WildBill’s DIY Medical Bag

do-it-yourself-medical-kit

“WildBill” left a comment to another article here on Modern Survival Blog that I decided to re-post here. I thought his thought process and do-it-yourself effort to be a good example of thinking for yourself, and in this example putting together your own medical kit.

Here’s what he had to say…

 
Bug Out has been a thing on a lot of folks minds. If TSHTF, then we are in trouble. My medical kit is extensive only because if TSHTF we will not have a Walmart to go to.

I went to the dollar store and bought up things like whips, bandages, super glue, ointments, medicines for common things, glucose gum, energy drink (only natural herbs and 100% of all daily requirements) every thing that might have some use.

THEN I went to a drug store and pilled up on things that the dollar store didn’t have.

My medical “bag” is actually a new fishing box with lots of spaces. It fits inside a backpack.

My bag can cover sinus to stitches but I want to put in a staple gun if I have to fix myself it is easier.

[Ken adds: Look into acquiring sutures and learning how to make basic stitches. People can practice on store-bought chicken pieces – look for YouTube videos and search on the subject.]

I know this may be wrong but I bought some Hydro’s from a friend. You get hurt and in pain I got you covered.

[Ken adds: IMO this is not wrong, and pain management could be a very big deal in a serious event. Also, a combination of over the counter Ibuprofen (Advil) and Acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be very effective.]

The thing to remember is your First Aid Kit should hold 4 people for at least 2 months.

[Ken adds: …or whatever suits your particular needs. Kits may be put together for varying purposes, each with their own requirements.]

Think outside the box when making up your kit. I have rubber bands, popsicle sticks, bungee cord, gray tape, super glue, eye wash, flash light head lamp type that has three lens colors, razors, a small amount of para cord to use for splints, hydration packs, insta cold packs, fire starter etc..

[Ken adds: “The sky is the limit” when it comes to thinking outside the box. It’s better to have more than you may ever need than not enough. Check lists from others who’ve put together medical kits.]
A First Aid Kit should include…

Sound like my kit is over kill? I’m still adding to this kit and will most likely have two before it is over.

One of the biggest things I can’t stress enough in making a kit is SOAP!!! You cannot touch a person if your hands are bloodied from skinning out a deer. I keep Dial Anti Bacteria bar soap plus a small bottle of liquid plus a small bottle of alcohol based hand wash for AFTER washing. The least infection on the field could be life threatening and someone with dirty hands will only add to the infection.

Sanitation is key to survival and medical situations. You MUST bathe, brush your teeth, and keep hygiene at the top of the list. Soap is more important than just washing the smell off you. You cannot perform say a stitch up job on someone with dirty hands. Wash hands with water THEN use the antiseptic hand wash, then put on gloves.

I don’t want an old sock to be put on my wound. A CHEAP solution is Maxi Pads, Tampons, Sponges. They don’t take up a lot of room but the hold a lot of blood and the Tampons can be used to plug holes.

[Ken adds: Very Important! Yes, seemingly harmless infections WILL kill you. Without antibiotics, you must remain clean and be very aware of any open cut and what it comes in contact with…]

Think outside the box and make your first aid kit full of common things that you use every day. If you have ulcers or gas problems, sinus, urinary, whatever. These will not stop when you hit the woods.

Be ready, you might have a 50lb bag of nothing but med supplies but when you hit the woods it will be ALL YOU GOT!

[Ken adds: Hopefully it’s not ‘all you got’, but WildBill is on the right track… there is no right or wrong medical kit as having something is better than nothing. Don’t forget First Aid. You may think you’ll never need a medical kit, but when you do, you’ll be glad you have one.]

31 Comments

  1. I never thought about the soap in the medical kit, but it makes perfect sense. Doctors won’t treat someone without first washing their hands and wearing gloves. What good would it do you to survive the injury only to die of an infection.

  2. When TSHTF that’s the *most* likely scenario; you’ll survive the wound, only to be killed by an infection later. This is how it was many moons ago before modern medicine, knowledge and antibiotics. However you do it, get some antibiotics for your medical kits and know how and when to use them.

