenacious to say the least. The weather warmed up color and I decided to go outside and get some nice sunshine, and then the pollen hit. My sinuses are swollen again and stuffed, and I'm afraid I may end up getting another sinus infection. I have been doing anything and everything I can to prevent that. Which includes nasal lavage is with a neti pot sinus decongestants, spray decongestants, lots of allergy meds, a lots of hot tea. I don't think I have any left with the abundant supply that I bought considering I've been sick for 5 weeks. Actually going on 6 weeks now.
I would probably recommend getting a foot locker and filling it up with routine cold symptom medication. It is probably in my own opinion almost as valuable as any of the antibiotics or other stuff that you can get to remain mission effective

[manacheck]

My sinuses are swollen again and stuffed, and I'm afraid I may end up getting another sinus infection. I have been doing anything and everything I can to prevent that. Which includes nasal lavage is with a neti pot sinus decongestants, spray decongestants, lots of allergy meds, a lots of hot tea. I don't think I have any left with the abundant supply that I bought considering I've been sick for 5 weeks. Actually going on 6 weeks now.

I approve necroing threads.

I don't guarantee anything, but I also have some issues with this stuff and have tried lots of oddball things to help it. While this might not immediately be something you think of, you could give oil pulling a shot. I've found it's helpful, once you can manage to keep your mouth closed long enough to tolerate doing it for a little. Sesame oil seems to work the best of oils I've used, probably because it starts off much thicker. Coconut oil works too.

Basically you stick about a teaspoon of oil in your mouth and swish it through your teeth for 10-15 minutes until the amalyse in your saliva breaks it down and makes it thin. Fat-soluable crud in your mouth, bacteria, and pollens, get pulled in/broken down into it. Duckduckgo it if you want to.

Another thing you might try is getting one of those awesome 3M half face masks and the pink circular filters that keep out small particles like perfumes. And sleep with it on. If your sickness is being caused/exacerbated by junk in the air, it might be that you need a break from breathing in the stuff that's causing the issues.

We can't think right when sick or sinuses or head are killing us. Resources go where they're deemed most important. It just stinks that sometimes our bodies aren't good leaders when it comes to deciding what you actually need and where and how.

[JeeperCreeper]

Just a friendly reminder to everyone (including myself) that antibiotics don't work on viruses.

So true Flu won't be helped by antibiotics (z-packs that everyone always asks for).

However, a cocktail shot of goodies can help if the diagnosis is not 100% certain. Like thinking it's the flu but it's something else and your doctor's like "here, I'm gonna pump you full of shit and see what happens"

[Stercutus]

I have had a cold trigger Pneumonia. It happens, especially if you ignore the cold and simply hope it goes away. My kids often got ear infections related to colds. Also quite normal.

[SCBrian]

Let me, by all means necro this thread. I have been going on about 5 weeks now with a cold. Just your average run-of-the-mill cold. It started in the sinuses, I took some decongestants, and it dropped to my lungs.

Sounds like the same stuff that worked it's way through my AO. Light cold that moves to lungs. I think I was only "Sick" for a day or 2, but the coughing lasted about 3 or 4 weeks. Wife had the same. From reports of other folks I know, this seems to last 3-8 weeks. Here's to hoping you are on the short end.