Medicine Chest

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Sea Life

I would spend the money on a safety at sea or back country medical class before I spent it elsewhere. Learn about how closing a dirty wound will kill faster then someone bleeding for days with a packed wound changing dressings etc.

Also super glue closes skin better then stiches or staples, with less scaring. Again...don’t ask

+1. No point in having all that gear if you dont know how to use it. One or two wilderness medicine references aboard is good to have too.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Sea Life

Ann, good advice. I forgot to mention we went to a travel doctor and got shots for Hepatitis A & B, dengue, yellow fever, etc. etc. (can’t remember all)most were good for a few years. Something for the OP to look into, if being cautious.

To my knowledge, there is no vaccine for dengue...unless one has come out recently?

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by InTheDish

...

This year in the Bahamas is the start of what I hope to be a circumnavigation. I know about closing dirty wounds, I think my fellow MENSA members would put my I.Q at least in the high double digits.

...

Responding to an emergency is more about experience than IQ.

[StuM]

> I think my fellow MENSA members would put my I.Q at least in the high double digits.

How does someone with below average IQ get into MENSA?

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

To my knowledge, there is no vaccine for dengue...unless one has come out recently?

. The Philippines has ordered French drugmaker Sanofi to stop the sale, distribution and marketing of its Dengvaxia dengue vaccine in the country after the company last week warned it could worsen the disease in some cases.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-s...-idUSKBN1DZ06A

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Sawbonz

...
As to sewing, stapling, debriding and whatnot...I wouldn't do it. If you are a physician and I missed it, ignore that line. We will likely have those supplies when we go, but I have done a fair bit of these procedures and my wife is a surgeon. Look for us and we will be glad to help if we can!

As to expired antibiotics, I still take some that I got in residency in the 90's...use this tidbit as you wish!

Agree, proper suturing is a high skill set. Clean it up and close it if necessary. Many wounds heal better and less prone to infection if left open anyway. A doc friend of mine once said "we put stiches in for parents". 😆

I had a pharmacist guest aboard once who had the same opinion about expired meds...most just reduce their potency...better than nothing. Only one she mentioned actually aged into something harmful (forget what it was).

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Paul L

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-s...-idUSKBN1DZ06A

Great...meds that make it worse!

Common dengue wont kill you anyway...though you may wish it would. Potentially fatal hemoragic dengue is fortunately rare in most places (something like 1% of cases here in Central America).

If you do contract a tropical disease, get it treated locally where the docs have experience with it. I know of several poor outcomes with people who went back to the States...including nearly killing a young girl with a simple bot fly infestation.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Vasco

We've always used ammonia for jelly fish, usually Portuguese man o wars. In a pinch pee will do. When my daughter was three she picked one up once, thinking it was a balloon. She's forty now and still remembers.

We keep a little spray bottle of amonia aboard for that...potent stuff.

I have a few marine stings well etched into my memory too!

[belizesailor]

Speaking of open wounds. Sugar/honey can be used to pack wounds and are amazingly effective.

I was skeptical of this until I tried it on a dog with a deep machete cut. Healed rapidly, no infection, no scaring. I cant even find the wound site now.

http://drstephenbirchard.blogspot.co...sweet.html?m=1

[InTheDish]

Originally Posted by StuM

> I think my fellow MENSA members would put my I.Q at least in the high double digits.

How does someone with below average IQ get into MENSA?

Perhaps a joke? I will ask a smart person.

[Snore]

If you are assuming your off the shelf medical kit will work for wound care- don’t.

For deliveries or anything more than a day sail I carry a blue dry bag. In the bag are 6- 3x3 gauze packs, 30 bandaids of different sizes, surgical tape, stretchy over tape you can place over a dressing, neosporin, skin glue and some smaller gauze packs. There is also an assortment of NASIDs, Rx anti-biotic for wounds, an OTC sea sickness supplement and some ginger hard candy. I also carry some quick clot, to stop bleeding in a deep wound. It burns like hell, but is effective.

To avoid a debate on wound care, I will simply say that if you are not familiar with how to treat a wound, speak to some ER doctors or paramedics. Whatever your plan it should KISS and not require more than soap, water and a good kit.

[Fuegomar]

“The superior doctor prevents sickness; The mediocre doctor attends to impending sickness; The inferior doctor treats actual sickness;”

Prevention is fundamental its the best health insurance.

Don't underestimate the body's internal abilities and that food is medicine....
Nutrient dense foods, protein fats complex carbs trace elements and minerals.

Two otc meds on board with lots of uses ... Diphenhydramine hcl and 4% chlorhexidine gluconate. Take a red cross first aid course. After looking back to 40 yrs of sailing and instructing anything beyond this pull the epirb pin and get help if possible.

I'm a MD with 20+ years in family medicine and surgical trauma care in remote and city settings and live and work on the Florida coast. My Achilles heel at sea is motion sickeness. I have become an expert at heaving to and heaving astern at the very same time.

[Meanderthal]

Originally Posted by Fuegomar

I have become an expert at heaving to and heaving astern at the very same time.

Ahahahah!