Vital Medications You Should Be Stockpiling

When supply chains become broken, those that rely on crucial medications could be in big trouble. Stockpiling vital medications should be an integral part of preparing your home for a disaster. You may have enough of your prescription medications to last you for a month in most cases. But what happens after that if you don’t have access to a pharmacist?

It’s not only prescription medications that you should focus on. If there is a critical emergency, your family will need to rely on more over-the-counter medications than what you currently have in your medicine cabinet. Whether you need to stock up on CBD oil from Joy Organics or make sure that you have a supply of low-dose aspirin, now is the time to get started. Let’s take a closer look at a few vital medications that you should start stockpiling now.

Tips for Buying Vital Medications

When building your stockpile of medications, availability and cost will be the two most important factors. People that don’t have prescription insurance coverage may find it expensive to buy some medications.

In most cases, you can request prescription medications from your doctor. If you explain that you are only looking for a short-term supply for your first aid kit, your doctor may be okay with giving you the prescription. For prescriptions for narcotics like pain relievers, many doctors are hesitant to write an order unless they are absolutely necessary. Opioids are powerful painkillers that can be useful in an emergency. However, they have an extremely high rate of addiction and are hard to come by through traditional means.

If you are looking for prescription painkillers, you may have to search online. Some overseas online pharmacies will fill an order for narcotics without a prescription. It’s important to be very wary of the products that you receive when ordering online. Always inspect your shipment for the proper identification and labeling.

To save money on your medications, get to know the generic names better. Asking your pharmacy for the off-brand versions of your needed medications can save you up to 90% on your costs.

You should do some research on other natural alternatives to hard-to-get prescription medications. Often there are natural supplements that can be as effective as traditional medications. For example, many people now turn to CBD products to deal with their chronic pain instead of relying on opioids.

Cold and Flu Medication

A cold and the flu are different illnesses, but share many of the same symptoms that can be treated. It’s important that you have the right medications to help with congestion, fever, and body aches. Over-the-counter medications like NyQuil and Robutussen are essential medications to have in your stockpile.

Tylenol, Advil, or Aspirin are effective in fighting a fever and relieving body aches and headaches associated with a cold or flu.

When taking cold and flu medications, pay close attention to the ingredients. Many compounds like Nyquil or Robitussin contain several medicines that you don’t want to overlap.

Allergy Medication

Your family members may be allergic to more than grass and pollen, so it’s important to have the right allergy medications on hand. For environmental allergies, brands like Allegra are great for itchy eyes and nasal congestion. In an emergency like an earthquake or hurricane, people who normally aren’t bothered by allergies may start to suffer from symptoms from the air being kicked up around them.

For allergic reactions like rashes and hives, you should have Benadryl on hand. You may want to have some antihistamine creams in your emergency supply for topical rashes. Keep a bottle of Calamine lotion on hand for any outbreaks of Poison Ivy.

Pain Medications

Stock your supply with enough pain relievers to last you for a while. Over-the-counter medications like Tylenol, Advil, Aleve, and Aspirin are essential. Dealing with pain can be difficult when you don’t have the right medications. In some cases, natural alternatives like CBD products can be very effective against pain that is due to inflammation.

Prescription pain relievers may be harder to get from your doctor. Opioids can be very addictive, and most doctors are very careful about writing prescriptions. You may not have much success in trying to get narcotics from your doctor.

Gastrointestinal Medication

No one wants to deal with heartburn or diarrhea in an emergency. Ensure that you stock your supply with the proper medications to deal with gastrointestinal issues like Tums, and Zantac.

Chronic heartburn or indigestion can create serious issues if not treated. In an emergency, your regular diet may be interrupted in an emergency, causing your gastrointestinal system to revolt. You can develop a bleeding ulcer which can be extremely painful without the right medications.

Antibiotics

A supply of antibiotics could be critical in a long-term emergency. Even the most minor injury or cut can become infected if not properly treated. You can request a prescription from your doctor or order online. Before ordering any antibiotics you need to know which types are safe for your family and if anyone has an allergy. Allergic reactions to antibiotics can be deadly. Talk to your family about their resistance to antibiotics before building your supply.

Your best choice for any emergency situation is to find antibiotics that are broad-spectrum like Cephalexin, erythromycin, Septra, or Keflex. If you can gather a supply of these main antibiotic families of medications you will be covered for most infections. Some of the infections that you could encounter include upper and lower respiratory, skin, bladder, gastrointestinal, and parasitic.

While human antibiotics may be hard to come by, it’s not unusual to use animal antibiotics as a replacement. When using veterinary medications, make sure they pay close attention to the dosage.

Skin Medications

In an emergency, small cuts, scrapes, and bruises are common. It’s essential that you have a basic first aid kit with the right supplies and medications on hand. For burns, you need to include a pack of medicated burn pads that can help to soothe burnt skin and prevent infection.

Add a high-level SPF sunscreen to your first aid kit. You may not have the advantage of sheltering indoors, leaving you open to the hot sun. Too much sun exposure can cause serious skin burns and sunstroke.

For cuts and scrapes, your kit should include antibacterial cream or gel. Clean all wounds with alcohol wipes and use antibacterial bandages to seal up the wounds. Your first aid kit should have a supply of bandages, medical tape, alcohol wipes, a pair of scissors, tweezers, and latex gloves.

Psychiatric Medications

Nearly 60 million Americans currently take at least one psychiatric medication. These medications range from anxiety control to behavioral receptors. In an emergency, you may not have access to your regular medications once your current prescription runs out. For those that have serious psychiatric illnesses like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or personality disorders, running out of their meds can have serious consequences.

Many prescription mental health drugs can have serious withdrawal properties. This means that users will have an incredibly difficult time including manic episodes and psychotic breaks if they stop their medications suddenly.

There are some over-the-counter medications and supplements like CBD products, L-Theanine, and Ashwagandha that may be able to treat symptoms of depression and anxiety that should be added to your stockpile.

Diabetic Medications

If you or someone in your family suffers from diabetes, it’s critical to stockpile as many supplies as possible. Talk to your doctor about getting an oversupply prescription for your insulin and injection supplies. Insulin and other diabetic medications need to be kept at a cool temperature or they will go bad. For diabetics that are facing an emergency, there is a lot at stake.

Insulin is only good for a short shelf life. This means that your emergency supply of insulin will need to be rotated. You should also have a place to store your insulin where it can remain cool without refrigeration. There is no guarantee that you will have access to electricity in an emergency. A solar-powered cooler, an underground root cellar, or another location where it is naturally cold are best for your insulin storage.

General Medication

Your stockpile of medications will depend on the specific needs of your family. For example, you may have a child with asthma that requires a supply of inhalers or a senior parent that needs blood thinners.

Here is a list of general medications that you should include in your supply:

• Birth control

• Children’s medications for infants

• Laxatives

• High blood pressure medications

• Rubbing alcohol

• Iodine

• Nausea medication

• Sleeping pills

• Apple cider vinegar

If you find yourself in an emergency and you can’t get to the pharmacy, you will want to ensure that you have everything you need in your home. Follow these tips to help you gather the medications you need to stockpile for you and your family.