Un-necessary prescriptions

[Jayboflavin04]

Has anyone ever asked their docotor for (First Aid/Last aid) prescripton itmes for their thru-hike that were not necessary for everyday health. Like narcotic painkillers for a severe sprain or fracture, or a prednazone z-pack for a severe case of poison ivy, or an epi-pen if someone had an unknown adverse effect to bee stings what ever, snake anti-venom, or even for sterile stitches for that matter.

[Marta]

I certainly didn't. My pill collection consisted of Advil and Benadryl, with glucosamine for daily ingestion.

But I certainly do run into hikers carrying little pharmacies with them.

[hoz]

I have an epi pen. But it is so old now I'm not sure I'd use it.

I also carry some oxycodone in case of emergencies. Again, it's at least 10 years old!

[Jayboflavin04]

I was kinda thinking that this practice would be un-ethical for a doctor.

[Rockhound]

unnecessary prescriptions. That is either an oxymoron, a law being broken or both. Unnecessary describes over 1/2 the prescriptions out there today. If someone is allergic to bees they should carry what they need to treat it. Aside from that some Ibuprofin (spell check) or Advil. Amazes me how quick to judge some walking pharmacies are to judge if they see someone drinking or smoking something other than tobacco, yet they and hundreds of thousands like them are destroying their livers and kidneys every day because of the blind faith they put in the medical/pharmasutical industries. It's become a business that IMHO is not that much different than crackheads slinging rock down on the corner. They get you hooked on something you don't need and keep you coming back for more.

[shoe]

I carry prednisone. It works in the case of my asmtha getting bad and also if I mamage to get a nasty case of poison ivy.
But that's it.

[hopefulhiker]

I did and was glad too. I asked the doctor for a prescription for some anti biotics which I ended up using when a blister became infected...

[Hooch]

Has anyone ever asked their doctor for (First Aid/Last aid) prescripton items....... Like narcotic painkillers.......

Plenty of people carry crap like this, but it's unnecessary. All you need is ibuprofen or another NSAID of your choice.

....... prednazone z-pack.......

Benadryl, diphenhydramine in its generic form, will usually take care of this. If it's really that bad as to need prednisone, town isn't that far away in most cases.

.......epi-pen.......

I think you'll be hard pressed to find a doctor who'll give you a prescrition that you might, maybe, possibly, may remotely need for someone else.

.......snake anti-venom.......

Anti-venom isn't the kind of thing that's dispensed in the local CVS, Rite-aid, etc pharmacy to be given to people for use in untrained hands.

.......sterile stitches.......

You're trained in suturing? If you don't know how to use it, then stay away from it. Again, not the kind of thing that's going to be dispensed into the hands of people who aren't trained in using it.

[Rockhound]

I did and was glad too. I asked the doctor for a prescription for some anti biotics which I ended up using when a blister became infected...

Not saying you did not need them at the time but taking better care of your feet before hand could have prevented that infection. viruses and bacteria are becoming more and more resistant to antibiotics because of their overuse.

[Hooch]

I did and was glad too. I asked the doctor for a prescription for some anti biotics which I ended up using when a blister became infected...

Pre-prescribing antibiotics is just plain bad practice if you ask me and should be discouraged. The mass overprescribing of antibiotics is one main cause of many antibiotic resistant organsms like MRSA, VRE, etc. That said, if a doctor prescribes someone antibiotics in advance, there is no telling what organism that the person is infected with and if that organism will be susceptible to the antibiotic that was prescribed to begin with. Also, bear in mind that antibiotics only work on bacteria. So, if a person has a fungal or viral infection, etc, then an anitbiotic won't work on that at all. Again, as I said in my last post, town isn't that far away in most cases.

[hopefulhiker]

I ended up going into the ER at Harriman, NY.... for another similar infection.. The visit cost 600 dollars plus another 100 for the prescription. Having the presciption the other time was convenient and saved a lot of money..
At first I carried the epi pen too but soon dropped that.... it weighs 8 oz...

[Jayboflavin04]

I was throwing some examples out there hooch. I understand that you cannot get anti-venom at CVS or rite-aid. I am not one to run to the doctor if I have deep cut. I have had extremely deep cuts that I have not gone to the doctor for. Alot of times stiches just are for cosmectic reasons (butterfly bandages work great).


Hypothetical situation(kinda like hitting the lottery)
Lets just say your hiking with a friend that has never had a allergic reaction to bee stings. Sits down on a log to take a dump and gets stung 150 times. He/she swells up like a balloon...* have that epi-pen! That is a major medical emergency!!!! Town is that far away!!! Unless you give an emergency Trachiotomy!!!! Which I am not versed in either!!! Things like this happen all the time when not in the backcountry.