  3. The only problem with antibiotics is shelf life and the problem of taking them after there municipal properties are gone. You can get herbal medicine that naturally has antibiotic properties and there shelf life is far more than a few months, the only problem with them is the dosage and strength of dosage. It may not be the greatest medicine but the alternative may be worse than having taken bad meds.

  4. For once I have something to share beyond political views or firearms views…as nobody on here knows, I have Lyme disease and I found that natural treatments helped better than prescriptions. The best natural medicines to have for antimicrobial/antibacterial, pain, general wellbeing purposes are:

    ANTIBIOTICS:
    – Silver Biotics colloidal silver (20ppm or higher)
    – East Park De-Lenolate (specific brand of olive leaf extract, only buy this one. It has the highest dose of the active ingredient)
    – Carnivora (again, name brand but good stuff)
    – Grapefruit Seed Extract
    – Turmeric
    – Luaracidin
    -CMC Sodium Chloride + high dose of Vitamin C

    PAIN:
    Now for pain, it would be risky getting any narcotic that is not prescribed to you and personally I am against the idea, but to each his own. So, if you want a legal opiate painkiller, I recommend Kratom. It’s a mild narcotic that binds to the opiate receptors and relieves pain. It can be addictive so don’t take it for recreational purposes but its good to keep around for emergencies. It’s a plant that grows in Thailand and really the only place you can buy it is online, but shop around and check out reviews first because there’s a lot of different types. Personally, I think it’s best to get the most potent seeing as how I hope I never have to use it but if I do, I want something that I know works.

    GENERAL:
    – Vitamin C – make sure it doesn’t have a lot of fillers, do your research. I’ve found that vitamin C only works for me in high dosages, approx. 3000mg per day.
    -Cranberry extract – great for urinary tract infections, prostate infections and acid reflux
    -Papaya Extract or Papaya Seeds – great for intestinal parasites
    -Aloe Vera – Awesome for acid reflux, ulcers, and general stomach issues
    -Plantation Blackstrap Molasses – great for low white blood cell count, low iron, heart health (I love this stuff)
    -Lime Juice – great for cleaning liver, kidneys, gallbladder, etc.

    If anyone has any questions on any of this stuff, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’ve used all of it for one reason or another, but primarily because it works better than prescription meds. I recommend having at least one bottle of each of these supplements in case of an emergency, you will thank me later.

    1. Well, I wonder if Imodium might be of use in pain. It is a narcotic.
      Google Imodium Narcotic.

      Have used it on occasion for diarrhea. However, by accident came across an article
      Which said it is a narcotic. When I thought about this, it does seem to make sense. Narcotics are
      Well known for causing constipation (stopping diarrhea)…and Imodium does stop it quickly….Have never seen it recommended for pain
      But I do know that when I took it (and it has been a few years), I felt pretty good. At the time thought it was just the stomach relief, maybe not.
      Also, I talked to someone who was travelling in Vietnam, with a tour group. She was telling me how they had given her Imodium for stomach upset, and it was “MUCH better than what was available OTC in Canada…..She said it was twice as strong, and in addition to stopping the diarrhea, took care of headache, and more. At that I did suspect there indeed may be some narcotic effect.

      So, maybe it would help (in an emergency) with pain?

      1. @ Wondering: I’ve heard the rumors that Imodium contains a small amount of narcotics but its not enough to cross the blood/brain barrier and so it doesn’t contain enough to help with pain. I also think that if you tried to take too much of it, you’d probably get so blocked up that you’d wind up in the emergency room. I’d stick with the Kratom for emergency pain relief.

      2. I don’t know about pain but I have some in my medical bag. If you get constipated “which will most likely happen due to food difference and water” you will be glad to have it.

    2. You can go to a Health Food Store and ask what does what or you can go to Puritan.com and look at the healing properties, then buy. Glad to know your thinking outside the box. I only have the over the counter pain medication because if someone say breaks a leg you have to do something about the pain. If PAIN is untreated the person can go into a type of shock where your brain receptors shut down causing them to pass out and a person passed out from pain can receive serious receptor damage. It is only for emergencies, life threatening pain.

