regarding medications

[1LtCAP 4,267]

 ok, here's an interesting one, that i don't think's been covered.

 

 suppose you have someone that you'd be responsible for, if the poop ever really did hit the rotating air moving device. said person is type2 diabetic. they don't need to shoot insulin, but they do need about 5 or 6 medications for the diabetes, and another issue. and i honestly think at least one med is to counter the side effects of one of the meds, but we don't need to go there.

 

 anyway, i can't legally get this persons prescriptions filled. they think i'm paranoid, and won't try to get a little ahead on them.

 

 so my questions:

how do i get this person ahead on their meds? all pills, so the storage i think should be easy.

if it's not easy storage, is there any way to preserve these stored meds?

 

 i don't/won't do anything illegal to get ahead on them....i just want this to be another step in being ready "just in case"

[JT Custom Guns 959]

Take said person to two / Three different doctors, and get scripts for meds

Take said scripts to three different pharmacy

half way through meds (say 45 tabs into 90) refill as needed

 

Rotate regularly.................

[Kaiser7 33]

Take said person to two / Three different doctors, and get scripts for meds

Take said scripts to three different pharmacy

half way through meds (say 45 tabs into 90) refill as needed

 

Rotate regularly.................

 

I'm a pharmacy tech, and I'm not sure what you want to do is legal. Then again, since it's diabetes medication and not a controlled substance, you might be able to, so long as the doctor writes the script. The real issue will be that insurance won't cover the medication, so you'd have to pay out of pocket. Most insurances pay for a specific period, and if you want medication outside of that period (And it's not a controlled medication), you can theoretically get it, you'd just have to pay the full cost.

 

The advice above isn't a good idea. Again, this likely isn't controlled medications (At least not CIV,CIII, or CII), however, that type of stuff can get you flagged, or at least get the prescription flagged, which may prevent them from filling it. And even if you rotate pharmacies, the insurance still won't cover it.

 

Best case would be to tell the doctor you want a bottle in case of emergencies or something. They MIGHT write you a script then, but odds are, from what I know, you'll be pretty screwed in a SHTF scenario. Even if you do get a reserve supply, medication has a shelf-life (if they need insulin, they're really screwed since it needs to be refrigerated), plus they're going to run out eventually.

[Recon Racoon 49]

I'm a pharmacy tech, and I'm not sure what you want to do is legal. Then again, since it's diabetes medication and not a controlled substance, you might be able to, so long as the doctor writes the script. The real issue will be that insurance won't cover the medication, so you'd have to pay out of pocket. Most insurances pay for a specific period, and if you want medication outside of that period (And it's not a controlled medication), you can theoretically get it, you'd just have to pay the full cost.

 

The advice above isn't a good idea. Again, this likely isn't controlled medications (At least not CIV,CIII, or CII), however, that type of stuff can get you flagged, or at least get the prescription flagged, which may prevent them from filling it. And even if you rotate pharmacies, the insurance still won't cover it.

 

Best case would be to tell the doctor you want a bottle in case of emergencies or something. They MIGHT write you a script then, but odds are, from what I know, you'll be pretty screwed in a SHTF scenario. Even if you do get a reserve supply, medication has a shelf-life (if they need insulin, they're really screwed since it needs to be refrigerated), plus they're going to run out eventually.

All of this. 

 

Just state your concerns to the prescribing physician, and state that you would like to try and get ahead in case funds aren't there one month and your insurance doesn't pick everything up on the bill. No need to lie, especially since its not a CDS.

[High Exposure 5,680]

I think the big problem is he is trying to fill Rx for someone that isn't him and doesn't feel the need to be that prepared. You need to convince the patient that this is a good idea before you do anything else.

 

Once that happens you can sometimes talk to the insurance company and explain what you want to do and why you want to do it. Sometimes they can be helpful, after all the CDC and the Surgeon General are all about emergency preparedness right now, especially in this are post-Sandy.

 

I think the best option is to use a mail in Rx service (eg: Medco) where you get 90 days of meds at a time. The new Rx usually comes in a week or two early. Save the overlapping meds. Then rotate them through. In a few months you will have a little backup supply.

 

In the meantime realize that we are all responsible for ourselves and as much as you want to help, you can't make the horse drink the damn water. Maintain you preparedness and continue to try and convince those around you why it is a good idea for them to be prepared as well.

[Zeke 5,504]

 

I think the best option is to use a mail in Rx service (eg: Medco) where you get 90 days of meds at a time. The new Rx usually comes in a week or two early. Save the overlapping meds. Then rotate them through. In a few months you will have a little backup supply.

 

 

This what I do for my asthma meds. And beg for samples every time you go to the dr.