And by the way!!! I am not planning on going to my doctor and asking for this stuff. Except for maybe some Tylenol with codine or something similar.

[Rockhound]

I ended up going into the ER at Harriman, NY.... for another similar infection.. The visit cost 600 dollars plus another 100 for the prescription. Having the presciption the other time was convenient and saved a lot of money..
At first I carried the epi pen too but soon dropped that.... it weighs 8 oz...

I might need some prescription codeine some day. Maybe I should just see an unethical doctor and get that taken care of now. It was wrong what your doctor did. Overuse of antibiotics is a far more serious problem than you might think and prescribing them when they are not needed only contributes to that problem. They are becoming less and less effective every year because of such practices.

[Hooch]

........Lets just say your hiking with a friend that has never had a allergic reaction to bee stings. Sits down on a log to take a dump and gets stung 150 times. He/she swells up like a balloon...* have that epi-pen!..........

Then get the epi-pen for goodness sake.

........That is a major medical emergency!!!!

Really? I wouldn't have known. Thanks for sharing.

[hoz]

I am a canoeist and have led several long distance trips through the Canadian wilderness, 100s of miles from help.

On these types of trips I try to have the most extensive first aid kit I can put together.

On one such trip some of my crew showed up with a bag that had been put together by their physician. It had so much stuff the doc had written an instruction booklet!

On the AT I think one consideration is how far do you travel to the nearest road or how long must you wait for help?

If you intend to do advanced procedures you should take a first responder wilderness course. Then approach your physician with your trip plan. Odds are, if you can show competency, he will prescribe what he thinks you will need.

[Jaybird]

Has anyone ever asked their docotor for (First Aid/Last aid) prescripton itmes for their thru-hike that were not necessary for everyday health. Like narcotic painkillers for a severe sprain or fracture, or a prednazone z-pack for a severe case of poison ivy, or an epi-pen if someone had an unknown adverse effect to bee stings what ever, snake anti-venom, or even for sterile stitches for that matter.

A simple FIRST AID kit...will do!
leave eveything else @ home...Good Luck w/ yer hike.


See ya'll out there in May.(w/ "Jigsaw". "Model-T" & "DAKS")
Harpers Ferry to Swatara Gap...NOBO.

[Jayboflavin04]

I am a firm believer that anti-biotics are over prescribed also! I dont use anti-bacterial chemical cleansers in my house, and dont run to the doctor at the sign of the sniffles. I have to be bed barffin seriously ill for a couple days before i visit a doctor. I have not taken an anti-biotic for years! I rarely get sick.

[hopefulhiker]

I might need some prescription codeine some day. Maybe I should just see an unethical doctor and get that taken care of now. It was wrong what your doctor did. Overuse of antibiotics is a far more serious problem than you might think and prescribing them when they are not needed only contributes to that problem. They are becoming less and less effective every year because of such practices.

There is nothing unethical about it.. In fact the health department in some cases advise it, like Malaria pills when going to Costa Rica.. I took four antibiotic pills for a six month trip....and when I did take them I had the advise of a doctor up in Vermont.. He said they were fine and prescribed me a few more. Most people to get the occasional blister when they they thru hike the AT.. and a few of them can get infected...

[Hooch]

I am a firm believer that anti-biotics are over prescribed also! I dont use anti-bacterial chemical cleansers in my house, and dont run to the doctor at the sign of the sniffles. I have to be bed barffin seriously ill for a couple days before i visit a doctor. I have not taken an anti-biotic for years! I rarely get sick.

Then why would you ask your doctor for a prescrition for a narcotic pain medication if you acutally don't need it? No doctor who values his license to practice would fulfill such a request.

[Jayboflavin04]

I am a canoeist and have led several long distance trips through the Canadian wilderness, 100s of miles from help.

On these types of trips I try to have the most extensive first aid kit I can put together.

On one such trip some of my crew showed up with a bag that had been put together by their physician. It had so much stuff the doc had written an instruction booklet!

On the AT I think one consideration is how far do you travel to the nearest road or how long must you wait for help?

If you intend to do advanced procedures you should take a first responder wilderness course. Then approach your physician with your trip plan. Odds are, if you can show competency, he will prescribe what he thinks you will need.

That is the stuff I wanted to know. Hoz do you know where to take a Wilderness First Responders course? I was just wondering if anyone carried any prescriptions that were not needed daily (ie. bloodpressure ect). Mostly the narcotics like vicodine.

I wasnt intending to start an argument Hooch, and dont want to squabble over what I consider to be a serious question! So if we cant be nice I will have to zap ya with my battery operated defibulator out on the trail!