Disclaimer
Nothing herein is intended as legal or medical advice. I am neither a lawyer nor a doctor and I am definitely not your doctor or lawyer. Every medicine can cause harm if misused. Medical professionals undertake years of training in diagnosis and treatment for a reason and whenever possible, you should use their knowledge and skills in preference to Dr. Google.
None of the drugs that I have in my kit are on the DEA schedule although several of them do require a prescription to obtain. To the best of my knowledge, it is not a violation of the law to possess these drugs but a pharmacist is prohibited from dispensing them without a valid prescription.
OTC Medicines
Oral
Tylenol / Acetaminophen – Pain reliever and fever reducer with no profile of bleeding side-effects. Does not affect clotting. Chronic use with alcohol or acute overdose can cause liver failure. Many combination drugs, including prescription painkillers contain this medicine so it is relatively easy to accidentally take too much. My personal daily limit is 3g and I won’t take it for more than 3 or 4 days in a month.
Ibuprofen – Pain reliever, anti-inflammation (NSAID), fever reducer with a moderate profile of bleeding side-effects1.
Aspirin – Pain reliever, anti-inflammation (NSAID), fever reducer, with a high profile of bleeding side-effects. Used in cases of heart attack. One must be careful to not give Aspirin in the case of a stroke. Risk of a rare but deadly side-effect if given to children, I only use aspirin sparingly and only for adults. Avoid taking aspirin if other drugs are available, the risk of bleeding issues is very high and the inhibition of clotting can last for weeks after discontinuation.
Pepto Bismol / Bismuth Subsalicylate – Indigestion, upset stomach, diarrhea, and other uses. Chemically related to Aspirin, anyone with aspirin allergies or who is already taking aspirin should avoid. Also avoid giving to children due to a rare but deadly side-effect. Follow dosing recommendations and do not exceed daily dosing.
Imodium / Loperamide – A medication used to slow down the digestive system to reduce the symptoms of diarrhea. This is an opioid medication but it is not well absorbed into the system and only affects the digestive system. In some cases, this medication can cause major side-effects and if fever or abdominal pain are present after administration that is likely a medical emergency.
Benadryl / Diphenhydramine – First generation antihistamine, with myriad uses. Primarily used to treat acute seasonal allergies and anaphylactic reactions. Can be used to assist in sleeping but can cause dependence. Also can be used to treat nausea, especially motion sickness.
Zyrtec / Allegra – Second generation antihistamine. Useful for seasonal allergies. Does not cause sleepiness.
Pepcid – Acid reducer, used to lower acid levels in the stomach.
Nexium – Acid reducer, used to treat acid reflux and stomach ulcers.
Magnesium Citrate – Osmotic laxative.
Activated Charcoal – Used in emergencies to treat poison ingestion.
Topical
Saline Wound Wash – Useful for irrigating and debriding wounds. Flush wound with this to remove debris and blood, use proper blood hygienic techniques to prevent spreading of infection. Tweezers and a brush may be needed for serious wounds and embedded debris removal.
Chlorhexidine Gluconate – Useful for preventing infection. Typically found as a pre-surgical scrub, it can be used to clean the area around a wound. Not recommended to put directly on a wound. Can dry out skin and cause irritation to the skin and eyes.
Povidone Iodine – Useful for preventing infection similar to Chlorhexidine Gluconate, although it is thought to be somewhat less effective.
Bacitracin Zinc / Polysporin – Topical antibiotic ointment used to protect and prevent infection of open wounds. Much less likely to cause allergic reactions than neosporin.
Vaseline – Skin protectant and wound cover. When applied to gauze, it provides an air-tight wound dressing to help prevent infection of oozing wounds.
Hydrocortisone – Topical steroid. Used to treat skin irritation and itching. Excessive use can cause rebound.
Voltaren – Topical NSAID, used for muscle pain relief. Same side-effect profile as all NSAIDs but thought to be much less frequent due to it not being well absorbed.
Tolnaftate – Topical anti-fungal. Used to treat skin conditions caused by fungus.
Eye
Saline eye drops – Used to clean the eye
Ketotifen – Anti-histamine for the eye. Used to reduce eye itching and irritation.
Eye Lubricating drops – Used to reduce eye irritation due to dry eyes and to help debris leave the eye. Make sure that the drops contain only Polyethylene Glycol and Propylene Glycol. Many drops on the market contain other ingredients that can further irritation of the eye.
Other
Monistat / Tioconazole – Used to treat vaginal yeast infections.
Prescription Medicines
Oral
Augmentin / Amoxicillin Clavulanate – is an antibiotic with a broad spectrum of activity against gram-positive microorganism. The version with Clavulanate is preferred to ordinary Amoxicillin despite the increased cost because many organisms are resistant to Amoxicillin but not the combination.
Cephalosporins – These are a class of antibiotics that have a similar mechanism of action to Augmentin and should not generally be used as the first line treatment of infections. There are several generations which each treat different types of organisms.
- The first generation cephalosporins (e.g. cephalexin) have the broadest spectrum against gram-positive organisms but do not generally work on gram-negative organisms.
