How you overcome disease when advanture faraway
- Thread starter ellasmoth
- Start date
Having spent 4 years living in west Africa, where ebola is sadly, all I can as is ciproflax works wonders. It will not cure you but it will put you on your feet enough to get to a real doc. Be warned though that after a few days the cold will usually come back with a vengeance if you don't get it taken care of by a doc.
Steve
Steve
IMHO, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. You could discuss this with your Doc & see if he would give you a prescription-ONLY to be used if you meet certain symptoms. Using a water purifier, NOT an ordinary water filter, can make all the difference. Preparing & cooking your own food can also make all the difference as well. I had 2 friends that back packed in Mexico. They were too cheap to buy a $100 water purifier. They both got sick from the water. They were out of work for a month as a result.
Examples;
http://www.cascadedesigns.com/msr/water/treatment/sweetwater-purifier-system/product
This is the portable, hand held, purifier i was talking about. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
http://www.berkeyfilters.com/berkey-water-filters/
This is the one that is often used after natural disasters by the Red Cross & FEMA type help organizations.
http://www.berkeyfilters.com/berkey-answers/performance/filter-v-purifier/
This is why you want a purifier, NOT a water filter.
Also, educate yourself on the area you are going to visit. Some countries have horrible things in the water to watch out for.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterborne_diseases#Parasitic_infections
Have a comprehensive first aid kit & know how to use it. Customize it to the area you will be going to.
An ounce of prevention, is worth a pound of cure.
Examples;
http://www.cascadedesigns.com/msr/water/treatment/sweetwater-purifier-system/product
This is the portable, hand held, purifier i was talking about. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
http://www.berkeyfilters.com/berkey-water-filters/
This is the one that is often used after natural disasters by the Red Cross & FEMA type help organizations.
http://www.berkeyfilters.com/berkey-answers/performance/filter-v-purifier/
This is why you want a purifier, NOT a water filter.
Also, educate yourself on the area you are going to visit. Some countries have horrible things in the water to watch out for.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterborne_diseases#Parasitic_infections
Have a comprehensive first aid kit & know how to use it. Customize it to the area you will be going to.
An ounce of prevention, is worth a pound of cure.
robert
Expedition Leader
Depends on what the problem is. A cold or fever generally isn't a deal breaker- most colds are viral so antibiotics won't help, some acetaminophen/paracetamol will help with fever and stay hydrated. For basic stomach bugs, stay hydrated and try to let it run it's course for 24hrs if possible- your body is trying to clear itself of something. Some Pepto or similar will help slow it down and help with the cramping/pain.
Cipro is good for somethings but can have some nasty side effects, especially in kids. There are more useful antibiotics for the common traveler's problems. I'll let a doctor weigh in.
This probably should be moved to the medicine forum for more replies.
Cipro is good for somethings but can have some nasty side effects, especially in kids. There are more useful antibiotics for the common traveler's problems. I'll let a doctor weigh in.
This probably should be moved to the medicine forum for more replies.
foxhunter
Adventurer
All good advice above. Ciprofloxan is not indicated for children under 18. contaminated water and mosquitos are the enemy, so purifying the water as discussed above, getting all recommended vaccines for the areas you plan to visit( your local health dept usually gives these and know what you need), using mosquito nets, mosquito sprays and taking malaria prophylaxis if indicated is important. get your annual flu vaccine and pneumonia vaccine if due. Keep your 10 year Tetanus vaccine up to date and get the one with Diptheria and pertussis in it (TDAP)
Fever below 101.5 is usually viral and not serious and antibiotics usually won't help. Fever above 102 deg F may be bacterial or parasite, and above 105 can be fatal. If I were in the middle of nowhere and had a high fever, I would start cipro or any other antibiotic I had. Travelers' diarrhea will respond to cipro, most other causes of diarrhea won't.
If you are diabetic your immune system is compromised and you will be more susceptible to disease and have a harder time fighting it off. cipro and peptobismol tablets should be in your medicine kit along with acetaminophen . Fever is just your body's way of trying to kill the infection and is not dangerous by itself unless it hits 105. The acetaminophen to lower your temperature is mostly for comfort and to prevent dehydration as a fever makes your body metabolize and use water much faster. Make sure you have taken any medicine in your kit in the past, to make sure you are not allergic or have bad side effects to it. Also, one can become allergic to an antibiotic anytime, so keeping an antihistamine( Benadryl, zyrtec) handy is always good. They also help with effects of reactions to insect stings and plants like poison ivy
M. Smith MD, family physician
Fever below 101.5 is usually viral and not serious and antibiotics usually won't help. Fever above 102 deg F may be bacterial or parasite, and above 105 can be fatal. If I were in the middle of nowhere and had a high fever, I would start cipro or any other antibiotic I had. Travelers' diarrhea will respond to cipro, most other causes of diarrhea won't.
