taking a med kit with you while traveling

[CCEMTP]

Ok, so I have a silly question that I can't figure out where else to put it. I'm a former paramedic now 2nd year med student. My wife and I are planning a trip to the dominican republic. I've never been outside the US before but from what I've read from the state department, the DR's healthcare system isn't really up to our standards (I don't know personally, thats just the vibe I got from reading the website).

I've been looking at the CDC travel advice and, among other things, they say to bring antibiotics for travelers diarrhea as well as a "suture/syringe" kit with a doctors note. I was surprised by this so now I'm wondering how many of you take medical supplies beyond a basic first aid kit with you when traveling? If so what do you bring?

Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[RuralEDDoc]

Travelling to Europe? Zofran and Ibuprofen only.
Travelling to third world? Depends on the location. Urban vs Rural, Big city with real hospitals vs small cities with clinics only, and so on.
I certainly would add Cipro and Doxy or Bactrim (Cipro for travelers diarrhea, Doxy or Bactrim for soft-tissue infections) if going again to an underdeveloped country. Instead of sutures, I would bring Dermabond.
Things like suture kits, Nitrile gloves or sterile gloves, syringes, etc, would all depend on the planned activities and location.

 

[JoBreeze]

Just go and have fun. Buy Cipro if you need it.

 

[deleted6669]

I go to Haiti every year and take doxy for malaria prophylaxis, some zofran and a very basic first aid kid with bandaids, an ace wrap, a few 18g needles, a few butterfly bandages, some imodium, tylenol, and pepcid, etc.
Dominican republic is fun. I was there in 2010 when we couldn't fly direct to Haiti the week after the earthquake. We flew into the DR and drove across the country to get into Haiti. Do check out the great street markets in the capitol. Lots of great paintings for less than 20 bucks. I have several on my walls now.

 

[e30ftw]

on surf/snow trips I take dermabond and some suture supplies if I'm checking bags.

got travelers diarrhea in Peru once in college and that sucked so when I go to Mexico next month think I might get some cipro/zofran beforehand.

 

[tkim]

Just came back from the US Virgin Islands, brought zofran and motrin, wife came down with GI bug with fever, and I was concerned enough that I wrote a Cipro script but couldn't fill it because all the pharmacies were closed @ 8pm on a Saturday. She got better in a day, but if the pharmacy had been open I would have pulled the trigger on the Cipro. The resort store had imodium and pepto for $1/pill ... Next time I go anywhere outside the "US", I'm going to bring imodium and pepto, and cipro and bactrim so I won't have to be at the mercy of the pharmacy or the price gouging resort store.

 

[CCEMTP]

Thanks for the advice! Looks like I'll be bringing some stuff with me. Last thing we want is diarrhea on the beach.

 

[EMIM2011]

Just came back from the US Virgin Islands, brought zofran and motrin, wife came down with GI bug with fever, and I was concerned enough that I wrote a Cipro script but couldn't fill it because all the pharmacies were closed @ 8pm on a Saturday. She got better in a day, but if the pharmacy had been open I would have pulled the trigger on the Cipro. The resort store had imodium and pepto for $1/pill ... Next time I go anywhere outside the "US", I'm going to bring imodium and pepto, and cipro and bactrim so I won't have to be at the mercy of the pharmacy or the price gouging resort store.

Somewhat off topic, but can you even prescribe outside the state you are licensed in?

 

[Raryn]

Somewhat off topic, but can you even prescribe outside the state you are licensed in?

At the discretion of the pharmacist. It's not a problem at the big chains usually, no idea about local ones.

I suppose it might be an issue with controlled substances, but it's the same DEA everywhere, so I'm not sure.

 

[dchristismi]

Sutures are probably overkill. Zofran is the best. I carry some in my purse all the time. Something about Dad turning green on Mission Space at Epcot once... and really, really wished I'd had some.

 

[tkim]

Somewhat off topic, but can you even prescribe outside the state you are licensed in?