[1LtCAP 4,267]

he nailed it. this person thinks i'mparanoid, and that there will never ever be a need for them to have anything ahead. they think i'm nuts, keeping water and food stocked ahead(not enough i might add, but better than nothing). they will not talk to any of their docs about this.

 

 i don't want to do anything illegal......although i've considered "re-appropriating" 2-3 pills of each of their meds per month, then labeling them. this person means a lot to me, and as long as they're with me if the poop hits, i'll be able to protect/care for them, and keep them going for a bit at least. the only other place this person may be.......they'd be among the first to go, as the person they'd be with is an obamazombie.

[Respect2A 0]

Well, if they don't want to take your advice and shtf then they might learn a tough lesson the hard way.

[1LtCAP 4,267]

it may come to that, but of course we all hope that shtf neverhappens too

[Zeke 5,504]

Wrong post

[1LtCAP 4,267]

Take said person to two / Three different doctors, and get scripts for meds

Take said scripts to three different pharmacy

half way through meds (say 45 tabs into 90) refill as needed

 

Rotate regularly.................

got a question on shelf life. i've heard conflicting answers. my understanding is that although a drug may be expired, it doesn't totally lose its ability to do its job, but rather that it isn't as potent as if it wasn't expired. is there truth to that?

[Newtonian 453]

 ok, here's an interesting one, that i don't think's been covered.

 

 suppose you have someone that you'd be responsible for, if the poop ever really did hit the rotating air moving device. said person is type2 diabetic. they don't need to shoot insulin, but they do need about 5 or 6 medications for the diabetes, and another issue. and i honestly think at least one med is to counter the side effects of one of the meds, but we don't need to go there.

 

 anyway, i can't legally get this persons prescriptions filled. they think i'm paranoid, and won't try to get a little ahead on them.

 

 so my questions:

how do i get this person ahead on their meds? all pills, so the storage i think should be easy.

if it's not easy storage, is there any way to preserve these stored meds?

 

 i don't/won't do anything illegal to get ahead on them....i just want this to be another step in being ready "just in case"

Sounds like type 2 diabetes. My suggestion is to find a doctor who knows something about nutrition and get off the meds or significantly reduce reliance on them before you are faced with a dire situation. Let's face it, anyone on five medicines is not going to last too long when things go haywire. Or we may be surprised to discover that they actually do much better. 

[DirtyDigz 1,812]

got a question on shelf life. i've heard conflicting answers. my understanding is that although a drug may be expired, it doesn't totally lose its ability to do its job, but rather that it isn't as potent as if it wasn't expired. is there truth to that?

 

Completely depends on the medicine.  Some get weaker, some become completely ineffective, some become harmful.

[djg0770 481]

I have heard that some just take their meds 6 days a week and "save" the 7th pill, but they get their refills as if they had taken that 7th pill (ie they put in for their refills at the 30 day mark, not when the bottle is empty).  It will take time but eventually you will be "ahead".  Using this in conjunction with a 90 day supply and you could potentially have a good stockpile.

 

I have thought about this with regards to antibiotics and such, quite a few of which are available on the "farm" side of things (ie without a script) that may be potentially useful for humans.

[Newtonian 453]

got a question on shelf life. i've heard conflicting answers. my understanding is that although a drug may be expired, it doesn't totally lose its ability to do its job, but rather that it isn't as potent as if it wasn't expired. is there truth to that?

I'm a chemist by training who has worked in or around the pharmaceutical industry for 30 years. 

 

Biologic drugs (e.g. insulin, antibodies) degrade rapidly at room temperature. I'd freeze them, unless there's no freezer. Chances are if you need these medicines you're a goner anyway.

 

The potency of pills, ointments, salves, etc. probably exceeds a decent multiple of their official shelf life. Keep them cool and dark and most will probably last 5-10 years. Same for vitamins and most supplements. By then the zombies will probably have found you and infected you with Ebola.

 

Minerals -- zinc, magnesium, potassium, etc. -- will last until the sun turns to a cold hard cinder, even if you store them in the hottest location in your home. The materials they bind it with may turn, but the minerals will never become anything other than what they were when they were first bottled. 

[mikka1 2]

I am NOT suggesting to do anything illegal here, but over years I noticed that some of the drugs that are considered to be Rx-only in Country A are sold OTC without any issues and pretty much without any limitations in Country B.

This clearly does not hold true for potent drugs that are usually sold as injectable solutions and normally used in a hospital that are pretty much Rx-only everywhere, but here are just some examples I personally ran into last years:

 

1) I've been using specific type of OTC nasal drops in Russia that suddenly got banned by Russian healthcare authorities. On my occasional trips to neighboring Lithuania I found exactly the same nasal drops sold everywhere OTC and even cheaper than in Russia.

