laika
Well-known member
Thanks. I did the STCW proficiency in medical first aid at warsash a few years back and the proficiency in medical care course is on the list of "before I head off..." tasks
Ocean medical kits and willing pharmacy S coast UK
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Thanks. I did the STCW proficiency in medical first aid at warsash a few years back and the proficiency in medical care course is on the list of "before I head off..." tasks
RolyGate
New member
Couple of quick points on use of meds in remote places.
- Some people are allergic to amoxycillin, apparently it's a penicillin derivative and intolerance is not uncommon. I didn't know I was and the result was very painful and long-lasting. Some just get 'amoxycillin mouth', which is mild soreness - I got a full-blown burnt-out mouth that was agony and lasted nearly two months. That's two months when I couldn't drink tea or coffee, eat solid food or taste anything at all. My diet was cold water and cold soup - sipped very, very carefully. It was exactly as if I'd taken a mug of boiling water, swilled it around my mouth, and left it in there for a few minutes. Everything in the mouth was as if it had been badly scalded, with ulcers and pain for a long time. No joke at all. So personally I'd advise you, if you've never taken amoxycillin, then get an alternative.
- Take some diclofenac tablets if you're over 50. It's just a high-power NSAID like ibuprofen, but more effective for certain types of pain.
Especially if you have any elevation of risk for passing a kidney stone: take some diclofenac. Some things can be tolerated while you painfully make your way to a hospital, and some can't. If you pass a kidney stone and it's a hurter, you'll be on the floor and that's that. No steering, no navigating, no sleep, no anything except extreme agony. Morphine doesn't fix it because for this specific issue it is ineffective for many people. You may hear some old-fashioned medics advising its use but they don't know what they're talking about, they need re-training.
I once spent several hours in a hospital bed next to a guy screaming in agony for hours, passing a kidney stone. They doped him up with so much morphine that they told me they couldn't give him any more, it might kill him. After hours of screaming, finally a doctor walked in who knew better and prescribed diclofenac. Five minutes later - pain gone.
The same happened to me more recently: I passed a kidney stone and collapsed with the pain. Got taken into hospital (forget driving - out of the question) and they gave me one diclofenac tab pretty fast. Pain gone. The doc told me that in her opinion, morphine is useless for kidney stone pain.
Just don't take it for a week because with massive doses like that, there can be cardiac issues. No problem for a day or so.
- For toothache - even severe, there are some off-label meds easier to obtain than painkillers, based on the old sulpha drugs. They stop all tooth infections and pain like magic and there is no limit to time or dose (within reason) as they are not hazardous. They are not painkillers, they kill the infection and the pain stops soon after.
I can't give you the names here because the PC police will attack. If you need to know, I'm sure you'll find a way.
- Dental work: don't have any done within 4 weeks of leaving. Everyone I ever met who had an abscess told me it was caused by recent dental work; often by aggressive hygienist work.
- Some people are allergic to amoxycillin, apparently it's a penicillin derivative and intolerance is not uncommon. I didn't know I was and the result was very painful and long-lasting. Some just get 'amoxycillin mouth', which is mild soreness - I got a full-blown burnt-out mouth that was agony and lasted nearly two months. That's two months when I couldn't drink tea or coffee, eat solid food or taste anything at all. My diet was cold water and cold soup - sipped very, very carefully. It was exactly as if I'd taken a mug of boiling water, swilled it around my mouth, and left it in there for a few minutes. Everything in the mouth was as if it had been badly scalded, with ulcers and pain for a long time. No joke at all. So personally I'd advise you, if you've never taken amoxycillin, then get an alternative.
- Take some diclofenac tablets if you're over 50. It's just a high-power NSAID like ibuprofen, but more effective for certain types of pain.