- The third generation cephalosporins (e.g. cefdinir, ceftriaxone) have a broad spectrum of activity against gram-negative organisms but have a reduced spectrum against gram-positive organisms.
Doxycycline – Derived from tetracycline, this antibiotic has a very broad spectrum of activity. It treats bacteria, both gram-negative and gram-positive, as well as some parasites (notably malaria). Many of the nastiest diseases and biological warfare agents like Plague, Q Fever, Tularemia, Lyme Disease, and Typhus, are treated with doxycycline. Doxycycline is so useful that the US government maintains a stockpile for use in the event of biological warfare. It should not be given to children other than in an emergency because it can stain the teeth. It also should not be used past its expiration date other than in the event of biological warfare.
Macrolides – Azithromycin is the drug that most people are familiar with from this class of antibiotic but Clarithromycin is another important drug. These antibiotics have a broad spectrum of activity but at typical dosages are bacteriostatic. Clarithromycin is notable for its utility in treating H. Pylori infections in some treatment protocols.
Ciprofloxacin – Is a quinolone antibiotic that has a very broad spectrum of activity. It should not be the first or second drug used to treat an infection, unless the infection is very serious. It is used to treat gastrointestinal infections, urinary tract infections, and skin infections, among other uses. The quinolones have a pretty rough side-effect profile. They can impact the musculoskeletal development of children and should never be given to kids. In adults, they can cause tendons to rupture and other joint issues. They can cause or exacerbate heart problems e.g. Q-T prolongation. They also can cause drug-resistant C. Diff infections. Nearly all of these side-effects are worse with a longer course of treatment and higher dosage.
Levofloxacin – Is a quinolone antibiotic that has a very broad spectrum of activity. It should not be the first or second drug used to treat an infection, unless the infection is very serious. It is used to treat pneumonia as well as infections of the respiratory tract. The quinolones have a pretty rough side-effect profile. They can impact the musculoskeletal development of children and should never be given to kids. In adults, they can cause tendons to rupture and other joint issues. They can cause or exacerbate heart problems e.g. Q-T prolongation. They also can cause drug-resistant C. Diff infections. Nearly all of these side-effects are worse with a longer course of treatment and higher dosage.
Metronidazole – Metronidazole treats both bacterial and protozoan based infections. The most common use is in treating C. Diff, but it is also used to treat giardiasis and amebiasis. Other common uses include treating pelvic inflammatory disease and endocarditis.
Nitrofurantoin – Antibiotic used to treat bladder infections and urinary tract infections, as well as provide prophylaxis for urinary tract infections. Rarely, it can cause lung issues and liver issues.
Bactrim – A “sulfa drug”, this is an antibiotic that is used to treat a few specific illnesses and also as a prophylactic against bacterial infections in immunocompromised people. It is used to treat MRSA skin infections, some urinary tract infections, and traveler’s diarrhea as well as cholera. As a sulfa drug, many people are allergic to it and may have an anaphylactic reaction after taking it.
Atarax – An antihistamine that has a few more uses than diphenhydramine but with a low risk of serious side-effects. In addition to treating allergic reactions, it can also be used to reduce anxiety and motion sickness. The side-effects of chronic use include tardive dyskinesia.
Metaxalone – A muscle relaxant which treats moderate musculoskeletal pain.
Prednisone – An oral steroid that is used to directly treat many chronic conditions as well as assist in the treatment of acute inflammation. The side effects include necrosis and elevated blood sugar.
Meloxicam – An NSAID drug that is more effective at treating some types of pain with a reduced chance of bleeding.
Valacyclovir – An antiviral medication that is used to treat several viral disorders. Useful for treating shingles recurrences.
Narcan – A drug used to “reverse” an opioid overdose. Depending on how which opioid was taken and how much, several doses may be required.
Topical
Mupirocin – A topical antibiotic that is used to prevent and treat skin infections.
Kenalog – A strong topical steroid that is used to treat skin irritation. Can cause rebound if overused.
Eye
Tobradex drops – A combination of tobramycin and dexamethasone used to treat bacterial eye infections.
Ofloxcillin drops – An antibiotic used to treat bacterial eye infections.
Dexamethasone drops – A steroid used to treat inflammation of the eye.
Tobramycin drops – An antibiotic used to treat bacterial eye infections.
Azithromycin drops – An antibiotic used to treat bacterial eye infections.
Other
Albuterol Inhaler – A rapid acting bronchodilator used to treat acute asthma attacks.
Epi-Pen – An autoinjector used to treat anaphylactic allergic reactions.
Appendix
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
The class of medications referred to as NSAIDs or Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are commonly used pain relieving drugs. In general, NSAIDs have been used relatively safely for many decades, although there are known side effects and not all NSAIDs are equal when it comes to these.
The primary mechanism of action of the NSAIDs is to inhibit Cyclooxygenase which is related to the body’s inflammatory and pain responses. These enzymes also control blood clotting and affect the lining of the stomach. This aspect of these drugs is responsible for the varied side-effect profile of the various family members. In general, the risks associated with NSAIDs are, excessive uncontrolled bleeding, stomach bleeding, stomach ulcer, increased risk of stroke, increased risk of heart attack, kidney disease, pregnancy issues.