If you are diabetic your immune system is compromised and you will be more susceptible to disease and have a harder time fighting it off. cipro and peptobismol tablets should be in your medicine kit along with acetaminophen . Fever is just your body's way of trying to kill the infection and is not dangerous by itself unless it hits 105. The acetaminophen to lower your temperature is mostly for comfort and to prevent dehydration as a fever makes your body metabolize and use water much faster. Make sure you have taken any medicine in your kit in the past, to make sure you are not allergic or have bad side effects to it. Also, one can become allergic to an antibiotic anytime, so keeping an antihistamine( Benadryl, zyrtec) handy is always good. They also help with effects of reactions to insect stings and plants like poison ivy
M. Smith MD, family physician
Great info here - thanks doc!
Twinstick is so right about prevention being the first thought. Seems to me that means prioritizing defense against mosquitoes and water.
I travel with Cipro and Lomotil but try to avoid the Lomotil, if its not too bad. I figure if something wants out, let it out!
I lost a week in Mexico due to the water, I was being careful but I just slipped up once - you have to be vigilant.
I lost about 2 weeks with pain and bad fever in Ecuador, and felt not good for another 2 weeks after ONE afternoon in the rainforest wearing shorts instead of my treated mosquito pants (Ex-officio Insect Shield gear). Caught Dengue fever and was totally wrecked. Just took paracetemol and got through it. When I got to a doctor he said I was clear, no damage to my organs and that at least I was now immune to 1 of 4 types of Dengue! It used to be called "bone break fever" due to the lovely effects....I hate wearing long sleeves and pants in the rainforest heat but I just force myself to do it anyway.
I'm using this kind of water filter now:
http://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-Produc...-3&keywords=.1+micron+sawyer+water+filter+bag
Super simple gravity feed, really lightweight and packable, 1 million gal capacity since you flush the filter after use. Derived from the Kidney dialysis technology, 0.1 micron, and many "9s" of effectiveness! These guys have it too with a bit more info: http://www.tsuga.us/hydration/
TC
Twinstick is so right about prevention being the first thought. Seems to me that means prioritizing defense against mosquitoes and water.
I travel with Cipro and Lomotil but try to avoid the Lomotil, if its not too bad. I figure if something wants out, let it out!
I lost a week in Mexico due to the water, I was being careful but I just slipped up once - you have to be vigilant.
I lost about 2 weeks with pain and bad fever in Ecuador, and felt not good for another 2 weeks after ONE afternoon in the rainforest wearing shorts instead of my treated mosquito pants (Ex-officio Insect Shield gear). Caught Dengue fever and was totally wrecked. Just took paracetemol and got through it. When I got to a doctor he said I was clear, no damage to my organs and that at least I was now immune to 1 of 4 types of Dengue! It used to be called "bone break fever" due to the lovely effects....I hate wearing long sleeves and pants in the rainforest heat but I just force myself to do it anyway.
I'm using this kind of water filter now:
http://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-Produc...-3&keywords=.1+micron+sawyer+water+filter+bag
Super simple gravity feed, really lightweight and packable, 1 million gal capacity since you flush the filter after use. Derived from the Kidney dialysis technology, 0.1 micron, and many "9s" of effectiveness! These guys have it too with a bit more info: http://www.tsuga.us/hydration/
TC
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calicamper
Expedition Leader
Good stuff for sure.
All our over seas travels and even at sea travels - prevention and awareness prior to the trip is worth a whole lot in simply avoiding issues to start with. Being in good health to start with!!! Having a good dental health status prior to the trip! Having all the vacinations before the trip is a big step also. Avoiding the typical sources for the bad stuff as much as possible bad water, bugs etc. Keeping clean and knowing where your food came from all seem to be big ways to avoid any issues.
All our over seas travels and even at sea travels - prevention and awareness prior to the trip is worth a whole lot in simply avoiding issues to start with. Being in good health to start with!!! Having a good dental health status prior to the trip! Having all the vacinations before the trip is a big step also. Avoiding the typical sources for the bad stuff as much as possible bad water, bugs etc. Keeping clean and knowing where your food came from all seem to be big ways to avoid any issues.
rayra
Expedition Leader
Get inoculated for the common diseases in the area you'll be traveling in for starters. See your physician about an emergency course of antibiotics to take with you. Get some good basic medical knowledge and carry the means to help fight common cold and fever issues. Palliative over the counter medications. And find out the pharmacy restrictions if any in the area you are traveling in, many places you can buy far stronger meds in the country you are traveling in than you can at home.