Especially if you have any elevation of risk for passing a kidney stone: take some diclofenac. Some things can be tolerated while you painfully make your way to a hospital, and some can't. If you pass a kidney stone and it's a hurter, you'll be on the floor and that's that. No steering, no navigating, no sleep, no anything except extreme agony. Morphine doesn't fix it because for this specific issue it is ineffective for many people. You may hear some old-fashioned medics advising its use but they don't know what they're talking about, they need re-training.
I once spent several hours in a hospital bed next to a guy screaming in agony for hours, passing a kidney stone. They doped him up with so much morphine that they told me they couldn't give him any more, it might kill him. After hours of screaming, finally a doctor walked in who knew better and prescribed diclofenac. Five minutes later - pain gone.
The same happened to me more recently: I passed a kidney stone and collapsed with the pain. Got taken into hospital (forget driving - out of the question) and they gave me one diclofenac tab pretty fast. Pain gone. The doc told me that in her opinion, morphine is useless for kidney stone pain.
Just don't take it for a week because with massive doses like that, there can be cardiac issues. No problem for a day or so.
- For toothache - even severe, there are some off-label meds easier to obtain than painkillers, based on the old sulpha drugs. They stop all tooth infections and pain like magic and there is no limit to time or dose (within reason) as they are not hazardous. They are not painkillers, they kill the infection and the pain stops soon after.
I can't give you the names here because the PC police will attack. If you need to know, I'm sure you'll find a way.
- Dental work: don't have any done within 4 weeks of leaving. Everyone I ever met who had an abscess told me it was caused by recent dental work; often by aggressive hygienist work.
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t21
Active member
Marine medical antibes sort the whole thing with nice separate bags for different stuff, amoxycillin substitutes and and tramodol as morphine substitute. Neck braces, inflatable splints and best of all the talking defibrilator yeehah. Have one of those on the boat and there's kinda no quibbling about the medical kit is there now, hm? Not really ...
AKAIK ... a pharmacist told me ... Expiry dates don't mean stuff must be chucked by the way - drugs will be 90% efficient a year later another 90% after that etc etc but yeah obviously you don't want a load of old stuff ... just that it's not useless or poisonous once date out - it's not food.
Oh and as skipper you can't prescribe stuff of couse ... for a concious patient you show them the nice laminated cards from marine medical antibes all part of the deal and let the patient choose what they fancy from the list. Oh, the 2017 dimoxychlorpani wassername you say? - an excellent choice sir ...
AKAIK ... a pharmacist told me ... Expiry dates don't mean stuff must be chucked by the way - drugs will be 90% efficient a year later another 90% after that etc etc but yeah obviously you don't want a load of old stuff ... just that it's not useless or poisonous once date out - it's not food.
Oh and as skipper you can't prescribe stuff of couse ... for a concious patient you show them the nice laminated cards from marine medical antibes all part of the deal and let the patient choose what they fancy from the list. Oh, the 2017 dimoxychlorpani wassername you say? - an excellent choice sir ...
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KellysEye
Active member
>My understanding is that if you've done the correct training you can then get permission to buy a full ships medical kit which includes items such as heavy duty pain relief such as morphine.
That sounds like the Ship Captain's medical course.
That sounds like the Ship Captain's medical course.
alant
Active member
I looked into similar some years back & Lymington Boots would supply me with required drugs, including morphine, didn't seem to be any problem. I did have a commercially endorsed Ocean ticket + Ships Captains Medical ticket which fitted their needs regarding paperwork.
Sandy
Well-known member
I assembled my own First Aid kit, OK I spent five years with a Mountain Rescue Team and have more than the average persons experience of trauma. My last RYA First Aid refresher was given by a military field paramedic who showed us the world of military field dressings and I've replaced all my dressings with those (available on Amazon)
The other thing I have done is have a long discussion with my GP about what drugs I can carry, when I should carry them and have arranged for private prescriptions for long trips.
The other thing I have done is have a long discussion with my GP about what drugs I can carry, when I should carry them and have arranged for private prescriptions for long trips.