2) Benadryl equivalents are STRICTLY prohibited in Russia due to counter-effects of this specific drug and its use as a component in shady .. mmm... chemical experiments. At the same time it is sold OTC in the US in pretty much any quantities you'd like to have it.

3) Epipen and other autoinjectors with Epinephrine (which is an essential life-saving tool for those having anaphylaxis in their medical history) are quite expensive in the US and Rx only. Epinephrine itself is also strictly controlled in Russia - I honestly tried to buy it in numerous pharmacies around the country with no luck. Surprise - in Canada it seems to be an OTC thing and costs much less than in the US...

4) Even the "most simple" antibiotics like doxy or amoxicillin are Rx in the US. In Russia and in several EU countries they are pretty much OTC and 10+ times less expensive than here.

 

Talking specifically about your situation, I guess one of the drugs of interest might be metformin or its equivalents. It is definitely OTC as one of my relatives in Russia uses it regularly and I used to buy it several times when in Russia.

 

So, I'm clearly not suggesting you to start actively shopping for medicine around the world, but just keep this in mind when and if you travel abroad...

 

P.S. I am not a healthcare professional and I am not a lawyer and/or LEO or customs official. Importing restricted drugs from abroad, even if it is perfectly legal in other jurisdictions, can potentially lead to unpleasant consequences.

[mipafox 438]

Sounds like the protein requirement of your survival rations just dropped about 45 pounds.

 

Make sure your smoker is large enough.

[CMJeepster 2,781]

By then the zombies will probably have found you and infected you with Ebola.

Won't happen in this country... Oh, wait...

[Kaiser7 33]

I have heard that some just take their meds 6 days a week and "save" the 7th pill, but they get their refills as if they had taken that 7th pill (ie they put in for their refills at the 30 day mark, not when the bottle is empty).  It will take time but eventually you will be "ahead".  Using this in conjunction with a 90 day supply and you could potentially have a good stockpile.

 

I have thought about this with regards to antibiotics and such, quite a few of which are available on the "farm" side of things (ie without a script) that may be potentially useful for humans.

 

Please, I beg you, don't do this with antibiotics. People taking antibiotics willy-nilly, and not taking them as long as they're prescribed are the reason we won't have antibiotics in 10 years. Bacteria are evolving to be immune to them. It's plausible that in 10 years there will be no such thing as routine surgery, as the possibility of infection will skyrocket.

[Recon Racoon 49]

Please, I beg you, don't do this with antibiotics. People taking antibiotics willy-nilly, and not taking them as long as they're prescribed are the reason we won't have antibiotics in 10 years. Bacteria are evolving to be immune to them. It's plausible that in 10 years there will be no such thing as routine surgery, as the possibility of infection will skyrocket.

We can also blame the pharmaceutical companies for stopping or slowing down research on new anti biotics. It's 50/50.

 

If the only thing you take out of this post, if you have a 7 day regiment of z-PAC take all 7 days. You're only hurting your self and ultimately everyone else by allowing the resistant strain to thrive.

[1LtCAP 4,267]

Sounds like type 2 diabetes. My suggestion is to find a doctor who knows something about nutrition and get off the meds or significantly reduce reliance on them before you are faced with a dire situation. Let's face it, anyone on five medicines is not going to last too long when things go haywire. Or we may be surprised to discover that they actually do much better. 

highlighted part.........sometimes, i strongly suspect this.

[Newtonian 453]

We can also blame the pharmaceutical companies for stopping or slowing down research on new anti biotics. It's 50/50.

 

If the only thing you take out of this post, if you have a 7 day regiment of z-PAC take all 7 days. You're only hurting your self and ultimately everyone else by allowing the resistant strain to thrive.

They are working on antibiotics. Problem is all the low-hanging fruit has been harvested. 

 

You can blame them though for over-promoting their antibiotics, particularly in animals, and for establishing guidelines based on profit and not science regarding human use. FDA as well. 

[1LtCAP 4,267]

i truly believe(possibly in error) that we're over medicating ourselves as a society. pills, or shots or creams, or liquid drugs for nearly everything. itg's crazy. me personally? i can't stand taking ANYthing, not even ibuprophen for a headache. and i don't, unless it gets to the point that it's unbearable. the funny thing is that i hardly ever get sick from anything. yet i know people that get sick at the drop of a hat.

[1LtCAP 4,267]

also.....thanks all for the ideas/advice!! it is VERY much appreciated!!

[njdave 0]

For the op. Iam a type 2 diabetic Iam hyperglycemic. In all honesty, I threw away the metformin. And I've never felt better. Excersie, watching what I eat, and staying away from soda. I still have a bad day now and then, but the difference is like night and day.