I've called in scripts for people over the phone, out of state, without a problem. Usually all you need to provide is pt info, your name, NPI, and a callback number, and it's done. They can certainly call you back if they want, but so long as it's not a 'pound of mofine', I've never had a problem.

I've never called in a script for controlled stuff. Doubt I ever will, as most of the time they require a paper rx to be presented.

 

[tkim]

Sutures are probably overkill. Zofran is the best. I carry some in my purse all the time. Something about Dad turning green on Mission Space at Epcot once... and really, really wished I'd had some.

In our travel backpack, the med box has gotten pretty big:

motrin, tylenol - adult and kid
zofran ODT
Singulair adult and chewables
benadryl
sudafed - the real stuff
zantac
albuterol MDI with spacer
flonase

tweezers
dermabond
various bandages
some bioocclusives
coban
ace wraps
aluminum splint

because of our recent jaunt in the Virgin Islands I'm going to get some cipro, bactrim, pepto and imodium to throw in there as well. considering phenergan for nausea/vertigo

 

[deuist]

For my deployment to the Middle East I brought eye drops, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, aspirin, meclizine, ondansetron, reglan, phenergan, imodium, omeprazole, zantac, tums, viscous lidocaine, benadryl, prednisone, amoxicillin, cipro, bactrim, doxycycline, a cephalosporin, azithromycin, and sudafed. Granted, I only ended up using only some of the items, but I felt good having my own pharmacy. I also put together a first aid kit with band-aids, ace wraps, needles and alcohol wipes (for tiny abscesses). I had never considered taking albuterol. Does anyone in your family have asthma---or was it a precaution?

 

[CCEMTP]

That's some good ideas, thanks! I've heard a lot of good stuff about the things you can do with dermabond and some steristrips and in all honesty, I can't hardly see why I would use sutures if I had some of that stuff available, especially considering I'd be working on myself or my own family and not in a hospital. I'd much rather just dab some glue on something til we can get back stateside than try and sew them.

Now that I realize bringing some stuff isn't nuts I've been thinking about what would be nice to have. Definitely a full complement of OTC's, plus zofran and phenergan since we have it. Also, gonna get the abx as well just in case. I haven't seen anyone mention corticosteroids yet? I was thinking it would be great to have some IM dexamethasone in case one of us comes down with a URI on day 2 of our trip. I think that'd be one of the few times you'd really want to go for the steroid rather than wait it out.

Also, @deuist what would you use viscous lidocaine for outside the hospital? I'm just curious. I've only used it for inserting NPA's and I'm wondering if I'm missing some slick technique or something.

 

[deuist]

Also, @deuist what would you use viscous lidocaine for outside the hospital? I'm just curious. I've only used it for inserting NPA's and I'm wondering if I'm missing some slick technique or something.

I use it for acid reflux. It works within seconds and is a lot more effective than Tums. It is also great for sore throats and in the post-emesis patient.

 

[CCEMTP]

wow, would never have thought of it for that. Thanks!

 

[deuist]

Just don't use it more than once in a day. I don't send patients home with it because of the potential to cause methemoglobinemia.

 

[tkim]

For my deployment to the Middle East I brought eye drops, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, aspirin, meclizine, ondansetron, reglan, phenergan, imodium, omeprazole, zantac, tums, viscous lidocaine, benadryl, prednisone, amoxicillin, cipro, bactrim, doxycycline, a cephalosporin, azithromycin, and sudafed. Granted, I only ended up using only some of the items, but I felt good having my own pharmacy. I also put together a first aid kit with band-aids, ace wraps, needles and alcohol wipes (for tiny abscesses). I had never considered taking albuterol. Does anyone in your family have asthma---or was it a precaution?

One of my kids has 'reactive airway dz', so we pack an extra MDI in the bag. I've also put together the poor man's epi pen - vial of 1:1000 epi, 1 cc syringe, IM needle, alcohol swab - all in an empty EpiPen (TM) container.

I also used to carry a bottle of tetracaine, but now just a bottle of 1% plain lido. same same.