  5. Don’t forget to look for alternative medical supplies from veterinarian supply stores.

    The fish antibiotics are a great alternative if you find yourself in a situation where you actually need an antibiotic, but can’t afford following the usual path (or don’t want to), with doctors, prescriptions, etc.

    The fish antibiotics do work. They are the real deal.
    FISH-MOX (amoxicillin 250mg)
    FISH_MOX FORTE (amoxicillin 500mg)
    FISH-CILLIN (ampicillin 250mg)
    FISH-FLEX Keflex 250mg)
    FISH-FLEX FORTE (Keflex 500mg)
    FISH-ZOLE (metronidazole 250mg)
    FISH-PEN (penicillin 250mg)
    FISH-PEN FORTE (penicillin 500mg)
    FISH-CYCLINE (tetracycline 250mg)

    1. I personally have used dog antibiotics myself and my wife also. It is small doses but it goes by weight so just times it up. I really don’t like to take a lot of antibiotics. Your immunity suffers. The more you take the less your body will try and fight the problem and your body will not send out “fighters” and you will not build up an immunity. Granted of you get an infection then use it. But if you just want to “boost” your immune system your not, your actually hurting your own bodies defenses.

    2. Exactly! Infection of any kind can eventually kill you, it’s called Gang green and the smallest amount will spread quickly. Keeping the broken skin free of any infection takes medication, washing the infected area is very seldom enough.

  6. Kevin

    Have seen suggestions previously of fish antibiotics. Wondering what you suggest the cost should be? (U.S. or Canada). Here in Canada, had a look at the pet store, and they were really expensive, for twelve, i think it was about thirty dollers..can’t recal for sure, but was surprised. Thought I had read other suggest them as reasonable. Bottles of two or three hundred. Could not find that here (Canada)

    any suggestions?

    1. california pet supply is where I buy mine they are cheap. Also having things like urine dip sticks, a glucometer, blood pressure cuff, stethoscope, and a microscope can be useful for diagnosing. (medical background or extensive research needed). I say this to say the following. Many people want to treat a virus with antibiotics. You need to make sure that it is truly an infection before you waste your meds. A microscope, some gram stain and the knowledge of what bacteria look like can make a huge difference in treatment. Get a lab book form a local college book store. It will have normal values and such. A simple urine dip stick can aid in diagnosing everything from a urinary tract infection to kidney failure to diabetes.

      My medical preps are in the form of 2- 4ft tall 30 inch wide plastic dressers that are packed full plus 40 boxes of surgical gloves for everything from a simple wound,diagnostic, child birth, to minor surgery. But after almost 20 years as a RN and being certified in everykind of advanced life support/trauma and years of experience in the ER and ICU. I have the knowledge to back up my preps.

      Knowledge is your number one prep!!! If you do not know how to use them properly then they are no good to you.

      1. Great point! Folks if you are planning on Bugging Out to your retreat try to have at least one member of your crew that a Dr. or nurse. Most people cannot “administer proper first aid”‘ This can be a bad as not having a Dr. If for say you don’t use a pressure bandage correctly or a splint for a compound fracture you could do more harm than good. I agree get a First Aid Book. Read trough it. PRACTICE putting splints on folks or pretend they have been cut and dress them. It is like changing a car tire after you done it, it becomes second nature and FAST RESPONSE to any medical problem is critical. But don’t stop there teach your children over 12yrs of age how to do minor things then progress TOGETHER as a group. Sounds like you have a game plan together. I would only say to you to take your medical supplies and put them in a water proof container like a bid cooler and not in a dresser. If you HAVE to leave your home NOW you can toss the cooler in your car and get to your Bug Out Shelter.

  7. I bought a 100 count 250mg bottle of Amoxicillian on ebay for $25.. Check there.

  8. Be careful buying any kind of over the counter meds online. Me personal I wouldn’t trust it. Most meds have a very short shelf life so a good thing to do is go herbal. But remember that research is key and KNOWING what you have and how to use it is paramount.

  9. [Ken adds: IMO this is not wrong, and pain management could be a very big deal in a serious event. Also, a combination of over the counter Ibuprofen (Advil) and Acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be very effective.]

    how do you dose this in combination?

    1. First (legal), Abide by the recommendations on the pill bottle itself.

      Second (legal), Do your own due-diligence to discover what’s right for you given your own health situation, limitations, doctors recommendation, etc.

      Third (opinion), For a healthy adult, 2 x 200mg ibuprofen plus 1 x 325mg Acetaminophen seems to be an effective general pain relief dose with over-the-counter medication.

      1. Ken agree with your two “legal” statements, now with that said:
        ibuprofen 800mg every 8 hours or 600mg every 6 hours and do NOT take more than 4grams of acetaminophen a day (4000mg in a 24 hour period) Never take more than 1000mg at one time. Kidney or liver damage CAN occur.

        That is the prescriptive guidelines NEVER, NEVER, NEVER exceed it!!!!

        That information is for those of you that think if some is good then more is better. Tylenol (acetaminophen) is one of the most dangerous OTC drugs there are!

        1. Thanks for providing the limits, Christine ;)
          Your background in the medical community is helpful!

        2. No problem Ken. almost 20 years as a RN and over 10 years in ER and ICU helps. I have been comfortable with sutures etc for years, even minor surgery on my animals.
          Also a note for those suturing that can get their hands on Lidocaine. Never, never, never use Lidocaine with Epi on fingers, toes, nose or ears. It will cause vasoconstriction (tightening of veins) and when it does it can cause necrosis (death) of said digit. If you are suturing a scalp or arm and so on, laceration then you use with epi in order to control the bleeding while you are closing.

          Legal Note: This information is ONLY for a SHTF situation when you can not get physician care!

        3. Thank you for the compliment… I just try to pass on my experiences so that others can benefit from them….

  10. When I broke my ankle the only thing that helped was Morphine. If you would of handed me a aspirin and say “live through it” there would be a problem ! Most people doesn’t realize the IMPORTANCE of pain killers. If your in SEVERE PAIN you will go into shock. Your brain can only take so much pain and it will shut down. That is NOT good. You can damage receptors in your brain and cause irreversible damage. Now buying said medications may not be legal and owning them either but push come to shove I would rather HAVE THEM AND NOT NEED THEM,THAN NOT HAVE THEM AND NEED THEM.I carry aspirin ,Motrin , even PMS pills they are ok if you scape you knee but not enough if you BREAK that knee. Its your call folks.

  11. wondering if you all thnk salt or epsom salts or baking soda are important for a kit, too?

    I grew up with/ still use/salt soaks/salt washes/salt for nasal/salt for tooth cleaning/salt for mouth sores/etc.

    Just wondering if I am just “old habit”, or if others too find it useful? From old habit, any potential infection would receive a salt soak. Do you think salt should be in kit, or am I “not with the times”?

    1. If you use it now, take extra with you. That goes for any meds you currently take. Yes Epson Salts is a luxury item but it also contains healing properties. I put this under herbal. Nice choice

  12. Another option for pain is to buy and store seeds for Opium poducing poppies. Their botanical label is Papaver somniferum. They are legal to order and possess. I don’t recommend attempting to produce opium unless we are in a total collapse of society. It is when people attempt to produce opium that they get into trouble. It’s just another layer to your preps.

    1. Opium based products can be very addictive thus why I carry a lot of herbal medications. As far as growing “poppy” I do believe that is going to be hard as the seeds themselves are illegal. But if you found a loophole to get them I say yes have plants. I think you can chew the leaves to relieve pain. This subject is an iffy one.

  13. I tried posting again and you blocked my comment again. The post did not violate any of your posting rules and had good information for people. Last time to read this blog or try to participate in it.

    1. Frankly, I have no idea what you are talking about… I’ve not removed any comment with the name “Cody”. We do receive approximately 1,000 or more spam comments per day, most of which are caught with automatic filters. Perhaps what you are trying to post is being blocked for some reason. Send me an email with your comment and I’ll have a look, and add it to the comment string here if appropriate…

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